20 gauge and ducks?

[uncoolperson]

With the wife wanting to search for deer, and me wanting to take her out looking for ducks/pheasants and such this year... is a 20 gauge worthwhile for ducks?

I've gotten her a pink plinkster .22 and a pink taurus .22 pistol, I think she'd enjoy the remmy 870 20 gauge ladies/youth in pink...

Or would I be better off grabbing her a 12 and painting it up myself?

(she's a little shy with, but can handle my 12 with stock buttpad without complaints)

[bobcat]

The 20 used to be ok when lead was allowed. With steel you really need the 12 gauge for ducks. Unless you want to spend big money for the lead alternatives that they have out now, such as Bismuth shot.

[walt]

The 20 will work, it just wont have the range or pattern of a 12.  Also I'm not sure pink would be the right color for hiding in the reeds, for upland it would work fine.

[C-Money]

A 20ga will work fine, try to hunt under decoys. Get the wife out shooting clay targets with the 20ga. You dont want her shooting a gun that hurts. You can get steel loads up to 1 1/4oz for a 20ga. My wife uses a 870 wingmaster in 20ga and dumps them just as good as the 3 1/2 shooters. Accuracy is best!

[h2ofowlr]

The 20 gauge will work just fine.  If your decoying ducks over decoys no problem.  I shot the 20 gauge on many outtings last season for the extra challenge.  The 20 gauge runs about the same cost if not more than 12 gauge, it will make it easier if both parties are shooting the same gauge ammo, in case one runs out.  If she does shoot a 12 I would look at a semi-auto to lessen the recoil, so she doesn't become gun shy or potentially develop the high power twitch as they call it.

[General Disarray]

If you know how to decoy ducks, you can shoot them with a .410.  If you're taking them on swings and passes, you need to learn how to decoy ducks. 

A guy I hunt with shoots a 20ga O/U only and my 10 year old killed more ducks than most adults last year with a 20.  Just know what shots she can make and which ones she cannot.

[Intruder]

20 is certainly feasible, especially early season over dekes.  The newer tungsten/heavy shot has made it a much better waterfowl gun.  The big problem in years past was that the shot charge with larger steel pellets was so small that your pattern really suffered.  With the new shot you can go down to the old lead sizes and have adequate pattern density to kill ducks out to 35 yards.

[adam.WI]

i have a lot of buddies that use a 20 for everything, so it will work

on a side note, get her away from the pink. If she wants to hunt she wants to hunt. If she wants a fashion show take her to a fashion show.

[JBar]

That's all I use for ducks and geese over decoys 20 yards average. Any pass shooting I use a 12. I use Heavy Steel for both my 20 ( 2 & 4 shot )  and 12 (4 & 6 shot). Going to try the Black Cloud this year as it's quite a bit cheaper.

[ecnclan]

Like others have said the 20 is fine over decoys and under 30-35 yards.  Beyond that,  cripples will be way to common.  I like 4 shot for this type of gunning.

[uncoolperson]

Thanks all for the input, picked her up a 12 gauge synthetic 870 express added a slip on limbsaver. Seems to fit her fine.

[bobcat]

Good decision. A 12 gauge will be easier to hit with and will kill better at longer ranges. For less recoil just be sure to use the lighter loads like 1 1/8 ounce of shot in the 2 3/4 inch shells and the kick won't be bad at all.

[Buckmark]

What Bobcat said + when youve got some layers on whe duck hunting that reduces felt recoil also..

[uncoolperson]

Now I gotta work out a decent enough pattern that's semi girly (hidden butterflies and stuff as the blobs is my idea, based off a naked ladies camo pattern I saw somewhere that was awesome) incorporating a pink background...

[Buckmark]

camobooty.com