Various gauges

What seems like would be fun that day.

A little more seriously. In my 12, 16 and 20 gauges, the vast majority of my ammo is either 1 oz or 7/8 oz. So it’s not about throwing more or less lead. It’s what I feel like using and carrying each day.

I should note I have a 28 gauge but I don’t take it seriously yet. Hardly used it so far. One round of SC and one days hunting.

Waterfowl are different.
 
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Like Canvasback, I choose the gun, not the gauge, for any given day. That will determine the cartridge size that goes in my pocket. Loads are all about the same. And I gave up on waterfowl shooting as none of my guns would take steel shot (though I realize there are now alternatives to steel).
 
To me the gauge as such isn’t much of a factor. I normally choose a gun for the suitability for the intended purpose and I’m fortunate to have lots to choose from. If I’m going to be walking a lot or on rough ground I like a light gun. For sharptails or chukars this could be a 20, 16 or 12 but the likely range that birds are encountered in the area will cause me to choose a gun for it’s suitable chokes and steadiness. For most grouse where I hunt the ranges are short and I like a fast handling gun with open chokes, gauge doesn’t matter to me but the smaller bores more often fit this profile. Waterfowl? Well we’re looking at heavier loads, bigger shot, often longer ranges, I shoot 12’s and short 10’s in heavier longer guns because I don’t carry them all day. Range day? I shoot ‘em all. And many times I’ll take a gun out just because I feel like shooting that one that day. They can get a little jealous you know.
 
A properly proportioned 16 ga. SxS double is the reason that the 16 ga. shell exists in my opinion. It feels "just right" in the hand and while swinging on upland birds. I can't get that exact perfect feel with a 12 or a 20. A 12 is more versatile, more powerful tha a 16. Often that's a good thing. A 20 is lighter and often "enough" for the task. A .410 is cute and handy and doesn't mess up close range birds. They all have their place.
 
My 10s are for goose and turkey hunting. I have 24x 12ga guns so I always have a tough choice there. Add in multiple 20s and 410s and 16 and 28 it really comes down to what gun I want to use that day. I tailor the load to the game

However for waterfowl hunting in my kayak I'll generally take a semi auto 12ga like a Beretta a303 or 1301comp. Hunting over a field or from a blind Ill take a double or a400. Planned distance of shooting dictates 12 20 or 28. Doves I love the 20s and 28. Small game and pheasant I prefer a sxs. Weather and terrain and whether or not we use dogs plays into what gun I bring
 
I use a 20 gauge hammer double if I am going to be shooting waterfowl and upland in the same day , but I also have BP/Bismuth loads for my Westley Richards.
I also have a set of Briley Side Kicks that will fit my favorite 12 bore hammer double if I am shooting upland and the mood strikes to change gauges.
The gun I have carried most in the last two years however is a 16 gauge SxS/9.3X72R hammer drilling .
For me it is more about the gun rather than the gauge.
Cat
 
brybenn said:
My 10s are for goose and turkey hunting. I have 24x 12ga guns so I always have a tough choice there. Add in multiple 20s and 410s and 16 and 28 it really comes down to what gun I want to use that day. I tailor the load to the game

However for waterfowl hunting in my kayak I'll generally take a semi auto 12ga like a Beretta a303 or 1301comp. Hunting over a field or from a blind Ill take a double or a400. Planned distance of shooting dictates 12 20 or 28. Doves I love the 20s and 28. Small game and pheasant I prefer a sxs. Weather and terrain and whether or not we use dogs plays into what gun I bring
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Very well said,I love all my gauges but love my guns better,so the defining use usually results in the gun being chosen not just the gauge.
 
Personally I like an American made 16 gauge 2 3/4 inch chambered shotgun for birds. Preferably built on a 20 gauge frame. I have a Remington model 31 built on a 20 gauge frame from 1948. It is awesome and truly is the "ball bearing action". In 1939 this gun listed for $48 while the Winchester model 12 listed for less than $40. That should give you an idea of how good the Remington 31 is.
 
For upland myself or with my regular hunting partners, I carry a 28 gauge SxS. If I have guests that I need to back up, the 16 SxS goes instead, For waterfowl, it's always a 12 gauge semi auto.
 
I asked a similar question 50 years ago, when I first started expanding beyond 1 or 2 shotguns. I asked a man whose experience and knowledge was light years ahead of most. His answer was that all available gauges remain available because they are well suited for one or more specific purposes.

Being a neophyte at the time, I was not entirely happy with his answer - I was looking for reasons to discount some gauges, with the goal of focusing my purchases and avoiding the amassing of rarely used guns. In the end, I made a decision that hadn’t even been considered, let alone recommended, by anyone. The decision was to restrict my purchases to 20, 16, and 12 ga models. I made this decision based on the common availability of both 20 and 12 ga models and, more importantly, the wide availability of ammunition in those in particular. 16 ga made the list due to the “sweet spot” occupied by the 28 ga and 16 ga “square load”. I think the only benefit of this decision has been the ability to inventory a wide selection of shells with a much smaller investment.

As a result, all my shotguns are in one of these 3 gauges. Over the years, I bought and sold several semis, but was entirely dissatisfied with all of them, so they were all sold off. This means that now my daily choices are between sxs, pump, or U/O. (All of which are in 20, 16, or 12).

Now, in the last quarter of my hunting/shooting life, age-related considerations have become more important. I would say that carry weight is likely the biggest of these. So, when selecting the gun(s) for a particular hunt, I determine the appropriate load, then look for the lightest gun that will accommodate that load with average recoil. It may not be a coincidence that classic British, Italian, or Spanish side by sides see more daylight than any others in the gun room these days.
 
straightshooter said:
I asked a similar question 50 years ago, when I first started expanding beyond 1 or 2 shotguns. I asked a man whose experience and knowledge was light years ahead of most. His answer was that all available gauges remain available because they are well suited for one or more specific purposes.

Being a neophyte at the time, I was not entirely happy with his answer - I was looking for reasons to discount some gauges, with the goal of focusing my purchases and avoiding the amassing of rarely used guns. In the end, I made a decision that hadn’t even been considered, let alone recommended, by anyone. The decision was to restrict my purchases to 20, 16, and 12 ga models. I made this decision based on the common availability of both 20 and 12 ga models and, more importantly, the wide availability of ammunition in those in particular. 16 ga made the list due to the “sweet spot” occupied by the 28 ga and 16 ga “square load”. I think the only benefit of this decision has been the ability to inventory a wide selection of shells with a much smaller investment.

As a result, all my shotguns are in one of these 3 gauges. Over the years, I bought and sold several semis, but was entirely dissatisfied with all of them, so they were all sold off. This means that now my daily choices are between sxs, pump, or U/O. (All of which are in 20, 16, or 12).

Now, in the last quarter of my hunting/shooting life, age-related considerations have become more important. I would say that carry weight is likely the biggest of these. So, when selecting the gun(s) for a particular hunt, I determine the appropriate load, then look for the lightest gun that will accommodate that load with average recoil. It may not be a coincidence that classic British, Italian, or Spanish side by sides see more daylight than any others in the gun room these days.
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Interesting. I did something similar. I spent the first 25 years hunting with a 12 gauge Wingmaster and a 16 ga Model 12. When I caught the SXS bug now nearly 20 years ago and started buying guns, I made the arbitrary decision to stick to 12 and 16. It was simply a way to vastly reduce my options in the vintage gun market. I couldn't look at everything and needed to just remove a bunch from consideration. And it worked extremely well for me. As I just about always shoot specialty ammo, it also minimized the inventory of shotshells I needed to lay in to have the assortment and back up quantities I wanted.

It is only in the last three years that I have entertained 20 and 28 gauges, mostly because I ran across some amazing guns at prices I couldn't afford not to buy. However, it's been a struggle on the ammo side of the equation. 2 1/2" low pressure shells are a bit harder to come by these days.
 
After the government said all hunters need is a 22 gauge, I sold all my 12, 16 and 20 gauges to have enough money for a nice 22 gauge. However, they must be rare because every store I ask for it, I hear “no” and get strange looks…

Keeping fingers crossed and hope I come by a nice 22 gauge soon.
 
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