12 gauge vs 20 gauge?

[Electric88]

Which do you prefer?

[irishtoo]

depends...........12 for waterfowl, birds, defense. 20.....rifled/scoped for deer. the one gun question......12 will do it all with the right barrels and loads. irishtoo

[Greg S]

I've hunted deer, turkey, birds n squirrelz most of the time to include ducks with a 20. I shot keet and sporting and had a better average with the 20. I did note that a 12 in sporting was advantagious on certain target presentations but would get overconfident and sloppy with it in skeet. Waterfowling was limited to puddle jumping ducks but good shells were hard to find. For geese I went with the 10. I had alot less meat damage for the small game. With the 'hevi shot' loads now, i would love to try on ducks.

[pietro]

I've hunted deer, turkey, birds n squirrelz most of the time to include ducks with a 20. I shot keet and sporting and had a better average with the 20.

Although YMMV, after using both for over 40 years, I've come to realize that both bore sizes can do the same things; but the 20ga is easier/smoother to shoot.


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[Hardcast416taylor]

When old age starting winning the race on me I started looking for a shotgun that wouldn`t beat me to death as well as not weigh a ton to carry! I loaned a friend some money once, he put a nice Rem. 870 in 20 gauge up as surety. Well its been about 15 years since and I still have the 20 and my friend skipped state to Ok with creditors hot on his tail. I only use 2 3/4" shells in it and can carry it most of a day hunting birds. I use it with a 20" slug barrel with Winchester Foster type slugs with good accuracy and have taken a few deer with it. I still have my 12`s, I just don`t use them as much anymore.Robert

[Uncle Jimbo]

I voted for the 12 gauge because that is what I shot the most. But if your aim is good, it doesn't matter. Both will do the job. And as pietro said, "the 20ga is easier/smoother to shoot."

[Fishman]

The question isn't specific enough. Geese are a tough proposition with 20 gauge, particularly resident giant Canadas. I'd prefer 3.5" 12 gauge if using steel, or at least magnums if using no-tox alternatives. 20 gauge slugs make more sense to me than 12 gauge, particularly with a rifled bore. Dove die easy with a 20 or even a 28. Buckshot, give me a 12 because there aren't many pellets in there anyway.

[Mk42gunner]

Actually, I prefer the 16 Gauge.

It works well for anything that wears feathers under the size of a Canada Goose.

I wish we could still use lead shot for everything.

Robert

[floydboy]

If you roll your own a 12 can do anything the 20 can do except it usually won't be as light or handle as nice. You then have the ability with the 12ga to load for bear if needed.

Floyd

[GhostHawk]

Ducks and Geese I much prefer the 12, slugs for deer my 20 is lethal, lighter, and quicker to shoulder.

[TX.shotgun01]

I shoot both 12 and 20 when I hunt but with the 12 I have better luck on hitting what I'm hunting, when it comes to hunting birds, but with the 20 I get to work more on my aiming because I only been hunting dove but this year I hope to try turkey hunting

[SWMO1]

12 gauge for turkey & waterfowl. 20 gauge for upland game. 28 gauge for doves and quail.

[osteodoc08]

For me and the hunting I personally do with a shotgun, I prefer the 20 gauge.

[Lefty Red]

Actually, I prefer the 16 Gauge.

It works well for anything that wears feathers under the size of a Canada Goose.

I wish we could still use lead shot for everything.

Robert

Me too!

[izzyjoe]

I just begun loading for 20ga. last year, and loading 7/8 oz #6 it's fun to shot, and patterns great out of my Express 20ga. Next I want to try to load two .54 RBs in a shot cup for deer hunting. I have plenty of 12's, but the the 20 seem to git range time. And for turkey hunting it's hard to beat the Fed HW #7's!

[white eagle]

I use 20 ga for upland game bird hunting mostly grouse
ducks over blocks I use a 12 ga
for big waterfowl and turkey I use a 10 ga

[Hickory]

I have an 870 Remington 12 ga. it seems to cover all the bases.

[Lonegun1894]

It depends!


I voted 12ga because it's much easier to load down a bigger gun than it is to load UP a small one safely. Now having said that, I have been playing with a 20ga I picked up cheap for the past couple years and am honestly impressed with how close it comes to doing everything my 12ga can do. I still think the 12ga is a better gun, and have a strong preference for it for defense, turkey, and waterfowling, but for small game and small birds with shot, or deer/hogs with a slug, I really don't think it matters. I mean, since several have brought up dove hunting, say you hit a dove with 3-4 #7.5 pellets,I don't think it matters a bit weather those pellets are fired out of a 12ga, a 20ga, or a .410.

[NavyVet1959]

12-gauge... Even though I'm pretty sure I killed a lot more ducks with a .410 single shot when I was a kid.

Besides, a 12-gauge shell will chamber in a steel sched-40 3/4" piece of pipe. You never know when that tidbit of information might be useful.

[Electric88]

The question isn't specific enough. Geese are a tough proposition with 20 gauge, particularly resident giant Canadas. I'd prefer 3.5" 12 gauge if using steel, or at least magnums if using no-tox alternatives. 20 gauge slugs make more sense to me than 12 gauge, particularly with a rifled bore. Dove die easy with a 20 or even a 28. Buckshot, give me a 12 because there aren't many pellets in there anyway.

Sorry, I should have clarified a little bit. In particular, I'm looking to pick up a SxS double barreled shotgun at the local gun store. They have one in 20 gauge (a Savage 311), and a 12 gauge (Stoeger Uplander). I'm leaning towards the Savage 20 gauge because I think they are a better gun, but was trying to see a good reason why to add a 20 gauge to the collection. It will primarily be used for small game hunting, as I have a 12 gauge that is used for deer (when I'm not using a muzzleloader).

Thank you guys for all your input! It has been exceedingly valuable!