This keeps coming up, and the E mail box has been humming on same, so here it goes. These ARE opinions, and I'd like to hear what y'all think....
The typical query about the 20 ga is either from a novice at shotgunning who got slammed by a 12 ga, or from a small statured individual who may or may not be a shotgunner. It runs something like:
"What do you think about using a 20 ga for HD, for use protecting a small business, or for working up to a 12 ga?".
The LEO grapevine here in Md tells me that some Baltimore cops have gone to short bbled/stocked 20 ga repeaters for raid guns instead of 12s. The premise seems to be faster handling in tight quarters,and faster recovery between shots. Same guys also favor Para-Ordnance 45 multi shot handguns with tritium sights,FYI.
Admittedly, a decent 20 ga pump or semi handles like an M-1 Carbine, and that's not faint praise. OTOH, the benefits of shooting a 20 are slightly overated.
Felt Recoil is what you feel when shooting, obviously. It's not Free Recoil, where all you have to know is the energy produced by the load divided by the gun weight. Felt Recoil is what hurts, or not. Obviously, fit,form, and all the other stuff I bore you with are factors.
The 870 Youth Express 20 ga here weighs right at 7 lbs. A heavy load produces as much Felt Recoil in this piece as a same weight/velocity load does in a 7 lb 12 ga.Maybe more, since the oft smaller butt means less surface area to spread the push out. Lessened Felt Recoil comes with reducing the load weight,or speed, or increasing the gun weight, or improving gun fit.
So, when is a 20 ga a better idea for HD than a 12?
When the shooter is of small stature, of less than good health, or otherwise not too good with the 12 ga. When the shooter is more comfortable with the 20, confidence is a factor here also. And when a shooter is more comfortable with a shotgun, they're more likely to practice and thus improve the human end of the security equation. And that's the most important.
Also, since there's lots of 20 ga shooters out there, using a variety of ammo, I'd like to mention what I think would be a great HD round for the 20 ga.
A real simple load, two 50 cal round balls made of pure lead, in a sleeve, loaded to about 1100 FPS. This would be an easy kicking, controllable round, with more than enough ME to cause those round balls to transfer energy on impact.Actual projectile weight would be around 3/4 oz, a moderate load for the 20.
A minor downside to the 20 is the limited number of addons available. Anyone have a source for a mag extension, for instance? Load choice is also less with the 20s, try to find some buck load other than #3. However, addons can add maybe 10% to effectiveness, less than regular practice, confidence and familiarity.
Questions, comments, donations?....
The typical query about the 20 ga is either from a novice at shotgunning who got slammed by a 12 ga, or from a small statured individual who may or may not be a shotgunner. It runs something like:
"What do you think about using a 20 ga for HD, for use protecting a small business, or for working up to a 12 ga?".
The LEO grapevine here in Md tells me that some Baltimore cops have gone to short bbled/stocked 20 ga repeaters for raid guns instead of 12s. The premise seems to be faster handling in tight quarters,and faster recovery between shots. Same guys also favor Para-Ordnance 45 multi shot handguns with tritium sights,FYI.
Admittedly, a decent 20 ga pump or semi handles like an M-1 Carbine, and that's not faint praise. OTOH, the benefits of shooting a 20 are slightly overated.
Felt Recoil is what you feel when shooting, obviously. It's not Free Recoil, where all you have to know is the energy produced by the load divided by the gun weight. Felt Recoil is what hurts, or not. Obviously, fit,form, and all the other stuff I bore you with are factors.
The 870 Youth Express 20 ga here weighs right at 7 lbs. A heavy load produces as much Felt Recoil in this piece as a same weight/velocity load does in a 7 lb 12 ga.Maybe more, since the oft smaller butt means less surface area to spread the push out. Lessened Felt Recoil comes with reducing the load weight,or speed, or increasing the gun weight, or improving gun fit.
So, when is a 20 ga a better idea for HD than a 12?
When the shooter is of small stature, of less than good health, or otherwise not too good with the 12 ga. When the shooter is more comfortable with the 20, confidence is a factor here also. And when a shooter is more comfortable with a shotgun, they're more likely to practice and thus improve the human end of the security equation. And that's the most important.
Also, since there's lots of 20 ga shooters out there, using a variety of ammo, I'd like to mention what I think would be a great HD round for the 20 ga.
A real simple load, two 50 cal round balls made of pure lead, in a sleeve, loaded to about 1100 FPS. This would be an easy kicking, controllable round, with more than enough ME to cause those round balls to transfer energy on impact.Actual projectile weight would be around 3/4 oz, a moderate load for the 20.
A minor downside to the 20 is the limited number of addons available. Anyone have a source for a mag extension, for instance? Load choice is also less with the 20s, try to find some buck load other than #3. However, addons can add maybe 10% to effectiveness, less than regular practice, confidence and familiarity.
Questions, comments, donations?....