How many 12ga proponets have actually shot a 20ga? Blind Poll

I hear a lot of 12 vs 10 gauge arguments on the goose hunting sites. Why not the 10?

I have a 20 but I have only shot it a handful of times, I prefer the 12, and In all honesty I really prefer the 10. Remington sp-10 kicks less than a wingmaster in 20.

MCgunner said:

I hear a lot of 12 vs 10 gauge arguments on the goose hunting sites. Why not the 10?

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I get it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0PIdWdw15U

No 10s in pawnshops around here.

Les

If you don't count inexpensive bolt action .410s, the first real shotgun I ever shot was my father's Win Model 12 20 ga.

I was about 4 or 5 and finally bugged him to shoot it one time too many. Being a new gun, this must have been 1955, he held his hands under the gun to catch it because when i pulled the trigger it sat me down in the road. Those were the days. From the dirt road in front of the house we could shoot out into the apple orchard. It was convenient.

John

I haven't shot a 20 gauge but if a friend offered me a chance to try one I would. Heck, I would shoot any firearm at least once.

I only own 12 gauge shotguns. I like 20 gauge shotguns and have shot a couple of them, but I already own more than one 12 gauge and I want ammo interchangeability.

I guess the only one I haven't owned is a 20ga. I can load my 12 down to 20, so I doubt I'll ever buy one. But never say never I guess. I really like shooting my 28ga. for skeet. They are great upland bird guns too, so is the 20.
Wow, just remembered, my 16ga., hasn't been shot in 25 yrs.

a 20 would work, dont get me wrong. i started on a 20 and still enjoy nef 20 ga single shot. but it is NOT equal to a 12 in damage. i choose 12 for defense, 20 for small game/fun.

...and 16, and 28, and 10, and .410. That should about cover it. I don't hang around with the wealthy type too much. You know the kind that spends $25,000+ on a European SxS in 36ga or 24 ga (or any one of a number of other shotgun gauges). And I have the largest selection of shotguns of any of my friends. They come to me whenthey want to try before buying.

Wyman

It is, IMHO, easier to put with a driver than it is to drive with a putter. For reasons other than that, I gave up golf 20 years ago.

I was shooting a 20 gauge, as a kid, long before I bought my first 12 gauge. It now sits in my safe awaiting my grandson. In the mean time, I will continue to use my 12 gauge as both a putter and a driver. Since I am no longer shooting birds, putting isn't as much of a requirement as it use to be.

The only thing I use the shotgun for anymore is trap shooting. I have always had a 12 GA Rem 1100, but recently purchased a compact 20 GA 870 for my wife, since she wanted a pump with light recoil. With modified choke in both guns I broke a lot more targets with the 12. I bought a full choke for the 20 and we will be trying that next time at the range.

After shooting the 20, I can definitely imagine circumstances where the smaller size would be more useful than the 12.

I enjoy shooting the 20ga much more, but I stick with the 12ga for home defense for added stopping power.

I prefer 20ga for skeet, small game, and varmints.

I have 12, 20, 28 and .410.

The 20 is my favorite, though if I ever go duck hunting I'll take the 12.

I have had a .410, couple of 20 gauges and a slew of 12s.

I love a 12 gauge!

My favorite is the 28..........busts clays, kills small birds with aplomb........does a wonderful job........

I use a 12 auto for HD and Action Shotgun Competition. For Cowboy action I use a sxs 20.

Steve

I'm curious why so many people use a 20 gauge for clays. I admit there's unlikely to be a significant advantage to a 12 gauge for that, but it's not like 12 gauge 2.75" #8 target loads have much recoil.

I have fired all gauges even an 8 gauge, they are designed for a special hunting need. IMO opinion 12, 16 or 20 gauge with the right shot would be a good HD weapon.

call me biased, but to me, bigger is better... from my shooting experience, 12ga is versatile and multi-purpose.

but it's not like 12 gauge 2.75" #8 target loads have much recoil.

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depending on the load, there can be a MAJOR difference.....if you're shooting a 12 with 2-3/4 DE and a 7/8 oz. load, you're right - just about at a 20 gauge level.....but if you're shooting the basic cheap wally world 3 or 3-1/4 DE 1-1/8 oz loads.....that will take its toll over the course of 100 or 200 shots in one day

recoils is NOT your friend nor something to be proud of handling; rather it is to be avoided at all cost as much as possible

To some degree, I agree... I've seen people shoot magnum loads at clays, and that's the peak of stupidity. But the recoil from normal, cheap 12ga target shells doesn't bother me nearly enough that I'm going to spend money on a 20 gauge. That said, if I had one, I'm sure I'd use it sometimes.

I have shot a 20 gauge, and I absolutely don't think there's anything "wrong" with that gauge. I just don't think that I would personally benefit from one, at least not to the extent that it's worth spending the money. Reduced recoil loads are fine for new shooters, and you have the option to use extremely powerful shells that simply don't exist in 20 ga (though I can't think of any realistic uses for some of the 12 ga super-magnums).

as others have posted I use my 12 for deer and turkey, my 20 for other generally.
I take my 20 down the river along the cornfields for dove, squirrel and duck usually. I always use it for rabbit and squirrel. corn fattened squacks is some good eating fried, gravy with pan drips, brown rice, simmered green beans or turnips/greens and hot biscuits.

10, 12, 28, .410... I like 'em all. 12 GA is my choice for pheasant, ducks, geese, and SD. 20 is my preferred gauge for smaller stuff, although 28 is fun for quail. 14GA and 16GA are the only US gauges I haven't shot, although I've had a hankering for a 16GA SxS for a while now...

I have 3 20s, 1 12, and one 22lr 20g o/u

I can do anything with a 20g that I could do with a 12g and still have a 22lr in reserve! Yeah my combo is my favorite hunter but my 20s are the ones I wanna shoot all day long!

Both have their uses. A lot of folks forget that it's not the gauge that kills -- it's the shot pattern. While I own plenty of shotguns, two of my favorites are a matched set of Beretta Silver Pigeon IIs in, you guessed it, 12 and 20 gauge.