12 ga. vs 20 ga.

[roysha]

I don't know if this is the proper forum, so if not, please move to where it should be.

With all things being equal for both gauges, shot size, choke, velocity, etc,. are the 20 gauge 7/8 ounce, 1 ounce and 1 1/8 ounce loads equal in performance to a 12 gauge? I am referring strictly to the performance of the ammunition and totally disregarding the gun, with respect to handling, recoil and so forth.

[mcdaniel.mac]

Without discussing recoil (20ga guns tend to be lighter) and handling, how your shot stacks will change with constricting the bore/shell diameter.

[rking22]

Correct, the 12 will pattern more evenly than the 20 in general. With the 7/8 load the 20 is great, I much prefer the 12 for 1 1/8 and up. Now for 1 oz, ill take a 16 , but the 20 can come close.
Also you can drive the larger payloads faster in the 12 bore.

[GhostHawk]

Some might say the 12 will carry a little farther.

I've shot lots of stuff with both, from Canadian Honkers down to Hungarian Partridge.

The 20 will do the job, and it will do it with a little less lead, and powder. Not a big deal for a box or 2 but a lifetime of reloading will show gains.

20's tend to be a bit lighter, but they also tend to shoulder faster and swing quicker.
Shooting trap with the 12 with a 30" barrel I could let them sail out to the 50 yard line and break them clean 3-6 feet above the grass. 20 I could not let go so long and break them consistently. But, it was quicker on target too, so I did not have to.

Personally for tight quarters, lots of trees, brush, or a long day of walking I'll take the 20 every time. For a day spent in the duck boat I prefered the extra range and weight of the 12.

My 20 was good with slugs also for a smoothbore.

Comes down to what your doing with it and preference. Either will do the job. For some things like steel shot and buckshot there are more choices available for the 12 than the 20.

[Hogtamer]

Things are never equal because 7/8 shot out of a 20 is coming out of a smaller hole so the shot column is strung out a litlle more. If you move it a little faster you won't know the difference wingshooting though. Find out what your guns like best. Had the best dove season in a while shooting a Rem 1100 20 ga with a fast 7/8 #9 load out of IC choke.

[Moonie]

I've always read that all things being equal the 12 will pattern better due to the shorter shot column for the same shot charge. Either will get the job done in the proper hands.

[megasupermagnum]

Shot stringing is a moot point between the gauges. There have been a few good tests through the years, involving names like Oberfell & Thompson, Bob Brister (guy who shot at a moving trailer), and E. D. Lowry. At 40 yards shot stringing has negligible effect, the differences between gauges is almost nil. The pattern could be a factor, but I find it to not be a big deal on smaller shot sizes, say #4 and smaller.

[fecmech]

The 12ga will always pattern better at extended ranges than the 20 due to the fact that more shot is distorted at launch. The shot column is taller and more pressure on the bottom pellets. The more deformed pellets leave the central pattern quicker than round ones do hence thinner central pattern at extended range. You will not see a 20 ga. shotgun on the line at any registered trap shoot. From a practical standpoint inside 30-35 yds you will notice little difference between the gauges but for extended ranges or if money is on the line 12 ga wins.

[centershot]

Way back when (1970), I chose a 12 ga. as my first shotgun. It, and its 12 ga. predecessors have all served me well, hunting everything from waterfowl to upland game to deer and black bear. BUT, if I were starting over today, I'd choose a 20 and never look back! At hunting ranges a 20 is equally effective as a 12, and with today's ammunition, a 20 bows to a 12 only in long passing shots at geese and ducks and in the use of buckshot. I would trade that for the lighter, quicker handling gun. No, I don't shoot trap - but I do shoot skeet!

[vzerone]

I think the best gauge was ruined 100% by the gunrag writers and that is the 16 gauge. For general purpose small game, that is rabbits, squirrels, pheasant, the 12 in my opinion is too big. The 20 fits good there. The 16 would be perfect. Now for geese and duck I feel the 12 and 10 are better.

[Ginsing]

I have seen 20 gauge used at the trap line. And in fact when I was shooting in junior class I competed against a few kids shooting 20 gauge. Some did just fine. One fellow I shot against would use a 12 gauge only for handicap. He would use 20 gauge in doubles and bunker trap so he was able to recover for his second shot. Now I'm not saying it's ideal gauge for long shots, but when you are on target it doesn't take much to break a clay.
I shot against one of those kids years latter when we were in adult classes and he was very good. All those years shooting with a 20 gauge honed his skills. Breaking clays with a 12 gauge seemed effortless for him

[vzerone]

I have seen 20 gauge used at the trap line. And in fact when I was shooting in junior class I competed against a few kids shooting 20 gauge. Some did just fine. One fellow I shot against would use a 12 gauge only for handicap. He would use 20 gauge in doubles and bunker trap so he was able to recover for his second shot. Now I'm not saying it's ideal gauge for long shots, but when you are on target it doesn't take much to break a clay.
I shot against one of those kids years latter when we were in adult classes and he was very good. All those years shooting with a 20 gauge honed his skills. Breaking clays with a 12 gauge seemed effortless for him

The one I can't warm up to is the 28 ga and it has a huge following.

[GooseGestapo]

When it comes to sabot slugs, with the newer loads, the 20ga holds a noticeable advantage. Higher sectional density and better ballistic coefficients even though they give up a little weight.

I recently aquired a Savage M220 in order to better hunt some Shotgun only areas. I'm loading the Lyman "pellet" slug. At 75yds, it exceeds accuracy of all but better factory slugs. My partner shot a 150lb buck through the shoulders at 65yds with one. Bang flop. Can't beat that.

Working on minor details of load to tweak accuracy. Also working with a Lee .575" RB. IT SHOWS PROMISE from the 20" twist. The Lyman sabot is showing key-holes at 100yds. Not sure what is going on.

[Eutectic]

I think the best gauge was ruined 100% by the gunrag writers and that is the 16 gauge.

The 16 would be perfect.

I'm in whole-hearted agreement with the 16! It has indeed taken a bad wrap from the keyboard mostly from "guessers" not shooters!! I'm old enough to remember when the 16 was more popular than the 20. In my eyes it still is.

Eutectic

[vzerone]

I'm in whole-hearted agreement with the 16! It has indeed taken a bad wrap from the keyboard mostly from "guessers" not shooters!! I'm old enough to remember when the 16 was more popular than the 20. In my eyes it still is.

Eutectic

How about the Sweet Sixteen Browning Auto???? Boy that was sweet. Yup 16 was the gauge.

[centershot]

The one I can't warm up to is the 28 ga and it has a huge following.

I don't get it either!

[trapper9260]

I was brought up with the 12 and some of the 410 .Years later I got the 20 and it took some getting use to. But use it mainly now.but will take out the 12 when I feel like to just like I take the 10 ga out.

[toallmy]

I like and use them all in different situations . I have never owned a 28 but would pick one up in a heart beat if they didn't seem to always be so high , the 12 is just so useful you can go down to 3/4 oz - and up as far as you are comfortable . Although I love a good 20 and a 16 but it will reach its limits before a 12 , but for a 7/8 -1.25 shooter a 20 or 16 gage will work quite well . I'd say none should be over looked .

[RMc]

Apples to apples with the handload/reload and one and one eighth of shot : With high antimony shot, (> 4%), plastic shotcups and for the smaller gauge a slower powder, there is little discernable difference in the field performance of the 12 and 20 gauge with small lead shot. For the handloader the biggest cost difference comes with the higher cost of slow burning shotshell powders.

On the other hand, with factory ammo the 20 gauge will always cost more - either in a lesser shot charge or in purchasing premium ammo to equal the shot charge of 12 gauge clay and field loads.

The story with large shot, buckshot and lighter than lead non-toxic shot is, of course, a different story. And the differences are even greater and more diverse in the case of 73 and 615 caliber rifles.

[Petrol & Powder]

Lot's of good input.

I'm not convinced the 16ga was killed off by gun writers as much as it was killed off by the consumers. The 16 did a lot of things really well but it also split the difference between the 12 & 20 in terms of the gun itself. The 16ga guns were generally closer in overall size/weight to the 12 gauge models and most buyers would just opt for the 12. (I would submit that decision wasn't heavily influenced by gun writers). As the market share dropped and the cost of factory loaded shells went up, the 16 became an almost exclusively hand loaded shell. At that point the 16 was all but dead.
I've shot the 16ga and there's no doubt that it can be a wonderful gun but it just didn't carve out a big enough niche in the market to survive.

Getting back to the 12 v. 20 gauge thing - The obvious differences in the payload and shape of the shot column have all been stated and are all valid. I think the difference in the real world does end up being the gun and not the load. The 20ga guns give up a little in terms of payload and the behavior of that longer shot column (fecmech hit the nail on the head in post #8) BUT the guns themselves tend to be more fun to carry.

If I was only going to own a single shotgun, it would be a 12 gauge. If I could have 2 shotguns it would be a 12ga & a 20ga.