However, there are plenty of people who play the game with a 20 gauge shotgun, too. A lot of it really comes down to personal preference and situation.
Or, maybe you prefer the softer recoil of a 20 gauge. Some prefer a smaller gauge because it adds an extra layer of challenge to the game. This is, by far, the most complex topic on the list when trying to determine what gauge shotgun to use. You want to be absolutely sure that you can handle the gun safely and effectively. When it comes to protecting yourself and your loved ones, the gun is of little consequence if you cannot use it properly to defend your household.
Is a 12 gauge better than a 20 gauge, or is a 20 gauge better than a 12 gauge? Whether you decide to go with 12 or 20, or one or more! Suppressors help reduce both noise and felt recoil. Once you decide on a gun, let us help you get squared away with a suppressor for it. Our experts are ready to help you by phone or email , Monday through Saturday from am — pm CT. Please enable JavaScript in your browser. Home Blog Firearms 12 Gauge vs. April 15, By Brandon Maddox. Differences Between 12 Gauge and 20 Gauge Ammunition Aside from the size difference, there are a lot of other differences between 12 and 20 gauge shotgun ammo.
Cost With the recent surge in gun sales, ammo prices have risen sharply over the past year. Performance Because a 12 gauge shotgun shell has more volume than a 20 gauge shotgun shell, it fits more powder and bigger projectiles. Is One Really Better than the Other? Recent innovations, like Federal FliteControl buckshot, are available only in 12 gauge. As a result, 20 gauge shotguns lag significantly behind 12 gauge shotguns when it comes to potential upgrades for defensive uses.
Good defensive ammo, with tight patterns that stay on target, is far more common for 12 gauge vs. This is another reason why both Ashton and I really prefer the 12 gauge for any kind of defensive usage. We took our test guns to the range to see what the differences between a 12 gauge vs 20 gauge shotgun would be in a defensive situation. We set up a target at 10 yards, and then shot at it with Winchester Super-X 20 gauge 3 buckshot and Federal FliteControl 00 8 pellet buckshot in the 12 gauge Mossberg.
The results proved interesting. The 12 gauge FliteControl buckshot stayed together and punched a tight hole in the target. The 20 gauge buckshot, on the other hand, opened up significantly, even at 10 yards. At longer ranges, there is a very good chance that one or more pellets would miss the target, with potentially catastrophic results. So which is the better choice in the 12 gauge vs. Well, it all depends on what you want to do with your gun. The 20 gauge we used in our tests is my field hunting gun.
There, I really appreciated the light weight of the gun as we spent an afternoon in the outdoors pursuing our prey. On the other hand, the 12 gauge shotgun is the established leader in the tactical shotgun world. Unless the lighter weight of the 20 gauge is your priority, the 12 gauge shotgun is probably your better choice. Prior to joining the team at Ammoman. Kevin has been a gun writer since , writing articles on the new reality of gun ownership in the U.
But that depends in significant measure to the gun itself. With this diminutive bore we could melt Obviously our 28 is going to be less efficient. Nonetheless, with fine bird shot from 6 to 8, the 28 gauge is a surprisingly effective bird killer.
Many friends have observed the same in their own shooting. How can this be? Just 6 pellets. Yet when flung toward everything from bobwhites to ringnecks, the 28 gauge seems to bring home the bacon. The old line about the 28 gauge having a square load is hooey.
When even your subconscious is sleeping through any dreams about recoil, you are free to focus, focus, focus on that bird. And that is, was, and always will be the key to hitting flying with a scattergun. But forget about versatility with the Shell volume is much too small to use steel shot effectively.
Steel is so much lighter than lead that you must go up at least one or two pellet sizes to get roughly the same energy downrange as lead pellets can.
To match the punch of a 6 lead pellet with steel you need at least 4 if not 3. Even light quail and grouse loads in 28 are more expensive than 20s and 12s due to volume production and sales. I routinely crumpled wild, free-range Dakota ringnecks at 30, 35, even 45 yards.
You must remember that all of these can be launched at roughly the same velocity. Shoot the same weight and diameter pellet in any gauge at the same muzzle velocity and each pellet will carry exactly the same energy. In short, a load of 6 lead from a 12 gauge at 1, fps hits no harder than a 6 lead from a 28 gauge at 1, fps. Of course, if you put more of those 6 on target, the cumulative impact would be greater.
That is how the 12 gauge could hit harder, but this requires effective patterning. Dense patterns are the holy grail of shotgun performance, not heavy loads of shot. The final answer to all this is that, yes, the 12 gauge offers the ultimate versatility in shotgun performance.
But you might actually bag more birds with a lighter, faster, easier handling 20 or 28 gauge simply because you shoot it better. If you strictly want an upland 12, try getting one closer to 6. If you mainly hunt upland birds and decoying ducks and a few close geese now and then, a 20 gauge with a 3-inch chamber might prove ideal. Again, 6 pounds is about ideal for quick action, but 7 pounds would favor your cheek and shoulder when shooting heavy 3-inch loads.
Finally, if you focus on upland birds, do give that silly little 28 gauge a hard, hard look. Help bring military veterans and the hunting community together this fall. A special education teacher tagged one massive whitetail. A Caesar Guerini 20 gauge made short work of this pheasant limit. Ron Spomer. Bigger shells mean more pellets. However, that might not necessarily translate into the best gauge to use. How Shotguns Perform First, a few basics.
Upland Bird Hunting. Take Them Hunting Help bring military veterans and the hunting community together this fall.
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