What type of shotgun is best for pheasant or quail hunting?

I am wanting to get into bird hunting (or wing shooting as it is called) I have a Remington .20 gauge, but I didn't know if this was appropriate for pheasant or quail hunting. I was also not sure whether I needed a choke, and if so, what size.What type of shotgun is best for pheasant or quail hunting?
Do you know what kind of Remington 20 gauge you have?





Be it a pump or semiauto, as long as it isn't an 18'; short home defenes barrel, that gun will be fine for pheasant and quail





Does your gun have a choke, or a variable choke?





If so, whatever it is set on is probably fine. Most people choose ';modified'; but if yours is 'Improved Cylinder' that is fine, same with 'Full' heck even 'cylinder' would be fine.





Just get yourself a box of 20 guage shells, #6 size (better for quail), or #4 size (better for pheasant) lead (NOT STEEL).





If you have the room (like if you live in the country) go unfold a newspaper to get the biggest piece of paper you can (or use a big old hunk of cardboard) then go back 20 yards and shoot at it...see how big of a pattern is made. Try and draw a circle around most of the pellets, maybe 10% won't be in the circle, but most of em should be. Now, see if there are any spot you can lay your hand that doesn't cover at least 3 pellet holes. Think that oyur hand is about as big as a quail body, and that it will take at least 3 pellets to kill a quail.





Keep that in mind when you are hunting.





Then go back another 10 yards and with a new peice of paper shoot it again. See how the pellets are spread out further? Make the circle and do the hand test again.





Now move back another 10 yards. Do this to find out how far away you can shoot your gun and cleanly/humanly kill a quail (or pheasant they take more pellets to kill, but they are bigger, so they will catch more pellets)What type of shotgun is best for pheasant or quail hunting?
A 20 gauge is fine for field shooting. You could use #4 shot for pheasant and a 6 to 7 1/2 for quail.





A modified choke to a full choke tube should do the job assuming the gun has a Rem choke - screw in choke tubes.





A 12 gauge would be your next step up but many people prefer to carry a lighter 20 vs the heavier 12. I even use a 410 super light weight, single shot for grouse and quail. Once you're comfortable with the gun and you know you can make the shot, any of the above will do.





Good luck!
I gave a thumbs up to akluis, but nobody's really answered your primary question. What you don't want is to shoot a well-fitted side by side in the English style, with straight grip and splinter fore-end, with modified and improved chokes. You don't really shoot them; they almost point themselves for you, and you'll spoil yourself to any other shotgun for upland birds.
20ga. is perfect for them feathered footballs and quail.


I'd use a mod choke on the fat birds and full choke on quail
ohh ya 20 ga. is fine for bird hunting...good choice.