What gauge for all around shotgun?

What gauge for all around shotgun?

  • Total voters
    84
  • Poll closed .
Sweet 16!
Guns are lighter than the 12, pack more punch than the 20

And I don't even have one..............
 
Due to availability of ammo in the wide variety for shotguns (slugs thru birdshot), the 12ga and the 20ga are the only realistic choices. The 20 will be lighter to carry in the field - generally -, has less recoil, but can still do it all: hunting both large & small game, skeet and trap, home defense. So go wth the 20ga.

Don't get me wrong, I love my old 16ga Remington Model 11! But I have to scrounge for 16ga ammo or load my own.
 
I chose 12 ga. just because it's gives you a little more gun for bigger waterfowl and better selection for slugs for large game.
 
12 ga is the all round gun. More choices of loads, carries the most shot(except for 10 ga), can't go wrong with the 12 ga.
 
All around gauge and ammo availability should not be in the same mix, IMO. Those who hunted back in the earlier part of the last century found the 16 to be a great bore size and it still is, even in Europe. "Carries like a 20, hits like a 12" makes great sense in the uplands. Handloading will allow you to make anything you might require.
 
The 16 ga was common on the Continent but British Best guns are mostly 12 ga. If they wanted a lighter gun, they bought a lighter 12 and did not pound it with heavy loads. A 1 1/16 oz loads was pretty stout for Gough Thomas.
Instead of a 20, they had the 2" 12 ga.
 
Arrietta still makes a 6# 2" 12

http://www.gunsinternational.com/gu...-game-2-barrel-cased-set.cfm?gun_id=100564599

100528106_17020_AE803D73157E4B11.jpg
 
I voted 12 gauge, it's just an all around do everything gun, more because of the ammo availability than any other reason.
 
I only own 20g shotguns so guess how I voted :D

I got hooked on the 20g when I bought my first 870 Wingmaster in high school. It was a 20g and I fell in love. I could shoot clays very good with that gun and did a good job reducing the dove population around our farm.
 
Depending on the loads you buy a 12 will do almost anything a 20 or 10 will do if you have one with a 3.5" chamber. There are darn few times when a 10 ga or 3.5" 12 are needed though. A 2.75" 12 ga shell will do almost everything anyone really needs to do. You can duplicate 16 and 20 ga performance and recoil with the 12, but not the other way.

The only theoretical advantage to smaller gauges is lighter weight, recoil is load dependent and with the same payload 12's don't kick any more than 20's or 16's. And they can be made just as light for ease of carry.
 
That just makes it more popular at the moment, not necessarily the best
Click to expand...
It's popular for a reason.
Goldilocks picked up baby bear's 20 gauge and said, this gun is too small. Then she picked up papa bear's 8 gauge and said, this gun is too big, finally she picked up mama bear's 12 gauge and said, this gun is just right.:D
 
There is nothing a 16 can do that a 12 can't do better, parts, choices, ammo, cost, reloading supplies, avalibility to you and also in your area that you live in, it's a no brainer.
 
Sure there, it is lighter for all day carrying in the field.

Folks have to get past the ammo part. If everyone had maintained shooting 16s way back when, it would have the ammo offerings instead of the 12. A 16 can be used to hunt anything a 12 can, can be used for HD, is lighter to carry, and has more panache..............:cool:;)

If all I did was hunt birds, I'd have a 16 and a 28 - one for big birds and one for little birds and I wouldn't feel under or over gunned at all.
 
Sure there, it is lighter for all day carrying in the field.

Folks have to get past the ammo part. If everyone had maintained shooting 16s way back when, it would have the ammo offerings instead of the 12. A 16 can be used to hunt anything a 12 can, can be used for HD, is lighter to carry, and has more panache..............

If all I did was hunt birds, I'd have a 16 and a 28 - one for big birds and one for little birds and I wouldn't feel under or over gunned at all.
Click to expand...

As I remember, most 16 gauge shotguns were bastards. Some were built on 12 gauge frames (Low recoil & heavy as any 12 gauge), some were built on 20 gauge frames (Nice and light, & the recoil was heavy). Very few were actually 16 gauge guns.

With out ammunition, the most beautiful 16 gauge shotgun in the world is nothing, but the most beautiful club in the world.:):):)
 
I voted 12ga too....FITASC is just being old and crabby ....:)

Many of us reload...but if you don't / the variety of shells for the 12ga these days, in my view, makes it more versatile ( 7/8 oz like the traditional 16ga load, 7/8 oz like the traditional 20ga load --- and lots of 1 oz, 1 1/8 oz, etc in 12ga.
----------------
I understand the discussion - about its not just the gague that makes a gun versatile...its the weight, overall length, smoothness of how it swings, etc...( and I have a 16ga...but that was never the do all, end all ...most versatile gun out there - at least not for me ....)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top