12ga is truely the all around gauge!

Z

ZVP

New member
I have owned 3 shotguns a Savage Double 12 ga A Wards pump 12ga and a sweet little Stoger Uplander 20 ga.
Of them all the 12's seem the best at doing anything even if you have the wrong loads in it! Seems you can be a size or even 2 small and still get good long range knockdowns!
for HD, it cam't be beat mainly because Buckshot and Slugs are pretty available and even a light hit takes all the fight out of em! 2 balls are devistating on inatament objects. I could just imagine on flesh!
Recoil is hard but not unmanagable except for small adults and Kids. My Wife is tiny and the 12ga almost knocks her down! She has a 20 Double. It kicks her but not near as bad. Besides she got scared before I met her by a stupid boyfriend who handed her a high Nase Phesant load and didn't even mention that it might kick! It's easy to scare people off like that!
The overall pattern and density of a 12ga is almost every time huge and has few if any holes in it.
You can taylor your loads for just about any game. Study up on what the loads mean and shoot a couple to see for yourself.
I don't think you'd be too bad off with just one shotgun and in 12 ga! Yes they have some limits but like I said all it takes is a little study and common sense to het the top preformance!
JMHO
ZVP
 
I agree , that's why I have 3, 870, 2 1100's, and am looking to buy a browning superposed. I keep telling my wife, you just can't have too many 12 ga. shotguns.
 
A 12 is the almost all around gun, but if you have a well balanced sub gauge the game changes drastically.

Remember I said well balanced gun, many of todays offerings are like swinging a eight foot two by four. There are many of the older guns that handle well and can be carried all day in the field.

And that doesn't mean shooting 12 gauge loadings out of a 20 gauge.
 
I agree that a 12 gets the job done in a superb manner, but I also have to admit as the years went by, I have gotten to like a nice Ithaca 37 in 20 gauge.

The 20 seems to weigh about half, especially as the day goes on, and when hunting over beagles I do not miss the extra shot capacity that a 12 provides.

Now when slugs are concerned (Ohio is slug only for deer) a 12 is preferred.
 
The typical load for a 20ga is 7/8 oz ....

If you shoot the same 7/8 oz in a 12ga....if its a heavier gun ...then the recoil will be even less than it is, in the lighter 20ga gun....

Fit, weight, overall length is another issue....so a 12ga may be too long, too heavy for her.....but if recoil is the issue / just shoot the 12ga with 7/8 oz loads ( slugs, OO, whatever.....7/8 oz is 7/8 oz....)...
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In general these days....you will find a wider variety of shells...in terms of the ounces and velocity on the shells....for a 12ga than most other gagues. 12ga loads will vary from 1 1/4oz, 1 1/8oz, 1 oz , 7/8 oz ....etc....and from 1150 fps - to over 1300 fps....

Keep the velocity down ...and the weight of the charge down...are you'll reduce the recoil significantly.
 
I agree. Loads overlap and you can do almost anything with a 12 you can do with anything less, with less recoil and usually better patterns. Much more choices in ammo and better prices too.

If you want or need a truly flyweight gun there are some 20's in the 5-6 lb range that I'm sure carry like a dream. But there are lots of 12's that are well balanced that come in at around 7 lbs. That is as light as I can shoot well, and as much recoil as I want to tolerate even from 20 ga equivalent loads.
 
I couldnt agree more. I use my 1100 for everything. I have 2 barrels for mine, 1 the stock modified choke for bird and also turkey, and i also purchased a rifled slug barrel that will send a sabot 200yds down range. If i was told i could only have 1 gun for the rest of my life, it would be my 1100. Its like having multiple guns in one, not to mention (imo) theres nothing better for home defense.
 
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