As I shared with Lee via phone, my experiences mirror Gordon's.
I like the 20 gauge and I like it for a Serious Shotgun! Back in the day, we did not have screw in chokes, I feel screw in chokes in some ways have been a detriment in folks learning correct basic fundamentals of shotgunning.
We took the plain barrels with fixed chokes and did phenomenal things with these shotguns - including the 20 gauge.
Early we had these barrels cut and barrel makers "re-choke" these barrels to almost Mod fixed. Exceptional patterns and groups. barrel lengths were often 21" and 23". A few we made one or two round extensions.
We tweaked the loadings, as one did back in the day ,and some of these loads were #1, #4, 00 buckshot - besides the factory #3 buckshot. HARD nickel or copper plated shot - with buffering.
I guess we did a "reduced recoil load" in todays terms, less felt recoil in buckshot, slugs and other pellet loads.
Quite a few deer were put down with these guns.
I and others get angry when we read of folks "whacking barrels" - folks have no idea of what truly quality barrels they are ruining!!
Enough meat in these barrels - to have threads cut to fit Win-chokes in 870 barrels.
Rem was not doing screw in chokes, and Win-Choke is a very well thought out choke design.
We would get a busted barrel from a duck hunter, or similar, fired with mud in the barrel and then have our "Wizards" do these tweaks.
About damn time Remington paid attention to old ways and brought this 20 bore gun out...
I doubt if Rem or anyone will come out with a 28 gauge version. *Grin*
Oh I might know something about a 28 ga pump gun with 19", 21" and 23" barrel, using #1, #3, #4, 00 buck and slugs as well...
FYI .54 caliber felled a LOT of Bison and other big game in history.Used for lots of Serious Situations in history as well.
.54 cal equates to .540 which is the 28 gauge.
We messed with the "lowly .410" as well.
Now some folks "just gotta have" the "biggest, longest, and baddest" set up for serious.
There is NO Holy Grail on any firearm or loading doing anything!
Life matters do not always work as Internet, advertising or anything else "says". Called Life.
That said-
Lee and I spoke of something, and he reminded me of something.
You do know how big a horse, a cow and Buck Deer are ...
Will you accept these are bigger and heavier than you are?
One shot, and DRT, with the 20 gauge and 28 gauge Serious Shotguns from which I shared.
2 3/4" length shells. Even some being "reduced recoil" of our own making.
Shot placement and do not tell me a Cow, Horse (needing to be put down) will not buckle and hit dirt getting hit with a 20 or 28 ga slug. Buck did not go far either.
Guns I used, no side saddle, no mag extension - bone stock - except the barrel and loading tweak.
I know these guns and loads and how they punch thru a windshield, back glass or through a door. Old vehicles, with heavy metal - not this beer can metal in cars today.
Oh...some of these guns were bone stock single shot 20 ga and 28 ga with fixed choke mod barrels too.
Never ever look down on the person with a 20 bore. Best kept secret is a gas gun 20 like a 1100, 303, or 390. Pump guns are proven as well.
When the inmates broke out of a prison, and the folks were "concerned and on alert" - not one person with a 20 bore felt under gunned in surrounding area.
Real life, not Internet, not a video game, not a magazine, Real Life. 20 bores do work for serious situations with 2 3/4" shells.
About damn time Remington woke up I say
. I kept the old smooth walnut butt stock cut to 12.5" with a good pad. It had the old style corn cob front pump. The pre Lt. WT 20 ga 870s took the 12ga extension from Remington, the win choke swell acting like a 12ga. barrel.