And for the record, the guides I have hunted with in CO all use 12 gauges for Canada Geese.

Was not arguing....just offering my experience just like everyone else. Did not know shooting 20 made me less manly than when I shot 12 last year. I will keep that in mind. Kill rates have gone up and having less cripples so it works. I am happy why my emasculation.

I was suspicious until I tried it.

And I don't doubt the effectiveness or your results. The bismuth shells are great.

As mentioned earlier, almost every adult that's duck hunting, should be able to handle a 12 gauge. Unlike sporting clays, you shouldn't be shooting 100 times for 6 ducks and maybe a few geese.

I've never had a duck hunt where I wish I had a slightly lighter gun or was beat up by a 12 gauge.

Neither did I, I tried them side by side, we all enjoyed shooting the 20s better. But then again it was a Benelli M4 so that is more enjoyable than just about everything else.

If I am going hunting tomorrow, it will be with my 20 over the 12. Common misconception that 20 doesn't work.

With new tech in chokes and shells they are both viable. Most people have been told all their lives 12 is the only way. I was in the same boat.

When I shoot my 300 winmag I do not mind the recoil. But going hunting I will grab the 25-06 for every animal south of grizzly country.

ttha_aggie_09 said:

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you shouldn't be shooting 100 times for 6 ducks and maybe a few geese.

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Speak for yourself

Save a little more and get a Benelli SBE.

ttha_aggie_09 said:

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aggie1819 said:

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We shoot cranes and geese with 20 gauges. You don't need the 3.5s for that. The 20 gauge, a good pattern choke, and bismuth works better than a heavy 12 and is more enjoyable to shoot.

A lot of guides we hunt with in Texas, Kansas, Colorado, North Dakota and Canada are switching to this as well.

Kind of like the 9mm and 45 debate. New tech has made the 20 more viable than ever before.

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Good for them! I have an A400 that makes shooting 3.5" shells extremely enjoyable, when I want to shoot them. I'm not going to switch to a 20 gauge just because. I am a grown man and can handle a 12 gauge shotgun. Not to mention, for ducks it's not like you're shooting 4 boxes of shells.

Yes, the bismuth loads are great and effective but they're at least double the price of a box 3.5" BB. I'd rather spend $15 bucks on those than $30+ for roughly the same thing.

This was really just a joke responding to Tarpon but I guess now we're going to argue what you "need" for shooting ducks... if you can endure the physical requirements of trekking through mud, setting out 8 dozen decoys, and picking them up, you can certainly shoot a 12 gauge. Shells are easier to find for 12 gauge anyways.

For the record, my go to duck shells are 3" #2 or #3.

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I don't remember which lodge it was but I remember seeing some place, I think in Oklahoma, where they require you to shoot a .410 for ducks. The website said something about them getting ducks to decoy in so close it's all they needed.

I like the Hevi-Metal stuff. I shoot 3" #6 during teal season but often have a box of #4 during early teal in case they're not decoying in close. During big duck season and even for geese or cranes I go to #2 all around but usually have a box of #4 in there too. I finally polished off a box of BB (not Hevi-Metal) that I'd had about 20 years this season. I just don't have a use for it really- I'm having a brain-cramp on the brand but I don't think they're in business anymore.

I shoot regularly with a guy who has lost multiple charging handles out of is VM, still loves the gun though.

And for every lost charging handle story, there are 100 guys out there that have no issues at all.

How the hell does one lose a charging handle? Is it threaded on?

Flys off when the bolt cycles, the detent ball on his bolt isn't to spec apparently so handles won't seat real snug, it isn't a big enough problem to him for him to care about fixing it.

AggieGunslinger said:

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I shoot regularly with a guy who has lost multiple charging handles out of is VM, still loves the gun though.

And for every lost charging handle story, there are 100 guys out there that have no issues at all.

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You're probably right. I just know it's a known issue and I know people who have had it occur and if somebody is interested in a VM they might want to have that data.

Got a Benelli Montefeltro last year. Got for $700 or so on sale.

Good luck!