12g or 20g .

[sniperjon]

I have been shotgun shopping for a bit now and I know what brand and style I was just asumed I would get a 12 gauge because thats all I have ever had. This new gun I'm getting just for bird hunting and I have noticed lots of forks go with a 20 over a 12. Why sould I consider one over the other.

[Max2]

Weight What would you rather carry all day

[sniperjon]

Weight What would you rather carry all day

What about range will I lose much. And on the other side of that if on my 12 I shoot mod with a 20 will the pattern change were I would want full or something else?

[gotpointers]

16 ga weighs like a 20, hits like a 12. What more can you ask for.

[Max2]

Ultimately I think it comes down to what you are hunting. For me it is woodcock & grouse in the hills of upstate NY. My gun of choice is a 28 gauge. This year we were messing around with Pheasents & I had no problem knocking them down. What will you be primarily hunting ?

[sniperjon]

Pheasent 98 percent of the time.

[markj]

20 will do a pheasant just fine. I been using a 410 double on these quail I use for training, knock em down anddid along shot just yesturday, dropped him too. 1/2 oz of shot in the short shells. was 6 shot too.

[Mountaineer]

No difference in range or chokes.

Not sure why one would choose a 20 over a 12.
A 12 BUL weighs 6 1/4#...I shoot up to turkey loads in mine.
Light 12 O/Us and SXSs are widely available as well tho weight limits loads re comfort.
Should steel ever be totally mandated then a 12 is a much better option.

Mostly, a 20 will carry better in the hand, will often have greater esthetics of dimensions for the eye, a 20 allows a bit of bragging for those for whom that is important and a 20 delivers sufficient shot for most conditions and birds that fly.
Sounds like a 20 would be a good choice, and it is....but only because it is a choice in a free world.
The practical advantages of a 20 are basically non-exsistent today.

Carry the scattergun that makes you grin and want to look down.
Forget the hype of gauge or maker or provenance.
You will probably end up with more than one choice anyway,

But a Browning Sweet 16...now there is a scattergun.

[bb560m]

I went with a 12 for 2 reasons.

1) Wal-Mart ALWAYS has ammo for it in the right shot I want.
2) Come late pheasant season, you're going to want some bang behind your shots. Finding a 20ga ammo with enough powder & shot in it is a pain in the butt out here and a lot more expensive than say 4 shot 12ga.

That being said - I wish this thing weighed as little as a 20ga - gets really heavy.

I'm also a newbie - so maybe my shot sucks and a 20ga will be fine for you.

[ultracarry]

Not that it matters but a 20 is more quiet for the dogs and your sake if you don't like to wear hearing protection.

Sold my 12 and got a 20. Won't be going back any time soon.

[Mountaineer]

Noise in a scattergun is most related to load, powder, et al and, especially, barrel length...not gauge.
Let that be of little consideration.

Either 12 or 20 are also available in low noise rated shells should that be a need.

[sniperjon]

After all the feedback and some more research. I think I will stick with 12 reasoning. I load my own 12's if I got a twenty I would have to buy more dies, Also I know I would kick myself if I got a 20 or 16 and not get the lead down range like I want. It has takin me a long time to save for this gun and returning what I get is not an option. Thanks for the feedback I learn something new there everyday.

[rockyridge kennels]

After all the feedback and some more research. I think I will stick with 12 reasoning. I load my own 12's if I got a twenty I would have to buy more dies, Also I know I would kick myself if I got a 20 or 16 and not get the lead down range like I want. It has takin me a long time to save for this gun and returning what I get is not an option. Thanks for the feedback I learn something new there everyday.

Good Call

[bossman]

Well if you already have a 12, why another? Why not get a 20? Your reasoning for the 12 is short term imo. It's "kinda" like investing. Diversification is a good thing

[JIM K]

Pheasent 98 percent of the time.

46 yrs hunting everything.for pheasants go with 12 ga.if you have money, i like BERETTA URICKA FIELD 12 GA in 28 inch barrel.
for small birds like grouse you want LIGHT gun because you will be doing a lot of walking in heavy woods where weight/quick shot IS NEEDED.best gun for that is FRANCHI AL48 IN 20 GA or 28 GA with 26 inch barrel,i like 20 ga.
as you see there is no 1 GUN for hunting both in my opinion.
i am a SEMI-AUTO hunter, i like light recoil not extra shot with semi.its the recoil i like most and semi -autos TAME RECOIL WAY DOWN.

i hunt about 55 days a year here in pa for grouse.carrying my BERETTA 12 ga at 7 pds is tiring on grouse in heavy woods.
carrying my FRANCHI AL48 is like carrying nothing behind toby hunting grouse.
its just so light.

[JIM K]

/8 oz

After all the feedback and some more research. I think I will stick with 12 reasoning. I load my own 12's if I got a twenty I would have to buy more dies, Also I know I would kick myself if I got a 20 or 16 and not get the lead down range like I want. It has takin me a long time to save for this gun and returning what I get is not an option. Thanks for the feedback I learn something new there everyday.

hunting pheasants, i agree,down range thing is nice with 12 ga.
but forget that with grouse.
i leave all grouse go that are over 35 yds.
i use franchi al48 in IC choke and 7 =1/2 federals 7/8 oz shot low brass.

for hunting pheasants in open areas a heavier/longer barrel shotgun is way to go.it balances better than gun under 7 pds.BERETTAS balance the best in the uricka line.they are gas operated,sweet on recoil with high brass.remington 1100 is sweet too BUT is heavier and less balanced than the BERETTA .but still GAS OPERATED.
only am taking SEMI-AUTO.

[bluestemkennels]

If pheasant are your main bird, I would have to agree that the 12 gauge is the better choice. A lot of the places I hunt them are nontox or are in places where you might jump a duck. The 12 is definitly better when you are shooting steel.

Bluestem

[sniperjon]

Well if you already have a 12, why another? Why not get a 20? Your reasoning for the 12 is short term imo. It's "kinda" like investing. Diversification is a good thing

Well I have a first year winchster 1400. I love the gun but the action is real worn and as it's a first product year some of the parts you can't get new anymore. Plus it' s a good excuse to get a new gun past the wife

[Fireside]

12 ga ammo is cheaper and more widely available in different loads. Plus you already load for 12s. You can even get/load 20 ga equivalent loads for your 12. 20 ga is pretty widely available, but is you want to chase geese, the 20 might not be enough... In certain parts of the country (western US) 16 ga is hard to find and the variety of loads is just not there.


I have both a 12 and a 20... I carry whatever seems most appropriate for that day's hunt.

[bossman]

Just out of curiousity, where do you pheasant hunt (what state or states).We go to Kansas a few times a year in hopes to get into pheasant and quail. Take a Beretta 12 ga o/u, a 20 ga Benelli Montefeltro and a 28 ga. CZ s/s. Havn't taken the 12 ga out of it case in about 4 years, but usually are up there no later than the first week of Jan. Good luck with your new gun, no matter what the ga.

[sniperjon]

Just out of curiousity, where do you pheasant hunt (what state or states).We go to Kansas a few times a year in hopes to get into pheasant and quail. Take a Beretta 12 ga o/u, a 20 ga Benelli Montefeltro and a 28 ga. CZ s/s. Havn't taken the 12 ga out of it case in about 4 years, but usually are up there no later than the first week of Jan. Good luck with your new gun, no matter what the ga.

I hunt massachuettes and nothern connecticut.