Side by sides: What's your favourite gauge?

What's your favourite bore in a side by side?

  • 12

    Votes: 40 31.0%

  • 16

    Votes: 25 19.4%

  • 20

    Votes: 44 34.1%

  • 28

    Votes: 10 7.8%

  • .410

    Votes: 8 6.2%

  • Other (please specify)

    Votes: 2 1.6%
  • Total voters
    129
A well balanced double built on a true 16 ga. frame feels "just right" to me.
The often repeated and kinda worn out phrase - "carries like a 20, hits like a 12" seems true in my experience.
As a pure upland bird hunting gauge, I do not believe there is any better.
I currently shoot four 16ga. doubles, only two 12's one 20 and one .410. That about sums up my preference.
 
I shoot 28's in my smokeless guns as my favourite gauge.
I shoot the 28 SXS's at everything from trap and skeet clays to pheasants and ducks.
never had an issue shooting anything with them.
My duck and goose gun in smokeless is a 20.
For BP cartridge shot at anything it's 12 bore.
Cat
 
The weight, balance and configuration of the gun are more important to me than the gauge. If I were to have only one sxs it would be a 12 gauge but I wouldn't rule out any of the others except the .410 if it came in the right gun.
 
Claybuster said:
The weight, balance and configuration of the gun are more important to me than the gauge. If I were to have only one sxs it would be a 12 gauge but I wouldn't rule out any of the others except the .410 if it came in the right gun.
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Yo tambien amigo.

I "like" and have previously owned all 5 of the popular(?) gauges, as well as a couple of 10's, however, I feel the 12 & 20 have an edge in terms availability, range of loadings and cost. As a reloader, having several thousand once-fired old-style AA's on hand in 12 and 20 pretty well seals it for me.

If I could only have one, it would be for upland gunning only, and likely be a case-coloured, 28", double trigger, straight-stocked Spanish or Italian made sidelock in 20 gauge.
 
10 gauge 30" barrels fixed full and mod chokes,buddys gun but I have used it a few times now and man does that thing reach out there!
 
Even though I voted for a 16 guage, I actually shoot primarily 12 and 20 guage guns because the components are so much easier to get. I think the 16 has the best compromise of weight and shot charge.

cheers mooncoon
 
In my opinion, and just for esthetics, a 16 looks perfect. I find a 20 looks 'whippy' and a 12 looks 'fat'. Of course, I love the gauge for what it can do too so, if I ever own a very expensive SxS, it will likely be a 16.
I currently shoot a very nice Franchi Highlander in 20 and love it but my bucket list includes owning a well made 16 G SxS :)
 
In my opinion, it depends on what I am hunting and what type of gun it is. By that, I mean I won't say a particular gauge of gun just because it is that gauge. I go more by the handling characteristics of the guns I have. I have a few 12 gauges that are heavy and quite clumsy, but the added weight is good for duck hunting and there is the added little punch of the 12 gauge for those longer shots. But for upland I also have a couple of 12 gauges that are fairly light, well balanced and rival the handling characteristics of any 16 or 20 gauges that I have. I do have a nice handling 28 gauge though. So while I can eliminate some of my guns as favourites, I am still left with a group of guns in all gauges that I find are pretty much equal in handling which makes it difficult to pick one amongst those.. Kind of like trying to pick a favourite kid. So if I had to pick on ammo cost and availability, I would have to pick the 12 and then the 20.
 
CoryTheCowboy said:
I voted 16...a 16 on a "true" frame is a wonderful thing. Would I ever be without a 12? Doubtful, but I could do about 99% of my shotgunning with a 16...especially since I can get #6 Steel at 1550 FPS for a duck load ;)
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While not a SxS, its amazing how many citori 16's we sell when we can get them. The 16 has really made a decent 'comeback'.
 
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