12ga vs. 20 ga.

[X-man]

The 12ga kaboom problem is the main reason why all 20 ga shells are now yellow.

For younger hunters, women and slightly built men, I generally recommend/introduce them to shotgunning using a semi-auto 20 ga and generally avoid the heavy magnum loads.

The 20ga loads puts out lots of pellets, so the shooter enjoys much more success than if they were forced to use a .410 (which in my opinion, is an experts tool and not for newbies) and the semi-auto action absorbs much of the felt recoil.

When bunny and grouse hunting, I know that myself, I've almost completely abandoned the 12ga. Tears up too much meat and for the past five seasons have been using a beautiful Fox SXS .410ga that my uncle gave me rather than going through the hassle of obtaining a firearms license himself. However, this season I'm going to be using my new Stevens 311 SXS in 16 ga. Been wanting one for the longest time for sentimental reasons and finally found one in excellent condition for a very reasonable price here on the EE.

For duck and goose hunting or out after a few turres though, I still stick with my tried and true Remington 870 12 ga. Whether fresh water or salt, that old 870 has never let me down and I trust the pump under those conditions far more than any semi.

 

[Brutus]

I got to admit most of the time my SKB/Ithaca O/U 20 bore is my go to gun, for bunnies & grouse.
If I grab my 12 bore pump gun, it's usually because I plan on shooting buckshot or slugs at bigger critters.

PS: I also have an 20 gauge Ithaca M37 Featherlight w/20 inch fully rifled M87 barrel, & with
Winchester Supreme Gold Sabot 2 3/4 inch (.454 dia. 260 grain bullet, 1900 FPS!).......it recoils way worse than most of my 12 gauge shotguns.

This is the reason I purchased a Limbsaver slip-on pad.

 

[Rick B]

If you are having difficulty finding a 20 gauge SxS why not get a 12 gauge SxS and look for some sub gauge inserts. Then you have in essence the weight of a 12 to absorb some of the recoil and lighter 20 gauge ammo to shoot. Just a thought

 

[TheTooner]

I had never heard of such things for a shotgun. Thanks, Rick B. Any suggestions as to who makes and/or sells them?

 

[TonyMo]

gauge reducers are available from Cabelas. Go to their site and search "little skeeters"

 

[TheTooner]

Found them. Those are quite clever. I could just get one for my Remington 870 to shoot 20 ga. and not even buy a doubl

HEY! Are you my ex-wife!?





But seriously, thanks, TonyMo, with that I could perhaps find a decent used double in 12 ga. and have enough money for a pair of 20 ga. skeeters. I always like the idea of two guns in one.

 

[Fassteel]

I won't own a 20 gauge, because I own a 12. There's nothing wrong with the gauge, I'm sure it's nice, but there's a caveat.

It would be too easy for me to feed a 20 into a 12 gauge mag by accident, if it was in one of my shirt pockets, or range bags, thoughtlessly.A 20 gauge shell slides down into the chamber, and continues until the rim hits the end, and sticks there, out of sight. A 12 gauge will chamber right on top, and Ka-Boom!

It's easy for someone much more perfect than me to be arrogant and say, "well, I'm absolutely careful, and wouldn't ever do that!".

But I'm just an average Joe. I lose my keys or wallet once a week or so, I've put the cereal back in the fridge, instead of the milk, and at least twice that I can remember, I've looked around for my glasses in the morning, for a minute or two, before realizing that I was wearing them. I'm extra-special careful when it comes to guns, but I've still tried busting on a clay with spent shells, or have forgotten to #### the hammers, or release the safety first. More than once, unfortunately.

I HAVE to treat guns like their always loaded unless I checked them just a second ago, because they just might be loaded. It's not uncommon for me to check the chamber, get my train of though interrupted by someones unexpected question, or comment, and then double check the chamber again, just for reassurance.

So when we covered the importance of checking headstamps in my pal course, I just made a deliberate decision not to own two similar cartridges, that will result in a KB! when chambered in the wrong gun. That might mean I don't get to own some of the necked down variants, when I already own the parent cases, but that's my life, and I'd like to preserve it.

Well Bob, if you are loading your 20 gauge shotgun blindfolded then yes it might be easy enough to feed some of the Bright Yellow shells into your 12 gauge. That is one of the reasons different gauges are different colours so fellows that may be a little careless can't fu*k up. FS

 

[BCRider]

Am I missing something here? With those gauge inserts you're still humping around the big 12 with inserts just so you can shoot some 20 ga ammo. I guess it makes sense if you want to shoot a smaller load to do less damage to game. But is there any other good reason for this?

Also with a pump like the 870 won't the adapter get ejected along with the empty case?

Tooner, if you need an excuse to get a SxS to play with then just pretend that you're doing it to get ready for cowboy action shooting at some point.

And yes SxS's are a lot of fun to shoot. I've got two in 12ga. One full length that I'm going to use for some clay shooting and maybebutnotbloodylikelybutperhaps go bird hunting at some point. The other was a cheap Baikal that I cut to 20 inches in prep for doing the cowboy shooting a bit later this summer once I've got the rest of the kit together. The cheap Baikal is a blast. I shoot then open it and with a little flick of the gun the two cases clear right out over my right shoulder. I just need to soften the mainsprings or the helper spring (not sure what's inside it yet) so the barrel weight on it's own is enough to let the action open fully.

If this is to be just for grins then get one of the cheapies you find here and there. As long as it's got a nice action with no slop you should be good to go.

 

[Rick B]

A 12 gauge double isn't going to weigh that much more than a 20 and the added weight will help with absorbing recoil. Unless you plan on doing some serious all day walking you won't notice the difference.

 

[catnthehatt]

A 12 gauge double isn't going to weigh that much more than a 20 and the added weight will help with absorbing recoil. Unless you plan on doing some serious all day walking you won't notice the difference.

Full length tubes by briley are about 6oz per tube, the little skeeters are pretty light however.
I bought a set in 410 to mess with, but usually use my 28 guage tubes....
Cat

 

[TheTooner]

A 12 gauge double isn't going to weigh that much more than a 20 .... Unless you plan on doing some serious all day walking you won't notice the difference.

Through some not very serious running over the last month I've lost more than the weight of a shotgun. (And I expect to lose a couple more shotguns' worth before hunting season. ) To someone my size, the difference between a 12 and 20 will not be significant even for serious all day walking. But to a smaller person such as a youngster that I might conceivable take shooting, lending them this gun I'm looking for, it might be a factor. I am considering it.

 

[catnthehatt]

I won't own a 20 gauge, because I own a 12. There's nothing wrong with the gauge, I'm sure it's nice, but there's a caveat.

It would be too easy for me to feed a 20 into a 12 gauge mag by accident, if it was in one of my shirt pockets, or range bags, thoughtlessly.A 20 gauge shell slides down into the chamber, and continues until the rim hits the end, and sticks there, out of sight. A 12 gauge will chamber right on top, and Ka-Boom!

It's easy for someone much more perfect than me to be arrogant and say, "well, I'm absolutely careful, and wouldn't ever do that!".

But I'm just an average Joe. I lose my keys or wallet once a week or so, I've put the cereal back in the fridge, instead of the milk, and at least twice that I can remember, I've looked around for my glasses in the morning, for a minute or two, before realizing that I was wearing them. I'm extra-special careful when it comes to guns, but I've still tried busting on a clay with spent shells, or have forgotten to #### the hammers, or release the safety first. More than once, unfortunately.

I HAVE to treat guns like their always loaded unless I checked them just a second ago, because they just might be loaded. It's not uncommon for me to check the chamber, get my train of though interrupted by someones unexpected question, or comment, and then double check the chamber again, just for reassurance.

So when we covered the importance of checking headstamps in my pal course, I just made a deliberate decision not to own two similar cartridges, that will result in a KB! when chambered in the wrong gun. That might mean I don't get to own some of the necked down variants, when I already own the parent cases, but that's my life, and I'd like to preserve it.

I own about 40 shotguns ( at last count) in all gauges, hunt, and shoot trap and skeet with four gauges, in chambers ranging from 2 1/2" to 3 1/2".
Some black powder, some smokeless, in all different types of actions.
I take four gauges to the range almost every time I go, and the first thing that is done is to MAKE SURE I have the correct ammo.
it's no different that shooting a 30/30 and a 308 from the same bench - MAKE SURE.
I never worried about chambering the wrong ammo into my gun, be it a 12 in a 10, a 20 in a 12, a 28 in 20, or having a 410 fall through any of them!
checking my ammo is as second nature to me as keeping my gun open till I am on station,and not sweeping somebody at the range with the muzzle .
Cat

 

[catnthehatt]

Through some not very serious running over the last month I've lost more than the weight of a shotgun. (And I expect to lose a couple more shotguns' worth before hunting season. ) To someone my size, the difference between a 12 and 20 will not be significant even for serious all day walking. But to a smaller person such as a youngster that I might conceivable take shooting, lending them this gun I'm looking for, it might be a factor. I am considering it.

I cannot handle the sustained recoil of a 12 or the weight of one once I get it heavy enough to reduce the recoil, that is why I use a 20 for most of my shotgunning, and practise with a 410.
Cat

 

[Stewienb]

And you are very uninformed.

Nothing wrong with a good 16. Hunted with one and had great results, and #6 birdshot aint that hard to get either, at Can Tire. $12.99 per box.

 

[Win/64]

Nothing wrong with a good 16. Hunted with one and had great results, and #6 birdshot aint that hard to get either, at Can Tire. $12.99 per box.

$8.79 here for a box. But I won't buy from Canadian Tire they make me feel like a criminal, for buying Ammo.

 

[Stewienb]

$8.79 here for a box. But I won't buy from Canadian Tire they make me feel like a criminal, for buying Ammo.

Holy snappin!!! Thats an awsome price!!!!! I get mine in can tire in red deer. they are federals though, would like to get some winnies or remmies. But thats jsut my preference.