20G vs 12G

[Hookeye]

I'd like an 870 Special Field 20ga, prices have gone silly.
Last one I had the wife hated the straight grip. It had been cut down and done very well (evidently the prev owner's wife also didn't like it).
I should bought a new full length stock and made it mine.
That one still stings.

 

[Hookeye]

Informal trap (at the trap club).............I ran a 20 ga quite a bit.
Special Field 870 (my first one). 21" fixed choke Mod.

Old timers that didn't wear ear protection cursed that gun, said it was loud.
21-23 birds with it, those I missed (16-20 yard mark)..........no fault of the gun or gauge.

Did same with my BPS Upland Special.......also a 20. It rattled and hit a little high, had to aim slightly low.
Non "engraved/roll marked" receiver.

I ran a bunch of high brass 6's through it, summer.............in T shirt. No pad on the 20 US, just a buttplate. It worked on me a bit.

 

[Hookeye]

The issue with running a 20 for trap is................will the range have 20 ga ammo cheap?
Proly not.

Kinda nice to decide to shoot more than planned, and simply buy shells there.

 

[Old Dog]

Get one of each!! 20ga to start them out, 12ga after they get the operation and hits figured out. If they aren't ready for the 12 they will let you know. Hand a kid a 12ga with a deer slug and one of two things will happen; they will hoot, holler, grin and strut no matter how much it hurts, or they will turn away from shooting sports because they don't like being beaten up. Have seen it happen many times. Start out right sized then move up.

 

[Hookeye]

My daughter wanted to shoot my bud's 1100 indoors (slugs only). She put two in the X offhand at 50 ft.
Said she didn't like it.
Said she didn't like grandpa's Ruger Superredhawk either, but having missed the bull.............on the way home she said she wanted to try again.
Yeah, 15 yrs old, maybe 80# soaking wet.
HUGE smile (both of us).

 

[Hookeye]

Youngest kid likes to shoot, but nothing big.

Just never know.

 

[clayshooter99]

I used to shoot around around 6-7K shotgun rounds per year when I was heavy into clay targets. I say buy the 20ga. If needed later a 12 would be better for trap, but sporting clays and skeet is fine for soft targets on those games. Go get yourself a Rem 870 Express as they just came out with a $50 rebate on any express....that gets you a lot of gun for the money spent.

 

[lovemachine]

If you can shoot a 12G shotgun well, you can shoot a 20G better.

 

[Disposable Heart]

I can only see an issue with 20 gauge if you are buying factory ammo like buckshot. Bird, game loads, slugs, sabots, excellent selection and usually still on the shelves during the past few panics we've had, but buckshot is scarce and not in a shot size I care for. If you handload 20 gauge, only your imagination is the limit (and the lack of appropriately sized roundball for retro pumpkin ball loads ).

 

[bobjones223]

Great point, and I have to admit you're right for this particular application.
When I had first gotten my 12 gauge when I was still a teen, I let a rabbit have it from about 20-30 feet with a charge of number 9, and it basically turned him into a rag, a real waste because rabbit is some of the best eating anyone could ever hope to have.
Interestingly enough, I pulled off a real fluke few minutes later by picking off another rabbit at well beyond 75 yards, again with number 9, a very long shot on bunnies, and most folks would think number 9 couldn't possibly have been big enough to bring him down at that distance, but there he was.
Of course, that second rabbit was very lightly peppered with shot, and he was excellent on the table later.

I know this is off topic but not by much? I have switched entirely to #5 shot for rabbit and squirrel. They pound through the brush harder, don't have as many pellets, but the ones that do hit hit a lot harder. It is kind hard to find #5 shot usually goes #4 to #6 not sure why?

 

[clfergus]

My advice is buy the one you think you would like to have for yourself. There is no guarantee that the kids will end up loving it enough to justify you being unhappy with a gun wish was another caliber. Right now, Gander Mountain has the 870 express on sale for 299.00 + a 50.00 mail in rebate. My buddy just bought one the other day.

 

[thunderchicken]

Ok here is my .02 cents. I will agree a 20g will do just about anything you ask it to do. I started trap shooting and hunting upland game 28yrs ago. My first shotgun (and favorite) is a Browning BPS 12g with 26" barrel and interchangeable choke tubes. Been shooting it since I was 11. IF you get serious about trap you will want a 12g more shot/ bigger pattern. For game.. No offense to anyone. Learn to lead properly. Up close either will damage some meat. But on the run the 12 won't damge any more than a 20 if you lead it corrctly. I use a 12 for rabbits and squirrels with great success and put meat on the table. As for pheasants..if you do put & take hunts 20 is fine. But if you go hunt wild birds especially if they flush wild you had best pack a 12 with tight chokes and #4shot. But start with the 20. Be safe, have fun and make memories with those kids

 

[RND]

12 GA!