Advantage or Imagination

[roy reali]

I realize that a 12 gauge will put more pellets out into a given pattern at a given distance then a 20 gauge will. Likewise, a 20 will throw out more shot then a .410. For bird hunters, espically upland game, do you think these advantages are that big?

Last year I did more hunting hunting with my 20 then my 12. I did just as well. I am not the best wingshot in the world. I seemed to be hitting or missing just as much with either gun.

So, how much of a handicap do you think smaller gauges place on bird hunters? Is the weight and recoil reduction worth it?

 

[NoSecondBest]

It's just not that simple. You can shoot 1 oz. loads out of a 12 or 20 and you can shoot 7/8oz out of a 20 and 3/4oz out of a 410. Throw choke into the equation and it really mixes things up. I can tell you that after shooting at couple hundred thousand clay birds that you don't gain much with a 12 over a 20 but you do gain something. As far as weight of the gun goes, some 20's are built on 12 gage frames and some aren't. You really need to do some homework on this and then decide what you want to use. Myself, I like a nice 20 for birds on a 20 gage frame and I use 7/8 oz loads for grouse usually with an improved cylinder choke and I use 1 oz for pheasants with a modified choke. Theres a lot to think about with all the possible combos. Oh yeah, you need to pattern each one and see how they pattern and decide on shot size to go along with all of this. Confusing isn't it?

 

[oneounceload]

Handicap would depend on several factors - what type/size of bird? What range - over dogs holding point or free-flushing? Then there is gun fit - My Browning 12 doesn't fit me the same as my Browning 20, or my SKB 20 or any of my 28's. (Along with fit is time of year - shirts and a hunting vest or layers of clothing?). The last major factor is what type of ammo.

I have no issues quail or dove hunting with any of my gauges using basic, good quality target ammunition, while wild chukar and wily roosters have me reaching for thumpers with heavier charges of larger shot.

 

[hagar]

A good shot with a 20 gauge will beat a poor shot with a 12 gauge any day..

 

[oneounceload]

A good shot with a 20 gauge will beat a poor shot with a 12 gauge any day.

A good shot with ANY gauge or bore will beat a bad one any day.....my 28 feels like a wand in my hands - works great. Friend uses mostly 410 pumps (Win 42's) and loves the way they handle. Just depends on what you like and what fits

 

[BigJimP]

Birds are different in early season vs late season - and like OneOunce said - the quality of the dogs matter too if they're able to hold a covey / or a couple of pheasants, etc in place vs making them run or flush early ...wind, temperature, etc all matter ...

Honestly, I pick a gun, and a gague, based on what I expect from the day and I don't want to hunt at the max levels of range for the gague I select or the shells I have. I always want to make "clean kills" within an average range for my gun and loads. I always carry a variety of chokes / and a variety of shells 4's, 6's, 8's etc for at least one level up / one level down from what I expect to use.

If I thought I might need a 12ga / but was confident in shooting a 20ga for what I expected from the day ...I'd have a 12ga with me too if it was easy to have a 2nd gun along.

7/8oz of shot / is 7/8oz of shot --- whether its out of a 12, 20 or 28ga really isn't relevant and 7/8 oz of shot at 1200 fps ( hits just as hard out of a 12, 20 or 28ga ) ... I don't see a disadvantage - all things being equal / but I'm always prepared to adjust my approach or change guns if I reach the limit of my loads in a specific gague.

 

[olddrum1]

When it comes to shot, the more you throw at something the higher degree of success you will have.

 

[44 AMP]

Something to consider

And that is the cross section of the shot charge in flight. Because, not all the pellets will be in a postion to hit a flying target at the same time.

A magnum 20ga may throw the same numer of pellets as a standard 12ga, but it has a longer shot string. What this means is that on a crossing bird (for instance) when the shot string gets to the bird, the 12 ga will have more pellets "on plane" with the bird, while the 20ga will have more "ahead" or "behind" the moving bird.

If you are on target, that doesn't mean much, but if you are a little off, then the 12 might mean a downed bird, over the 20.

But, this must be balanced against the lighter weight and handling of 20ga guns. Which could mean the difference between you being "on target" over the bigger, heavier 12ga. A lighter gun is less tiring to carry all day, and that might make the difference in your swing. OR, it might not.

A 20ga gun might make you a better shot than a 12, or it might not. Everybody is different that way. .410s are often used for beginners, because the light weight guns and light recoil make them easier to shoot. BUT, the small shot pattern makes them harder to hit sucessfully. They are better considered an expert's gun, at lest in terms of how easy they are to down birds. Again, if you are "on", you are on. But the area of being "on" gets smaller the smaller the bore size of the gun.

I'm not a big shotgunner (was nearly 40yrs ago, but not much since) and I only have two calibers, 12ga, and .410. They do everything I need done these days. Nothing wrong with a 20ga, if you use it well.

There is one thing you do need to watch out for, if you own both a 20 and a 12. A 20ga shell will slide down a 12ga barrel, and stop a couple inches ahead of the chamber. VERY BAD NEWS if you drop in a 12ga and fire it! Thats the reason most 20ga shells are yellow or orange, while 12s are red, green, black, or blue, so you can see the difference in low light.