O/U: Light loads or 2-barrel set?

[Nathaniel Firethorn]

Hi, all,

I'm STILL searching for the perfect shotty, and have decided on an O/U for my needs. A friend of mine showed up at the range last week with a Citori 20-gauge, and told me it bothered him a lot less in trapshooting than a 12-gauge. (To me, that's believable.)

So here's my quandary. I can buy at most ONE shotgun. I'd mostly like to use it for clay games, but want it to have HD capability. I have zero interest in reloading. This will be just for fun, not for competition.

Would you folks (the Shamans of the Shotgun ) advise me to seek out a 12/20 gauge set, or to try to find light factory loads that will work in a 12-gauge?

Would a tube set work better than these options?

Thanks for your help!

- pdmoderator

 

[C.R.Sam]

Opinion

How well the gun fits and how well you mount it would have more influence than choice of guages.

Either guage just fine for both games and HD.

Greater over the counter selection of ammo for 12.

Sam

 

[45auto]

IMO, unless you want a lighter gun with a smaller frame, etc, I think you are better off with a light load in 12 gauge.

The 7/8 or 1 ounce loads will pattern better than the similiar load in 20 gauge and will recoil less because of the bigger/heavier gun.

You will find more "deals" on new 12 gauge ammo than 20 gauge also... I think.

 

[sm]

gonna share experience...

pd,
One of mine competition guns I used was a 3 bbl set. This was a 20 ga receiver with 20/28/.410. Skeet, 5 stand, and bird hunting ( 28 ga on quail for instance). Mine had fixed chokes set up for skeet. [ this dates me ] Now the 20 ga seemed "thumpy" to some, it fit me, and I'm not recoil sensitive per se'.

Trap is gonna require a tighter choke, as will some other games.

Now we have better loads, powders,...etc. I would try a 12 bore and see how it fits, how it handles...etc. The smaller bore carries well, and all -12 bore is much more versatile.

Remember too patterns are often a matter of bore not choke, 12 bore has advantages, can be loaded with some very very effective 7/8 oz loads , that will really hit hard the targets but not your shoulder.

Kinda like getting dressed in layers for weather, you can take it off if you have it, you can't add it if you did'tn put it on.

I like 20ga, one can break as many skeet birds as one can with 12...but if you shoot trap, the improvement in the bore using the same payload ( 7/8 oz) will surprise you. Me and pattern boards spent a lot of time together.

I like Citori's , but keep in mind some are meant for carrying moreso for shooting ( All mfgs make models like this btw) I personally prefer a bit of weight to aid in less recoil, smooth swing...because I shot a min of 100 rds per trip, no biggie to tote more and shoot less in hunting.

I really enjoyed the smaller frame of my 3 bbl set, especially that 28 ga, 28 ga is a unique bore to payload ratio ( bends the rules ).

Of course I'd suggest getting One of each...get the whole set. Try both, especially see if someone has a 12 with a 28 ga tube...now that is a fun and useful combo to shoot 28ga trap/28 ga 5 stand/ small birds like quail with.

Great guns with blue and wood. Great metal to wood fit. These "wear in--not loose".

12 bore will have an advantage in load choices for HD too.

Oh just go crazy and get one of each and post pics...

HTH

 

[HSMITH]

I would go for a 20 if it were me and no waterfowling was on the menu. I use 20 almost exclusively these days unless steel shot is used. I find little difference between 12 and 20 in bird breaking ability when shooting targets, when shooting live birds the 12 has an edge but it is not much of an edge until you get past 35 yards.

If you are not quite the best shotgunner out there and want to shoot a lot and improve the 12 is more practical to learn with, they cheaper and more available leaving more money to buy cheaper shells. If you are satisfied with your ability and shoot well the 20 is plenty of gun for most any shotgun task.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Darn, PM, there's not enough info here and too much. Can you handle an 8 lb plus 12 gauge competition O/U?

12 gauge munitions run cheaper for the most part, and there's mo' choices. The new 7/8 oz loads, even the 1 oz jobs, kick less and do as much as any 20 and there's still some wiggle room.

1 oz loads in most 20s are hard kickers. While 7/8 oz is 7/8 oz in either, the larger bore means the 12 ALWAYS has a slight edge in pattern quality, all else equal. Dunno if it's enough on its own to decide the choice, though.

New 20s run a bit higher than new 12s, and often are not as common. Used, it's hit and miss.

Tubes will add to the cost, and not do much for less kick other than the added weight. Patterns again will not have that 12 gauge advantage.

If I hit the Lottery, or fell heir to some money not needed for education, I'd probably get something like the Beretta 682E, with the overbore barrels and a hatful of choke tubes. Since I do reload, I'd work up a few tried and true loads for target work, and go have fun. You'd have to find some factory stuff that works for your shotgun and you, then go have fun.

HTH and good luck...

 

[PJR]

A 12/20 two barrel set can be a pricey proposition and not really necessary for the purposes. As far as recoil is concerned there are physical laws that we just can't get around and often 20 gauge guns are considerably lighter than 12s and there is more felt recoil. I have a light 6-1/2 pound 20 gauge that gets your attention using target loads while my 8lb, 12 gauge sporting gun is far easier to shoot over the course of a day.

Tube sets make for a very heavy gun and cut recoil due to the extra weight. I don't think they are necessary in this case either.

As others before me have said, buy a 12, use a one ounce target load at 1200fps or a 2-3/4 dram 1-1/8 ounce. The other advantage of the 12 is the availability of low recoil buckshot and slugs. There isn't much available in buckshot for the 20 and recoil is significant in light guns.

I am shooting the 20 less and less these days focusing mainly on the 12 and 28 gauges.

Paul

 

[kudu]

I would go for a 12. Like has been said you can always shoot light loads or when you need it some heavy thumpers.

A set of tubes will add about 12-14ounces to the weight of the gun, which will help in skeet, as it gives better follow through on targets. My O/U shotgun tips the scales at about 9lbs. I know many others that are a bit heavier.

As for HD a target gun is a bit heavy and long, but a short barrel on an O/U is a disadvantage for trap shooters

 

[Nathaniel Firethorn]

Well, it seems to be just about unanimous... I'll go for the 12.

Re HD: I've already got a USP in that role, so I don't expect to need to use a shotty for HD. I was mainly concerned about a small-gauge being underpowered, in case I was forced to activate it as a HD measure.

Thanks, all, for your help!

- pdmoderator

 

[Smoke]

Gosh I hate to do this......

Instead of a matched set of barrells, which can be very pricey.

I'd choose a good O/U with as many choke tubes as I could get. Use the saved money from the extra barrels to spend on a used 870 for defense.

Then listeeen to what everybody else said above.