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What you prefear?

12 gauge or 20 gauge?

244K views 268 replies 239 participants last post by  mortal_fiend 
#1 ·
i know some people like the 12 gauges power but i also happen to know that some prefer the 20 gauge because of the lower recoil.if you were deer hunting or just plain shooting what would you use.i know that this is a personal preferance question but isnt that what forums are for.so 12 or 20?
 
#165 ·
I have to agree with madcritter. The 12ga is the most versatile, ie., reduced recoil rounds, magnum loads, rifled-00-shot ranges from #2, 4, 5, 6, 7 1/2, 8, or 9 shot and this isn't all of them. You can hunt anything with a shotgun. Also, easiest to reload my only issue is the weight but i'm reluctant to say I would not be without my rifle for anything over 100+ yards.
 
#166 ·
12.
I like shooting the 20 better, like carrying it better and feel it does the same job with less weight. Why 12?
Ubiquity. There are literally thousands of ammo choices in 12 g making it The most versatile round on earth. 20 is good but it's hard to find bean-bag or pepper ball, bird bombs or flaming dragon rounds, BBB hevi-steel in boxes of 25 on sale by the case or #7 birdshot by the hand-truck on sale at Wallymart.

I've been to gun stores so small they only carry three types of ammo, but they always have some 12 g lying around.
 
#167 ·
I have both but I like the 20ga. for most situations, for most hunting they have served me well. I did use the 12ga for a few outings just because i wanted to be like the 'big boys' found I had better luck hitting birds with the 20. Now I have bagged a couple of deer and hogs with 12 ga. slugs that I am not sure a 20 would have stopped with one shot. For home defense it is the 20. at our house because wife won't shoot twelve after having a bruised shoulder for a month from it.
 
#169 ·
Yes there is if needed you can hand you smaller shotgun to your child or wife that cannot handle the 12ga. There are even a lot of women police officer that have to qualify with a 12ga. that can barely control it but when given a 20ga. they are fine, my MIL for example. She shoots skeet with a 20ga. but hates the 12ga. My son at 12-15 would have been hard pressed to be accurate with a 12ga. but hunted well with his 20ga. and at 21 and 6'/230 still would rather shoot skeet with the 20ga.
 
#171 ·
I had my Great Grandfather's Winchester Model 1912 16 ga. for many years before handing it down to my Nephew. It was a well used but never abused first year production he bought brand new and had been passed down to my Dad and then to me. I loved that gun but most places don't stock shells for the 16 anymore. I had promised it to my Nephew years before so I gave it to him early knowing it would have a good home. I have a Mossberg 12 Ga. now I'm very happy with but I sure do miss the "Sweet 16".
 
#177 ·
I'm surprised at the number of 12 gauge picks. I suppose I shouldn't be. I prefer the 12 as well. However, the 20 isn't what it once was, it's better. My adoptive father, a small man, thought it was great, so did my brother, another small man. They were both right.

I'm guessing if the 12 is just too much for ya' you go with the 20 and don't look back. Fact is I've looked on the internet at a new drilling in 20 ga magnum and .308 with a free floated barrel. Wow! If I were a rich man...
 
#181 ·
I own a crap ton of 20g and one 12g. I use the 20g for everything but turkey hunting. If I was using them for strictly a survival purpose I'd go with the 12g without batting a eye. 12g is just easier to find deals on ammo. Also there is just more people with 12g.
 
#182 ·
We have a 20ga because it came with a youth stock. My wife is small and the only 12ga with a short reach was a coach gun or an aftermarket stock. Shells for both seem to be pretty available at every store I've ever been to, so I think the lower recoil and shorter pull for more people in my family to use it is an advantage.
 
#184 · (Edited)
For versatility and and availability, the .12 should be the hands-down choice for survival purposes. Having been persuaded as such by the late Mel Tappan's "Survival Guns", I proceeded to build my formidable shotgun battery. Nine guns, all .12 gauge.

But something happened on the way to the apocalypse.....:eek::

Lately, I have done a lot of bird hunting. I have two Vizslas, and belong to a dog club where we train extensively over planted bob white, as well as participate in AKC hunt tests. Bottomline, I have been using shotguns a lot. As I look around me, though, half my peers (at least) are using .20 gauge. They are more experienced than me, and have no problems sweeping the skies with their guns. And a casual glance at every shotshell sale around these parts shows the .20 is readily available.

So...for a newbie with no experience, I still think a .12 should be the first thing you pick up. And it is still premier for defense. But if you have a .20, and bird-hunting, particularly quail and the like, figure prominently in your survival plans, stock up on those shells and don't look back.

I think I might actually get a .20; I need an excuse for another gun anyway.:D:
 
#185 ·
I have six shotguns total, four are 20 gauge and two are 12 gauge. I enjoy shooting the 20's the most and ammo selection is very good around where I live. When I go to the range I shoot 100+ rounds and the 20's make it much more enjoyable to do that. The 12's just beat my shoulder up too much and leave me sore the next day. It's fine when your younger and heal fast, but when you get older everything takes much longer to recooperate.
 
#187 ·
Survival is not Special Forces

I own 2 12's (an 870 pump, and an O/U). I also own 2 Savage 24's, which are combo guns with .22lr on top and 20 gauge on the bottom.

First off, a 20 gauge can do ANYTHING a 12 can...just at shorter distances. Period. YES, you will obviously have less margin for error with the 20ga. But assuming you do as much shooting as you do talking about your guns on internet forums...you're just fine with a 20 ga for survival purposes. In fact, I'd say you're even better off.

The reason? Well, as I said, any of the bigger purposes (e.g. slugs for deer or black bear) you can do, just not with as great a range. Again, can you shoot? Secondly, for smaller game (e.g. squirrels, rabbits, and upland fliers) the 20 is the right amount of medicine, where the 12 is more likely to make 'pink mist.':cool:

The argument some make about the military and police departments using 12 ga is poor, because you have to consider THEIR purpose. First off, they need to shoot at human size targets. second, they need to limit margin of error. So size, weight and recoil constraints are of no concern. Nor is overkill, which most CERTAINLY is if you are looking at survival and want to "hunt" meat, not just "kill" meat. You want to have enough of it left to eat.:eek:

I've said on a rifle thread, and it bears repeating on a shotgun thread, that survival is first and foremost about getting food and shelter. Not building an arsonal of "tactical" weapons to defend a foxhole against hoards of invaders.

If you're smart, when faced with a survival scenario, your first move is to get away. You need to get to where you can be low-key, hunting food. That means small ground creatures, by and large, as they're everywhere. I don't want my 12 ga 870 pump when I need to kill a rabbit. I WANT that little Savage 24 and the .22lr or 20 ga, depending on distance.

I would rather be fending off bad guys or ornery bears with a food gun...than trying to hunt food with a weapon more suited to war.

Survival is not a Rambo fantasy with plastic spray can guns and a very handy, unlocked, well-stocked ammo depot nearby to raid. It's cold, you have little supplies, you might be hurt, and you need high odds food options. 20 feet into the woods is a squirrel or rabbit. A woman or young adult can shoot that little 24, if necessary.

So...which is better, 12 or 20? Depends on what you already have, and what you need it for. Gun to the head, I would likely pick up the 20ga.

Oh, one more thing. The 12 is the #1 produced caliber, the 20 is #2. So while yes, there will be more 12 ammo about, it isn't like you wont find 20.

Better bet...stock up on either or both. But do so in mind of what you will encounter to eat. NOT based on what you think makes you more like "Ahnold" in Predator.:thumb:
 
#189 ·
If you can only have ONE shotgun, make it a 12ga. Reason being that there are more different combo loads available for it and more folks own them. In a bad situation, you would more than likley be able to find shells. 20ga is excellent for small game, birds and yes personal defense. I have both, actually 3 12ga guns and a 20 double.
 
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