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Geese look big at the edge of range. They look huge up close. I waited for “huge,” then hung on a couple seconds more until the four geese began to backpedal. I raised the 20-gauge M2, and two of the 12-pound giants folded just as hard as if I had shot them with a 12.
Twenty-gauge waterfowl guns are in right now. Once considered appropriate only for women, children, and the recoil-shy, they’re a fad among waterfowlers of all sizes and experience levels. Some clubs in California require 20 gauges, on the theory that a slightly quieter report helps hold birds on their properties, but far more hunters choose 20s just because they enjoy shooting the smaller guns, and there’s a lot to like about a 20. They’re light, trim, and easy to point. Loaded sensibly, they don’t pound on your shoulder. Used within their limitations, 20 gauges make short, humane work of ducks and geese, too.
The Best Ammo for 20-Gauge Waterfowl Shotguns
The 20’s limitations aren’t that, well, limiting if you take advantage of some of the newest ammunition. There’s nothing wrong with regular steel 20-gauge loads, either. A 3-inch hull holds an ounce of shot at around 1350 fps, which, in my opinion, is fast enough. If you like speed, you can sacrifice 1/8 ounce of pellets for 200 fps more velocity. The 20’s drawback is that the smaller hulls can’t hold enough big, letter-size pellets, so you are limited to 1s and 2s at most.
If you want to punch up your 20, you’ll have to pay more for pricey non-toxics like bismuth (if you can find it), HeviXII, or the new copper loads from Boss. Or, you can shoot just a sprinkling of TSS mixed with steel in Federal’s Black Cloud TSS, Winchester Last Call Double Shot, or Apex Tungsten/S3 Steel Blend. The small TSS adds a lot of punch.
Let’s get this straight: day in, day out, the 12 is still the better duck gun than the 20 gauge. That said, the time I’ve spent shooting 20s convinces me that the 20 is a valid choice, especially if, like me, you believe waterfowling should be a game of 20-30 yard shots, not long pokes.
The firearms industry is always ready to push a trend, and there are a number of full-size 20-gauge waterfowl guns to choose from. Here are ten:
The Best 20-Gauge Shotguns for Waterfowl
1. Benelli SBE3
Benelli offers the SBE3, with all its technological advances, in a 3-inch 20-gauge version. It weighs a hair under 6 pounds and it has Benelli’s ComforTech stock to reduce recoil and the Easy Locking Bolt to assure the gun is never bumped out of battery. It has the same slim lines as the SBE3 12-gauge, but even slimmer, and a carbon fiber rib for those who prefer a lighter barrel for balance. It comes in black and several camo patterns, starting at $2079.
2. Beretta A400 Xtreme
The 20-gauge A400 Plus Xtreme features Beretta’s B-Link gas action, which is very fast and very reliable. The shock-absorber-type Kick-Off recoil reducer, combined with the gas system, takes the sting out of strong duck loads (they kick more than people think). The gun has enlarged controls for easy use in the cold and a raised rib that I find helps the A400 point very well for me. The A400 is a bit bulkier than some other 20s. I find that makes it easier, not harder, to shoot well. There are synthetic and camo models, starting at $1849.
3. Franchi Affinity 3 Elite
Positioned as Benelli’s mid-price brand, Franchi has become the favorite of a lot of hunters. The Affinity Elite inertia semiauto comes in a 6-pound, 20-gauge model with a 26-inch barrel and a choice of Optifade Marsh and tan Certakote or Timber/gray. The guns feature enlarged bolt handles and releases, as well as Franchi’s unique, very soft TSA recoil pad.
4. Stoeger 3020
If Benellis are Cadillacs and Franchis are Buicks, Stoegers are the Chevys of the Benelli family: inertia semiautos in anyone’s price range. The Turkish-made 3020 is light and handy at under six pounds, although that light weight also means it will let you know it’s there when you pull the trigger on a 3-inch shell. It comes in a variety of waterfowling-appropriate finishes: black, all camo, Cerakote and camo, and Cerakote and walnut, if you’re feeling dressy.
5. Mossberg 500
Light and extremely popular, the Mossberg 500 comes in a 20-gauge black synthetic version, making it a good choice as a duck gun you don’t have to baby. Inspired by Remington’s great Model 31 pump, the 500 is just as slick-shucking, and it has a top safety—which has been recently improved for the better—that makes it a favorite with left-handers, as well as the sling swivel studs that belong on any duck gun. It comes in a 26-inch barreled model only and sells for a price so low ($450) you almost can’t afford not to buy it.
Read Next: Best Duck Hunting Shotguns
6. Winchester SXP
With its rotary bolt, the SXP is a gun so smooth you can pump it almost without conscious thought, even if you’re not a practiced slide-action shooter. Originally known as the Model 1300, the gun was redesigned, improved, and outsourced to Turkey after Winchester’s New Haven plant closed. There is a 20-gauge waterfowl version with synthetic stock tipped with Browning/Winchester’s very effective Inflex recoil pad. It comes in both 26 and 28-inch barreled versions, starting at $439 in basic black.
7. Winchester SX4
A good value in a proven, reliable gas gun, the SX4 comes with the enlarged bolt handle and release button that waterfowlers favor. It’s also one of the softer shooting semiautos, so it can take the sting out of 3-inch magnums. The 20-gauge version is listed just a bit above 6 ½ pounds and comes with a choice of 24-, 26-, or 28-inch barrels. It comes in either a black or a fully camo version with sling swivel studs and the stock features length of pull spacers so it can fit shooters of all sizes.
8. Benelli Nova
A 12-gauge Benelli Nova served as my duck gun for a few years, and I always liked the long forearm that let me take a short grip on it, and the rotary action, which helped it pump very smoothly. Its polymer-enclosed receiver was tough, too, and withstood a drop onto rip rap among many other indignities while I owned it. The 20 gauge version is much, much lighter than the hefty, almost-eight-pound 12 gauge. The safety is annoyingly tiny, but that’s the end of the gun’s shortcomings, especially given its low price. The 20 gauge comes with a 24- or 26-inch barrel in black or Mossy Oak camo, and prices start at $579.
9. Redhead All-Terrain
If you’d prefer to shoot an O/U at waterfowl, the CZ All-Terrain line is worth a hard look. The Redhead is the flagship model of the 11-gun lineup. It features matte walnut with swivel studs and olive Cerakote on the receiver and barrel. It comes with a choice of 28 or 30-inch barrels and extended chokes, and, in a genius move, CZ has put tiny magnets in the ejectors that are just strong enough to keep a shell from falling out when you tip the gun to load it. The 20-gauge Redhead with 30-inch barrels I have shot was heavy by 20-gauge standards, which is not a bad thing in a duck gun, as it swung smoothly.
10. Retay ACE-R and ACE
The newest name in inertia guns, Retay semiautos are becoming very popular. The ACE-R and ACE improve on existing Retay models by employing the Benelli Crio-choke system in place of the proprietary Retay chokes. This switch opens up a ton of aftermarket choke possibilities to get the most out of the Retay deep-drilled barrel. Retay has its own take on the click-proof bolt that eliminates the danger of the dreaded “inertia click” misfire. The trigger group drops out with the push of a button, too, while the two-piece, SBE-style receiver makes cleanup easy. They also have an effective recoil pad inspired by running shoe technology. In all, these seem like well-made, well-thought-out guns. Retay makes the ACE and the ACE-R, the latter having a semi-humped receiver that gives it a distinct look. The 20 gauges come in synthetic-stocked waterfowl versions in black and camo.
