Are 20 gauge shotguns useless?

I own about 10 shotguns ---- 9 of them are 12ga.
I don't reload for the one 20ga. that I do own , I mostly use it as a "trainer" for younger , older ,or more recoil shy people that I loan it to.
So it is not "useless" to me but I do like the 12ga. more.
 
20

"20ga shotguns................ are made for small people and youth shooters also people that are scared of 12ga recoil."
That is just wrong. It is true that the 20 may serve the purposes that you mention but to say that the 20 gauge is designed for those purposes is patently untrue.
Pete
 
I too like the elegance of the 20 ga guns. The proportion and weight just seems to be just right. In fact, I am now thinking of getting a Browning A5 in 20 ga. Just gotta get the right lotto ticket first...
 
20's Rock!!!

A 20 guage is a great guage for MOST shotgunning needs. It is not a tool for all shotgunning like a 12 guage. A 20 however is lighter given the same action, the shells are lighter allowing you to carry more or at least a lighter load. Lethality on small game and upland birds is about equal to a 12 guage within reasonable range limits. Skeet shooting is more comfortable after 100 rounds due to less recoil and patterns are excellent at those ranges. Trap is a 12 guage game. I took my 20 auto quail hunting in the mountains a year ago and stumbled back down to my truck 5 hours later with a couple of hard earned birds. I was glad I brought the 20 guage and WATER!!! A 12 guage is generally much heavier and it's not the best choice for all hunting trips. If you want to perpetuate the myth that a 20 is useless, that's fine for me. Makes used ones cheaper to enjoy:)
 
For me, a 20 gauge is the only gun I need. If I waterfowled, I'd go for a 12 gauge. On my farm, I have plenty of turkey and deer. I know what a 20 gauge will do.

I quit using the 12 gauges in my safe after I had a backset in my health. I found out that the 20 is sufficient for my hunting needs. I won't quit using the 12s, but I won't use them as much. They are heavy and bulky compared to the 20 gauges.

My Franchi 48 Black Magic is a hunter's dream.
 
"Why have a 20 gauge shotgun?"

Why have a shotgun, just go to the grocery store. A good 20 is a great gun. So is a 28. I don't much experience with 16s. The only thing I really need a 12 for is non-toxic shot for ducks and geese on big water.

I know what a 20 can do and I'm learning about the 28.

If you can shoot almost anything will work. :)
 
Home Defense

DISCLAIMER: The following opinion was formed from tons of magazine articles and even-handed forum posts. I have no first hand experience. My only shotgun is a 12ga pump.


So far I've only read remarks about hunting applications, but I 've heard that a 20ga is adequate and almost preferable as a strictly anti-intruder gun. For an adult human at 10ft-25ft distance it is reasonable to say that a 12guage is overkill. The reduced recoil, quicker follow-up, and overall "handiness" of a 20ga will help in a situation where you may be shooting barefoot and you may be shooting for your life. It is also more shootable for smaller-statured members of the family(teens, elderly, dainty wives) that may also need this tool to desperately defend themselves. However, this is no reason to buy new shotguns. This should only be a consideration for non "gun-guys" in the market for their first and only shotgun. The 20ga is not as good as an apocalyptic defense weapon because the ammo is less common and harder to scavenge, but now I'm just getting silly :P

Disagree? How many people carry 44mag for personal defense?

I've also read that #4 buckshot is better balanced than 00 buckshot in terms of power/wall-penetration ratio. This a an important factor in home defense situations. This begs the question: Is a 20ga pump loaded with #4 buckshot a great home defense setup? Or is it too weak? Should you use 2-3/4" or 3" shells?
 
I'm down to one shotgun--a 20ga Browning Silver---lightweight and fast handling----the comparable 12ga Silver feels like an overgrown lead slug.

I'm only looking for a 12ga as an after thought mainly for HD---a 870 Express costs as much as a Silver barrel.
 
I have shotguns in three flavors....12, 20, and 28. The 12 is for targets only; the 20's - some for targets, some for birds, the 28's - again, some for targets and some for birds. The more I shoot my 28, the more fun I have....and I still don't have a 5.5# 28 double.....yet.......
 
There seems to be some confusion about gagues vs ounces of shot - and power( knockdown power, I guess ..).

Its traditional for a 12 ga to shoot 1 1/8 oz of shot - but by dropping a 12ga down to 1 oz (balistically its the same as a traditional 16ga load) - and if you drop the 12ga down to 7/8 oz then balistically its the same as a 20ga - to 3/4 oz same as a 28ga ...

7/8 oz of shot at 1200 fps coming out of a 12ga / performs and hits exactly as hard as 7/8 oz of shot at 1200 fps out of a 20ga. There is no difference in Ft-Lbs of energy / number of pellets, etc.

Personally, I like all of my hunting, sporting clays or skeet guns - in Over Unders, semi-autos - to be around 8 1/2 lbs ( even the .410 ) / so I add weight to all of my guns to get them to around the same point. The heavier the gun - for a given shell - the less recoil you get - so a little heavier gun is a good thing (if you can handle it). Yes, traditionally, most 20ga, or 28 ga etc ( were built on smaller receivers ) and were a little lighter, had shorter length of pulls, etc - but these days, gun mfg's are doing all kinds of things a little different.

I shoot a fair amount of 12ga - but I really like the 20, 28ga and the .410 as well .
 
For an adult human at 10ft-25ft distance it is reasonable to say that a 12guage is overkill
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I didn't know there was such a thing as "overkill" in a home defense situation.

Over-penetration, maybe, but not overkill

I think 20 gauges are good starting places for many adult women and a lot of young people who have never fired a shotgun previously.

I'm so close to buying a semi in 20 gauge because it's available while the 12 isn't due for another 4-6 weeks.

prt
 
Another Observation

First off, I am not an expert shotgunner by any stretch of the imagination. I do know and have hunted with several guys that are very good wing shots. One guy in particualr rarely misses. He is good at hitting small flying birds to the point of being disgusting. All these good bird shooters I know use shotguns smaller then 12 gauge. In fact, that really good shot uses a 28 gauge over and under. Guys that I have hunted with that miss often like me seem to favor 12 gauge shotguns.

I know some of you will claim to know great 12 gauge hunters and lousy 20 gauge hunters. You might even claim that you never miss with a 12. I just wanted to state my observations.

One more point. If you can't hit flying objects with a smaller gauge shotgun, no 12 gauge will magically turn you into a Bob Knapp-like shooter.
 
If I am going to carry a gun in the field, I am going to get my 20 gauge. Although a pound or so doesn't sound like much, it makes a big difference when you are carrying it for a few hours.

When I am shooting skeet, I am going to get my 20 gauge. It's smaller frame just seems to point and swing effortlessly for me. By the way I load my skeet loads down to 3/4oz of shot for less recoil and cost effectiveness. I have even used these 3/4oz loads for 16yd trap with good results.

For home defense or to hunt turkeys, I am going to get my 12 gauge. And even then I am going to use a 2 3/4 inch shell.
 
Why have a 20 gauge shotgun?
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I bought my 13 year old daughter a 20 gauge because its a lot easier for her to shoot then a 12. If I were to have her shoot a 12, she may never pick up another shotgun ever again.

Even though I said "I bought my 13 year old daughter a 20 gauge" - it stays locked in my room and she does not have access to it. All of ym children have been taught gun safety and that starts with not touching a firearm unless an adult is present.

20 gauges have a lot of uses, especially for small framed people - including men and women. And recoil is a major factor in that decision.
 
Why have a 20 gauge shotgun? When you can just use a 12 gauge with reduce recoil rounds, or load your own and use less powder.

12 gauges are more common in the gun store and in many cases cheaper than their 20 gauge counterpart.

You cannot make the same argument for 12 gauge vs. 10 gauge because
10's are much more expensive and not as nearly as common.
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Super Dave,

I am with you on this one. If you can handle the recoil of the 20 gauge
you can most certainly handle a 12 gauge.
 
If you can handle the recoil of the 20 gauge you can most certainly handle a 12 gauge.
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Tell that to my 13 year old daughter. She might have a few choice words for you.

She shot my 12 gauge and she said never again. But she can shoot the 20 gauge just fine.

I personally find the 20 gauge more comfortable to shoot then a 12.

People can not be lumped into a group. Just because you can shoot a 20, does not mean you can shoot a 12.
 
I can't believe some of you people! Are some of you for real? Have you ever hunted all day lugging around a 12ga by the end of a day what little bit lighter 20ga feels a lot better. Have shot lots of different birds and deer with a 20ga. I have used a 410 for HD. Now if you want to say 16ga is useless maybe I could say so. But never 20ga I own three but also own four 12ga all have there use.
 
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