Purpose of 20 and 28 Gauges

[XxWINxX94]

Wow this has been a great read!
Thanks everyone for the information and everything, I learned alot just from this thread.

I still have a few questions though.

So if I used my 28 or 20 gauge on regular clays/skeet like i have been doing with a 12, the clays will become considerably harder to hit as I go down in gauge size? (Assuming I'm using the same type load and not increasing shot in the smaller gauges)?

I also think I will keep these two shotguns, as the consensus seems to be that they are great guns.

 

[Jefferson Herb]

The mod 12 is cherished by many,and you have two that many of us on this site would love to own.With that said ,take care of them,use them once in a while,and go to a trap/skeet range and watch shooters DROOL.

 

[Bill B.]

Wow this has been a great read!
Thanks everyone for the information and everything, I learned alot just from this thread.

I still have a few questions though.

So if I used my 28 or 20 gauge on regular clays/skeet like i have been doing with a 12, the clays will become considerably harder to hit as I go down in gauge size? (Assuming I'm using the same type load and not increasing shot in the smaller gauges)?

I also think I will keep these two shotguns, as the consensus seems to be that they are great guns.

This is just my take: In skeet championships and both the state and national level the norm for the winner's is always a perfect score. The 12, 20, 28, .410 all turn in perfect scores so they all will get the job done if the shooters does their part. Many skeet shooters at our local club shoot practice with the .410 because you have a narrow window for hits due to the light shot charge. If you average a 23 out of 25 with a .410 most will run 25 straights with the 12 & 20. The lighter M12's which you have will not swing as smooth as the modern O/U's with the 30" & 32" now in vogue. If you pick up on shooting magazines from the 40's & 50's it is common to see Winchester M12 small frame skeet gun's with weight added and the end of the mag. tube to make them swing better. Before the advent of the Remington 1100 the Winchester M12 held numerous state & national records so they will get the job done. The main drawback to your guns is that the reproduction M12's all had mod. choke in the made for Browning run. Think of shooting these two shotguns as they are with the mod. choke as having a pattern about equal to the Winchester 42 in .410 skeet choke. The window for error is going to be smaller. This was the reason I said chokes tubes could be a option. Any good gunsmith can also change the mod. choke to a skeet choke if you so choose. If you are a hunter and their main use is doves, pheasant, & tree rat's etc. use them as they are and enjoy the many compliments you are sure to get on your two fine shotguns!

 

[Pete D.]

What I like about the .410 - and I am willing to wait for my shots - is that the guns are light. I own a little Mossberg .410 that weighs less than six pounds. I can carry it all day with virtually no bother.
Yes, I know that there are 28's and even a 20 or two that are lightweights also....but I already own the .410.
Mostly, I reload and shoot the three inch shells as they pattern better out of the Mossbeg than the 2.5s.
Pete

 

[ultradoc]

I know of somebody that uses a 20ga. for home defence. They can't handle a 12ga.

 

[Red Label]

I use my 20ga for HD mainly because it was the first shotgun I ever had and I know I can operate it from a dead sleep in about 1/2 second. Of course its an 870 so it wouldn't matter if I had a 12ga to replace it. I just don't have a 12 other than my TB trap so swinging a 30" barrel around the bedroom would be a little difficult

 

[oneounceload]

So if I used my 28 or 20 gauge on regular clays/skeet like i have been doing with a 12, the clays will become considerably harder to hit as I go down in gauge size? (Assuming I'm using the same type load and not increasing shot in the smaller gauges)?

Not necessarily - you WILL have a slightly smaller payload, so you might need tighter chokes for further targets...I shoot a 28 gauge payload from both my 20 and 12 gauge - my scores in sporting clays have NOT changed since I went .005 tighter in each choke - if you are on the bird, you're on the bird, and 20 or 28 will matter not to your success

 

[Ret.CWO]

I am no expert and don't claim to be one. I shot the 28 Ga. the first time in Izmer, Turkey at a trap and skeet range. I loved it. I was told that it was a European invented gauge and was common all over Europe. I don't know how true this is, but it sounded reasonable to me. I don't own one as my 20's seem to be as good and shells are reasonable in cost.

 

[6x6pinz]

I don't do as much trap/skeet as I did in the past. I have turned my attention to hunting. In both cases I have always preferred the smaller gauges (.410(36) and 28). I can tell you that there is a certain satisfaction shooting the smaller gauges better than your hunting partners shoot their large bores. At the end of the day thou all that counts is having a good time and a wonderful dinner with the days take.

Enjoy these fine shotguns for what they are, a little more challenging for each task. In the end it will make you a better shotgunner than the big bore guys.

 

[MCgunner]

I'm sure someone said this, but I'll use my 20 for anything I'd use my 12 for and do it just as well with a lighter gun that doesn't kick as much. That EXCLUDES anything requiring steel shot, though, and I'm a waterfowler. I use my 12s on waterfowl. The 20 just can't seem to pattern with a 3" steel load, any that I've tried so far, anyway. It's a great dove gun, though, and I prefer it to any of my 12s. I really like the 12 gauge fasteel stuff for ducks and my 10 gauge with steel T on geese. I ain't sellin' my 10 gauge!!!! Might get a new one, but ain't sellin' the one I've got.

 

[MCgunner]

Also, I keep my 20 loaded in the bedroom with 3 buck. It's short and handy being a coach gun. Yes, that's right, I also dove hunt with a coach gun. I outshoot most of my friends and relatives with it and they all shoot 12s. It does take concentration and follow through, but it's great fun and deadly on the little birds.