Weatherby Element 20 gauge , 22" Bottomland

[The Showstopper...]

I have a Weatherby Element 20 gauge coming my way in the next few weeks, I still have 2 months and a week before our season opens, and I decided I was only going to buy one new turkey gun a year going forward, I looked around for the new Mossberg 20 gauge pistol grip in greenleaf for a day or so, but I couldnt locate it, so I came across the weatherby element 20 gauge,in bottomland and a 22" barrel.

I believe its a invector thread system, I already have a handful of chokes to test but I haven't read a lot on this gun, I plan on having it drilled and tapped,I really am not sure if I will use a red dot this year,I also use peep sight fiber optics on a lot of my turkey guns. I'll be shooting Browning and Federal tss 7's and hevi,mag blend,lb xr etc, out of it but I'd be interested in hearing If anybody has one? How they like it,what are they shooting?...Im stuck with 5-6 or 7's as of now.

[Chief Razor]

Interested as well. Ive been curious about that gun.

[The Showstopper...]

I do have a question, I have quite a few turkey guns drilled and tapped but I have never used a 670 universal EGW base to mount a vortex venom, I am trying to find out before I buy the mount if I can use the warbird mount with this base?.... as I plan on having the gunsmith drilling and tapping the Element with the base I go with....Thanks.

[The Showstopper...]

I looked and realized that It won't matter,the warbird mount will not make a difference,not sure why I thought it would. I had a few issues with a couple of my red dots not being able to go low enough,so they shot 2" high from poa to poi, with different red dots, on different mounts in the past. This mount looks to be a lower profile than the ones I had issues with before, It wasn't the red dot, I know the all the way up,all the way down trick for the venom.

[2Shooter]

I’ve use the Warbird optic guard with a lot of EGW 670 radius mounts and never had a problem with a Burris FF3. The only issue is the optic guard will cover the post on the mount, but the 2 screws that hold the sight will hold everything in place.

[bcturkeynut]

When had had issues mounting a red dot (Venom) I have used one of these shims and it took care of the problem.
https://www.umtactical.com/store/p5/Del ... ptics.html

[The Showstopper...]

Thanks, I actually was going to purchase 3 of these last winter but the shipping cost is $50 dollars ,that would be like $70 Canadian in shipping cost alone, I haven't been able to locate them up in Ontario yet but that may be something I end up buying and worry about the shipping fees when I am 6 feet under.

I have 3 venoms currently and two already setup on 20 gauges, and they do hit high, about 2", so they are probably worth the purchase, I know I have 2 bushnell rxs 100's on other 20's and they hit high on the weaver bases as well. I appreciate the link,I am probably going to order some this week or next,I may or may not need the 3rd one for the new gun but at least I'll have it,maybe order 4,so I have some spare for new red dots.

Shipping costs have gotten out of control everywhere, I used to be able to order ammo from the same place, It would be 41 dollars, for the same amount of boxes,same ammo, now It's 83.45...in 2 years. I used to sell a ton of Archery equipment,bows mostly to the Us, now I don't, shipping costs are laughable, North America is run by morons, two of the biggest dipsticks that have ever walked on this earth.

[turkeyinstrut]

Do you know what the actual weight of the Element is? They have it listed as 8.1 pounds.

[The Showstopper...]

Here are the specs for the 22", 20 gauge in Bottomland original.

-Weight: 6.2

Overall Length: 43.25

Barrel Length & Contour: 22"

Mag Capacity: 4+1

Length of Pull: 14.625

Drop @ Comb: 1.625

Drop @ Heel: 2.25

Chamber: 3"

Choke: IC,M,F,XF

Sights: FIBER OPTIC FRONT

[bcturkeynut]

Not sure if this Amazon option has better shipping rates to Canada, or not.

[SKFOOTER]

Forget drilling and tapping it and get the Meadow Creek Rib Mount.

[The Showstopper...]

I don't like the rib mounts, they just are not my style. I want my guns drilled and tapped.I always put a set of fiber optic sights on my ribs and if my guns are not drilled and tapped,I get them done.

[Hoobilly]

Not sure if this Amazon option has better shipping rates to Canada, or not.

Throw that crap away. Stick with quality
EGW bases or the meadowcreekmounts vent rib

[The Showstopper...]

I don't even see anything in his post, my gun is shipping Monday so I should have it in my hands by the 11th-14th of March,Im going to drop it off to be drilled and tapped as soon as I get it so i am going to look around for the base I will attach for its life.

[The Showstopper...]

I got the shim issue looked after for my vortex venom's and I decided to go with a sumtoy base for this gun, It shows gun arriving March 14th but I don't think I will have base yet so I am going to wait to have it drilled until base arrives, which hopefully is before end of March, the gunsmith I use is very good and usually within 1-2 days I have my guns back from him so no worries there, I have a stock I am having him cut 5/8" off of and I am also having him install a swivel stud on a 2003 Rem 870 20 gauge youth turkey gun I bought new never shot end of May last year as well.

I have 7 different chokes including stock turkey choke to try out and a ton of different ammo options when It warms up a bit. It looks like another 30-35 cm of snow next week,so It looks like a early april to mid april patterning year.

[The Showstopper...]

The gun arrived today, I just had some time and put it together, nice and light feels good in my hands, not all mucked up with packing grease,feels slick, the rubberized grips are outstanding on the gun, the only downside for me is because I am a lefty the safety is a little ackward when off, or ready to "kill", as it is on my sx4, which I know you can have switched,I just havent yet. I am hoping to be able to switch this one.

I had ordered a williams slugger ghost ring sight and because the vented rib does not go through all the way to end of barrel you would have to attach it a few inches back, I won't do that,I figure out another "fiber "optic sight to use on the barrel, Im just waiting for the sumtoy base to ship,Im not waiting any longer than Monday,I'll just buy the egw 670 and be done with it.

[Krm944]

Is the Weatherby Element the same as the Mossberg SA 20? I really like the 22” barrel. Mossberg lists the SA20 as 5.5 pounds. I have been carrying a 935 Turkey that gets a bit heavy.

[TurkeyTaco]

I bought one for my girlfriend a couple weeks ago. It’s not a bad gun and shoots incredibly smooth. There are only two ways to load this gun.

1. Drop a single shell into the receiver and with the bolt held back via hand, or the bolt hold button located near the top of the trigger guard. Release the bolt, loading the shell.

2. Load a single shell into the magazine with the bolt forward, hit the bolt release and then rack the shell from the lifter.

Aside from that I have no complaints. It’s not a feature I’m super keen on but hopefully something I just get used too. Patterns good with the stock turkey choke. It’s a lead only so I’ve yet to send and tungsten down range but I’m sure it will do great.

[The Showstopper...]

The safety is not reversable on this gun, thats about the only thing that I don't like, the gun is light and feels great, I hope it shoots poa with fiber optic bead. I have no idea if its the same gun as the mossberg, I don't own the mossberg auto.

[el diablo]

Is the Weatherby Element the same as the Mossberg SA 20? I really like the 22” barrel. Mossberg lists the SA20 as 5.5 pounds. I have been carrying a 935 Turkey that gets a bit heavy.

No, the SA20 is a gas gun, the Element is an inertia driven gun.

[The Showstopper...]

I stayed with the williams ghost ring fiber optics and my sumtoy shows it arriving the 27th, I'll then drop gun off and have it drilled and tapped, unlike years past where I spent hundreds of dollars shooting and patterning a ton of guns, Im just spending one day this year before season getting the handful of guns patterned I haven't already for season. This time last year I was able to get around my camp and property, right now, I have 4 feet of snow still on my laneway into my camp and property. Im not expecting to pattern before 2nd, maybe 3rd weekend of April weather depending, our season starts the 25th of April.

[The Showstopper...]

I dropped the gun off last Thursday after work and picked it up tonight after work, I'll be patterning it this weekend and hunting with it next week sometime.The guy we deal with is far and away the best I have ever dealt with working on firearms, and more than reasonable on cost, I always tip him because he is just an awesome guy, and guy to deal with.

[jsh909]

I dropped the gun off last Thursday after work and picked it up tonight after work, I'll be patterning it this weekend and hunting with it next week sometime.The guy we deal with is far and away the best I have ever dealt with working on firearms, and more than reasonable on cost, I always tip him because he is just an awesome guy, and guy to deal with.

Looks great

What choke system does your gun use?

[The Showstopper...]

All of my 4 weatherby turkey guns use the win choke-invector threads, including the Element.

[jsh909]

All of my 4 weatherby turkey guns use the win choke-invector threads, including the Element.

Thank you, that's what I remembered reading but wanted to confirm