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Project Gun

String Music

String Music

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2007
Messages
3,233
Location
Knoxville
I loved hunting with this little gun this past season and ended up killing two gobblers with it. The gun is light as a feather and makes runnin' and gunnin' a breeze.

H&R youth 20 ga single shot
Added new stocks, hammer spur and Bottomland gun wrap

I thought about having it threaded for chokes, but I like the challenge of its limited range (30 yards).

The gun normally costs about $130, but I traded another gun for it. All the improvements set me back about $100.

I don't know the exact weight, but it's under 5lbs for sure.
 

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Nice, and really all you need, imo.
String Music":3qc6rls0 said:
I thought about having it threaded for chokes, but I like the challenge of its limited range (30 yards).
Click to expand...
You didn't state what shells you're using in this, but I would think with just the right shells you should be able to get at least 35 yards if not 40 with just it's standard "full" choke (assuming that's what you have).

Have you tried the 20 ga Federal Heavyweights in #7 size shot?
I'm sure they will give you quite a shoulder "kick" with the gun being so light, but I can't imagine their not increasing your range well beyond 30 yards.
 
Wes Parrish":xwivccqf said:
Nice, and really all you need, imo.
String Music":xwivccqf said:
I thought about having it threaded for chokes, but I like the challenge of its limited range (30 yards).
Click to expand...
You didn't state what shells you're using in this, but I would think with just the right shells you should be able to get at least 35 yards if not 40 with just it's standard "full" choke (assuming that's what you have).

Have you tried the 20 ga Federal Heavyweights in #7 size shot?
I'm sure they will give you quite a shoulder "kick" with the gun being so light, but I can't imagine their not increasing your range well beyond 30 yards.
Click to expand...

It actually has a modified choke. I killed both birds with lead, but plan on picking up the ammo you mentioned for next year. I've heard great things about that shell for 20s.

I have no doubt the normal H&R 20s with a full choke will kill out to 45 yards. I almost bought one the other day to fix up.
 
Picked up a Hi-Viz sight and a box of Federal HW #6s today. Looking forward to shooting these and HW #7s to see which performs better. Also attached a "shoulder aid" on the buttstock.
 

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Tennessee Lead":3tuaq250 said:
I really like that. Wouldn't mind to fix one myself
It looks great


Sent from my iPhone that I ain't smart enough to use with tapatalker
Click to expand...

It was a lot of fun deciding what to do with it and then fixing her up. These guns are super cheap and can be found at pawn shops for under $100. I loved hunting with mine last year. It was much more gratifying killing a gobbler with this gun than with my SBE2.
 
String Music":2pcdw4me said:
It was much more gratifying killing a gobbler with this gun than with my SBE2.
Click to expand...
Usually, what's most "gratifying" to me is simply just having the old Tom put on a good show, then getting him up close, like around 15 to 20 yards, as have been most I've killed over the years. At that range, it really doesn't matter much what the gun or what the shells. In fact, most hunters are handicapping themselves with extra tight chokes if most of their shots are under 40 yards.

But, kinda know what you mean, as back in the 90's when we had a 2-bird limit, one year I killed a good longbeard on opening day with my Grandfather's (on my Dad's side) antique 16 gauge side-by-side. The very next day, I killed an even older longbeard (both had 1 1/8 to 1 1/4" spurs) with my Grandfather's (on my Mother's side) older-than-I-was 16 gauge Browning "Sweet 16". Both birds gobbled their heads off, came in strutting, and both were killed under 10 yards. And I was very happily "done" with that year's turkey hunting, went on to enjoy lots of spring fishing. April is a great month for fishing. :)

What's more, in both those 16-gauge kills, I was using #7 1/2 standard lead field loads, which were left-over dove shells.
 
Wes Parrish":1llp0zcj said:
String Music":1llp0zcj said:
It was much more gratifying killing a gobbler with this gun than with my SBE2.
Click to expand...
Usually, what's most "gratifying" to me is simply just having the old Tom put on a good show, then getting him up close, like around 15 to 20 yards, as have been most I've killed over the years. At that range, it really doesn't matter much what the gun or what the shells. In fact, most hunters are handicapping themselves with extra tight chokes if most of their shots are under 40 yards.

But, kinda know what you mean, as back in the 90's when we had a 2-bird limit, one year I killed a good longbeard on opening day with my Grandfather's (on my Dad's side) antique 16 gauge side-by-side. The very next day, I killed an even older longbeard (both had 1 1/8 to 1 1/4" spurs) with my Grandfather's (on my Mother's side) older-than-I-was 16 gauge Browning "Sweet 16". Both birds gobbled their heads off, came in strutting, and both were killed under 10 yards. And I was very happily "done" with that year's turkey hunting, went on to enjoy lots of spring fishing. April is a great month for fishing. :)

What's more, in both those 16-gauge kills, I was using #7 1/2 standard lead field loads, which were left-over dove shells.
Click to expand...

That's how I am. My main gun is a SBE2 and I use the modified choke that came with it. I won't shoot at a bird if it is past 45-50 yards.

It was fun toting the small 20 ga around. I knew it would get the job done, but I had to get up close and personal with it. Both the birds I killed were less than 15 yards. It makes you re-think your setup and certainly saves more than a few birds b/c of it.

I'm currently stuck on the idea of killing a gobbler with all the different gauges (12,16,20,28, .410). I'm not sure if it is legal to kill one with a .410, but I'd love to give it a go.
 
Federal Heavyweight #6s @ 37 yards. Not bad at all. I'm not 100% satisfied. I think the #7s will be the ticket.
 

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String Music":16dpxxr6 said:
I think the #7s will be the ticket.
Click to expand...
That's my main ticket now in both 12 & 20 gauge turkey guns, as I'm always going for a clean head shot, or else the bird walks.
But to my surprise, the #7 Federal HW's will go all the way thru a turkey's breast at 45 yards, so generally wouldn't see much reason to use the #6's, unless you had a peculiar gun that patterned the 6's better than the 7's.

What you really need on your "project gun" is a Burris Fastfire sight! :tu:
 
Wes Parrish":1nsuj1zn said:
String Music":1nsuj1zn said:
I think the #7s will be the ticket.
Click to expand...
That's my main ticket now in both 12 & 20 gauge turkey guns, as I'm always going for a clean head shot, or else the bird walks.
But to my surprise, the #7 Federal HW's will go all the way thru a turkey's breast at 45 yards, so generally wouldn't see much reason to use the #6's, unless you had a peculiar gun that patterned the 6's better than the 7's.

What you really need on your "project gun" is a Burris Fastfire sight! :tu:
Click to expand...

I shot the #7s and put 43 shots in the head/neck area of the turkey target at 30 yards. I'm definitely going with the #7s!

The Fastfire would definitely increase the sex appeal of the gun. However, I think I'll stick with the open sights for now!
 

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