Is the 12 really needed?

[pbrktrt]

fortunately we live in a country where we can make choices on the guns we shoot & use them as we see fit. i have ou's in both 20 ga & 12 ga & use them interchangebly for clays & hunting. the 20 is definately lighter to carry.

 

[jonmerritt]

cost of a 12 maybe?

 

[ADKWOODSMAN]

As a kid here in the Adirondacks of NYS I had a 16 gauge and had problems with it. Sold it and purchased a Stevens Mod 311 A in 12 gauge. As hunting companions shot at game with their 20’s and had them fly away (grouse), I would shoot the first barrel and if any thing was in the way such as brush or apple tree branches the old 12 would cut that out of the way and the second barrel would bring the game to bag.

I own everything but a 14, 16 or 32, like the 28 love the 12's.

 

[Okiecruffler]

IN my early teens I hunted with a set of twins who used H&R single shot 12's. They always got the biggest bucks if they got anything. Wasn't worth it to pull the trigger on one of those things loaded with slugs for anything under 8 points.

 

[doc2rn]

I likes my new Rem Sport 48 in 20g. better than any 12 I have ever shot.

 

[mr.trooper]

Shoot my 18" BBL, 20 gauge H&R Pardner.

Then shoot my 12 gauge Mossberg 930.

The 12 is pleasant in comparison.

 

[frogger42]

I like the 12 because depending on the load, it can do just about anything. I'd be more likely to ask... Why anything other than a 12?

 

[AStone]

As a kid, I owned 20's and 16's.

I bought my first 12 a few years ago.

As a smaller person (140ish),
I found the 12 to be tolerable,
but not fun to shoot large quantities of rnds.

So I sold it. Go to gun is now a .357 mag carbine
that I trust [strike]as much as[/strike] more than I did the 12 gauge,
and it's far more fun to shoot, way lighter,
and I can carry a lot more ammo.

It's good for SD, small game (w/ light .38 spl)
& will even take deer at ranges around 50 m.

I still miss a shotgun in my tool kit.

Have been looking at coach guns
(yes, I like simplicity of action),
but they're all in either 12 or 20.

I'd like more than 20, but less than 12.

I can't understand why some company
(hello, Stoeger, Remington?) doesn't produce
a coach gun or short barreled O/U in 16.

Why?

 

[Hornet 6]

By only1asterisk You can drive a equal weight of shot to the same velocity with less powder from the smaller shell. The less powder means less recoil. It's called physics.

Powder it's self does not cause the recoil.
Recoil is the reaction of the gun against the movement of the weight of shot.
What makes the shot move is not important.
The faster a given amount of shot accelerates the more the recoil will be felt.
If a one ounce load from a 20g kicks less than a one ounce load from a 12g of the same weight, it is a slower load.
There may be a slight difference in friction against the barrel between a 20 and a 12 but it could not be felt at the shoulder, not even sure it could be measured at all.

Neil.

 

[only1asterisk]

Powder it's self does not cause the recoil.

Sure it does. The powder/gas has mass and moves out the barrel at a good clip once it is uncorked. Ever use a fire hose? In rifles, the powder makes up a large portion of recoil energy. That is why muzzlebrakes work.

David