Everyone loves shotguns whether its for hunting or home defense, shotgun usually comes up first as the most preferred to have. Then, theres the talk of either having a 12 gauge or a 20 gauge, which is the better? Posted on 04/30/2019 5:40:51 AM PDT by w1n1
Everyone loves shotguns whether its for hunting or home defense, shotgun usually comes up first as the most preferred to have. Then, theres the talk of either having a 12 gauge or a 20 gauge, which is the better?
Probably the best answer will always be that "depends". The 12 gauge will have more kick than the 20 gauge. To some folks they don’t mind or like the harder recoil.
12 Gauge
For hunters that prefer the larger shot size (4 shot) and heavier loads, go with the Mossberg 500 12 gauge. Good for the gobblers and turkeys that don’t move as fast as ducks. There are some hunters that shoot with buckshot loads for the longer ranges.
20 Gauge
The 20 gauge is becoming more popular of the two, due to its versatility. The younger generation and new hunters seems to take to the 20 gauge because its a lighter gun. The shotgun shells are a little smaller, lighter and shoots higher density which is good for the quicker birds. Read the complete comparisons of 12 gauge vs 20 gauge.
I needed something that possibly would not take out the neighbors.
Now that I live in a brick house, the 12. A 10 is a bit much.
This is like the noisy argument over .30-06 vs .270. Owners are highly satisfied either way.
JC Higgins was a Sears product line. I forget what “store brand” Western Auto used for firearms.
I’m finding that the older and hopefully wiser I get, the more I gravitate to lighter handling and recoiling long guns.
There was a period in the 60s and 70s when I believe Browning manufactured the "Ted Williams" brand shotgun sold by Sears. They were damn good shotguns.
For Later
Yep...I remember those...
Western Auto was “Revelation”.
I had around 30 boxes of 20 gauge and no gun to fire it in. I found a rusty single barrel Revelation at a pawn shop and got it for $50 straight up.
It has a hammer and after wiping it down with an oily rag doesn’t even look bad. It has an auto ejector and I think it was made by Winchester. It seems to fit my physique just fine which means I can hit with it without doing anything but point it.
“20ga. shoots higher density..? Since when...?”
Yes. Vague, but whoever wrote this article doesn’t know anything about shotguns and patterning.
I hunted for years with a Remington 870 12 Ga.
#8 or #71/2 shot for doves and #6 shot for rabbits...
Winchester model 12 in 16 gauge was stolen from the trunk of my car about 1975 in Norfolk VA. Only pump shotgun ever made I know of that comes close is the Remington 870. Have a model 1200 now, also 16 ga. With either the 12 or 1200 I had/have no problem whipping out 3 rounds in under 2 seconds, maybe 1 second...pump can be mighty quick once you get the hang of it..then again I’ve been using pumps since I was 16...
That model 12 got me several triples dove hunting...poly choke, set it on medium and doves were in trouble...full choke if they wanted to keep their distance. And never forget to set it on open to fire slugs...
Only problem I have with my 1200 is it seems to be closer to open cylinder than the Medium it’s marked...been hoping to find a full choke barrel for ages...
Pete, I swear I have never been to Norfolk, VA in my life.
Although my model 12 was acquired 2nd hand in the Buffalo, NY area in the 1970’s. I think my dad paid about $400 for it.
I also have his Winchester model 61 pump 22 long rifle and his Winchester 30/30. The 22 he bought new in the 1950’s.
The 30/30 I think he bought at Sears.
The Belgium Browning 12 gauge semi automatic was one of the 1950’s models with the gold trigger. My dad had to send it back to the factory because he said it would go into auto mode sometimes and fire off three shells in a row. Kind of like a 12 gauge machine gun. Boom, boom , boom.
Like all these firearm measurebator threads, the answer is, “It depends”.
A lot of measurebators here imagine themselves engaging Special Forces-level operators rappelling down out of helicopters 400 yards away (this has always seemed to me to be the perfect way to get dead, and quickly).
My shotgun scenarios all involve the door being kicked in and engaging the target(s) at ten yards or less while awakening from sleep.
My #1 rule of those engagements is, whatever you choose to use, make sure you are confident about the hits.
Shotgun pellets at ten yards are still almost a single mass. That is to say, you have to aim, and you can miss.
My bedroom gun is a 20 ga. Mossberg semiautomatic shotgun with #4 buckshot. Obviously, YMMV, but I have no doubt that being shot anywhere in the center mass area at ten yards with this load would be disabling and probably lethal.
Other opinions welcome.
Perhaps the smaller bore chokes the spread
Pete, I swear I have never been to Norfolk, VA in my life.
Although my model 12 was acquired 2nd hand in the Buffalo, NY area in the 1970’s. I think my dad paid about $400 for it.
I also have his Winchester model 61 pump 22 long rifle and his Winchester 30/30. The 22 he bought new in the 1950’s.
The 30/30 I think he bought at Sears.
The Belgium Browning 12 gauge semi automatic was one of the 1950’s models with the gold trigger. My dad had to send it back to the factory because he said it would go into auto mode sometimes and fire off three shells in a row. Kind of like a 12 gauge machine gun. Boom, boom , boom.
Haha...
Wasn’t accusing you just noting that I once had one. I think I know who did take it, but was never able to prove it and my father (who got it for me as a Christmas present, instead of the guitar amp I actually wanted) didn’t have the receipt or serial number so I couldn’t prove it was mine.
It was standing in the corner at a car lot where the car was towed to when it broke down on me, the same car lot that had originally told me they knew nothing about the car. I later spotted it behind their building, trunk lock destroyed by a screwdriver, my model 12 gone and $100 pool cue in about 387 pieces on the ground...when I confronted them, of course they didn’t know a thing, that was THEIR shotgun...
I guess I got off easy when my VW dealer mechanics only stole the buck knife I had in my glovebox.
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