20G vs 12G

[Kaneda13]

I'm looking to add a shotgun to my collection to round it out. I have been purposely getting firearms that my kids can shoot as well. With that in mind, I've been looking at some pump 20G shotguns. I was wondering everyone's opinion about 20G vs 12G for younger shooters (I learned in my last post not to refer to it as youth shooting, as I was advised to "Aim low. They're short. And lead them a bit more than you'd expect. They're quick", Thanks T.Lex) With that being said, what are your pros/cons to getting a 20G over a 12G. I'm not looking to use this for home defense, but I would like to do some trap shooting myself. Kids are 11 and 13. Also considering the cost of ammo, which is why I ruled out a 410.

 

[SSGSAD]

JMHO, and experience ..... When I was young, if you didn't shoot a 12 ga., you were a sissy .....

Now, at age 60, I want to trade BOTH of my 12 ga., for 20 ga., .....

IMHO, a 20, can and will do EVERYTHING, that a 12, can do .....

with LESS felt recoil if you RELOAD, you can UP the shot, a little .....

IIRC, factory 20 ga., is 7/8 oz of shot ..... Reloading, you can use 1 oz, of shot .....

So, you are wothin 1/8 oz of a 12 ga., .....

Again, JMHO, YMMV .....

Start the young uns, out small, and let them work their way up .....

They will let you know, when they want to shoot the BIG ONE !!!!!

 

[IndianaSoloMcfly]

JMHO, and experience ..... When I was young, if you didn't shoot a 12 ga., you were a sissy ...

some things never change, however like SSGSAD function wise and for the youngins. Nothing wrong with a 20!

 

[The Bubba Effect]

I say go for the 20 gauge. A youth 20 gauge 870 will be lighter, easier for them to handle, quicker to point, etc, plus will deliver enough punch for self defense.

 

[singlesix]

Depends on the kids. I started my son out on a youth model 870 and within a month upgraded him to Remington 1100 12. This was for Trap. OP I see your location is Indy, MCFG MCFG Indy Range - Trap Shooting , shoots Trap every Thurs Night. We have both 20 and 12 Ga shotguns your kids can use. All you need to bring is Ammo, and pay for the birds.

 

[Kaneda13]

Thanks for the input guys. Been looking for a while, and not running into many (if any) second hand 20Gs, so I was looking around at new. While I'm not familiar with the H&R brand, Gander has a new 20G model for $190.

Thoughts: HR Pardner Pump

Depends on the kids. I started my son out on a youth model 870 and within a month upgraded him to Remington 1100 12. This was for Trap. OP I see your location is Indy, MCFG MCFG Indy Range - Trap Shooting , shoots Trap every Thurs Night. We have both 20 and 12 Ga shotguns your kids can use. All you need to bring is Ammo, and pay for the birds.

Good to know! The kids and I went out to look at the MCFG a month or so ago, and where VERY impressed, they (and I) where just disappointed in the rimfire only (I understand why) rule. Had the rules allowed them to shoot my .223, we would have signed up that night. It's definitely still on the short list, just trying to see if we can find anything else that might open up that possibility as well. The other issue is I don't have my kids on Thursday nights, and their mom believes I'm only teaching them to kill themselves and each other by teaching them to shoot firearms, so getting them on a night that's not normally mine to take them shooting is about as likely as a 1000 yard 22LR shot.

 

[ChalupaCabras]

My favorite shotgun to date is a used 20g pump I picked up for $200 last year...

It's a 60s Remington 870 wingmaster with an 18" factory barrel (90s manufacture, fixed mod choke).

It shoots Remington express slugs and buck to point of aim, and patterns acceptably with low brass field loads to pull double duty as a handy upland gun.

My mind tells me my cabinet is incomplete without a 12, but the short handy 20 does everything I need a shotgun to do.

 

[bobjones223]

+1 on the 20G.....don't see any need for the additional weight or pounding unless you are looking for a goose gun then I would say 12G.

On a side note...just compromise and get a 16g...my dad swairs by his "Best ever".

That one would be worth reloading!

 

[rhino]

I never enjoyed shooting shotguns. It was just something you had to learn how to do.

Then a few years ago I got an 870 20ga youth model. I enjoy shooting that gun and since the stock and receiver are shorter, I can actually reach the slide well enough to pump it with my t-rex arms. I would recommend a 20 ga for any new shotgunner. If they want to graduate to 12 ga at some point, they'll have learned the basics without being punished for it.

 

[bobjones223]

I never enjoyed shooting shotguns. It was just something you had to learn how to do.

Then a few years ago I got an 870 20ga youth model. I enjoy shooting that gun and since the stock and receiver are shorter, I can actually reach the slide well enough to pump it with my t-rex arms. I would recommend a 20 ga for any new shotgunner. If they want to graduate to 12 ga at some point, they'll have learned the basics without being punished for it.

It is no secret I love my 870 youth 20g. I am 6'-2" and do not have T-Rex arms but still LOVE how fast it handles. I started with a 410 and when I turned 18 bought and 870 12g because I had to have a 12g! It was the end all be all of shotguns!

It hasn't left the safe in 10 years and the 20 goes out every time.

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

I have both, and usually us d the 20 for everything except waterfowl hunting, although it's done that, too.

 

[bertnkristi]

I would suggest that if you're going to be shooting trap with it get a 12 gauge. For skeet I prefer a 20 gauge. The ammo is expensive but you might consider a 28 gauge they break skeet clays as good as anything but again for trap I'd get a 12 gauge.

 

[Sniper 79]

I dumped my 12's last year. I prefer the 20ga. I can carry more ammo, gun is lighter, and with 3" capability will do whatever needs done.

 

[oldpink]

20 gauge is perfectly acceptable, even for recoil-sensitive adults, and especially for ladies and youngsters.
The one thing in the favor of 12 gauge is that it give them room to grow into something a bit more versatile, especially at extended range for waterfowl shooting.
You can also just use target loads with 12 gauge and have recoil about identical to that of a 20 gauge with field loads, at least I couldn't really feel the difference.
The main thing is to see to it that the gun fits the kids, as Bubba already mentioned.
My dad went the opposite direction from most guys buy using a 20 gauge Ithaca 37 for most of his adult life, and only in the last decade or so did he finally get a 12 gauge Remington 870.
He's 76 now, but he says the 12 gauge doesn't really feel any harsher than the 20 gauge, unless he's shooting slugs.

 

[MohawkSlim]

12 year old boys and older should be shooting 12 gauges.

Everyone else should shoot a 20.

Aint no sissies in the Hoosier.

 

[bobjones223]

12 year old boys and older should be shooting 12 gauges.

Everyone else should shoot a 20.

Aint no sissies in the Hoosier.

Ain't got nothing to do with being a "sissy" it has to do with using the right tool for the job.

That's like grabbing a framing hammer to install trim then wondering why when you get done it looks completely beat to crap. I have hunted rabbits my entire life and when I was using the 12g there were a lot more left in the field because there was nothing left worth eating. We hunted VERY dense brush with no dogs so the shot opportunities were fast, short, and close....think less than 25'-30'. 12g was useless other than thinning the population.

I would agree on the statement if trap and waterfowl is your thing 12g is the way to go. I prefer 20g for skeet thought.

 

[Kaneda13]

I've never shot trap or skeet, and I think I was using the terms interchangeably incorrectly. They're interested in shooting skeet, and that's something that I would like to do with him as well. Seems to be the general consensus that the 20G will work great for our needs. I'm open to suggestions in the $200 to $250 range if anyone has any, and I'm open to the secondhand one if anyone has any leads.

 

[oldpink]

Ain't got nothing to do with being a "sissy" it has to do with using the right tool for the job.

That's like grabbing a framing hammer to install trim then wondering why when you get done it looks completely beat to crap. I have hunted rabbits my entire life and when I was using the 12g there were a lot more left in the field because there was nothing left worth eating. We hunted VERY dense brush with no dogs so the shot opportunities were fast, short, and close....think less than 25'-30'. 12g was useless other than thinning the population.

I would agree on the statement if trap and waterfowl is your thing 12g is the way to go. I prefer 20g for skeet thought.

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.

 

[Sniper 79]

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.

You guys are right on this. My dad shoved a 12ga Ithica 37 at me as my first gun and we went out hunting. Shot all kind of rabbits and pheasants. All were left in the field. Nothing was left to eat. Dads 37 had a fixed full choke and mine was a modified.

I later bought a gun with interchangeable chokes and went with the lightest trap loads I could find. Hunted by myself away from dads influence. With a cyl choke and powder puff loads I was able to put some food on the table utilizing a 12ga. Found out mom nor dad wanted anything to do with wild game. His reason for 12ga nitro mags and full choke. He just enjoyed getting away for awhile and blasting stuff.

Its all personal preference and with some time spent patterning and experimenting with different loads either will work just fine for your needs. Like I mentioned earlier I like having a lighter weight gun and ammo. Only exception I could see stepping up for is extended range waterfowl stuff. As far as recoil is concerned both 20 and 12 kick like hell and leve me beat up.

 

[Hookeye]

!2's have their place. Big birds usually.