12 vs. 20 Question

[DanTheFarmer]

Good Evening All,

I'm new to shotgunning. I picked up a 20 gauge Mossberg 500 in August. I've enjoyed learning about it and used it for the fall turkey hunt (I didn't see a thing...oh well).

What are the differences between 12 gauge and 20 gauge if they use the same weight of shot? I shot my 20 gauge with the common 7/8 oz. load and found it to be very easy to handle. I've read that the clay sports guys will often load down their 12 gauges to 7/8 or even 3/4 oz. because it gets the job done on the target but is very easy on the shoulder. Some of the turkey loads I bought were 1 1/4 or 1 5/16 oz. Some 12 gauge loads are similar (I do know the 12 gauge can go substantially heavier).

I really enjoy reloading so I checked out load data for shotguns and discovered that often the 12 gauge has a slightly higher velocity for similar weight of shot. Does that mean much in the field?

So is there any practical difference between 3/4 or 7/8 oz out of a 20 gauge vs the same out of a 12 gauge? 1 1/4 oz. out of 20 gauge vs. the same out of a 12 gauge?

Thanks.

Dan

 

[Pete D.]

Gauges

I regularly shoot Trap with 3/4 oz. loads from a 12 gauge. I have also shot with 7/8 oz 20 ga. loads. I tend to be a few birds better with the 12. I attribute that to the difference between the two guns.....the 12 is a BT-99, the 20 is a Weatherby Orion O/U, a field gun.
Theoretically, there should not be much, if any, difference between the two loads but they get shot from two very different guns.

 

[rsrocket1]

Since the stack height of 7/8 in a 12 gauge is shorter than in a 20 gauge, there is theoretically less distortion. In practice, no difference, you can smash the targets with 3/4 oz in either gun all day long. 2 ounces won't help if you are behind the target.

I shoot skeet with 3/4 oz in my 12 gauge 1100 and I either hit it or miss it. Either way, it's me and not the gun and not the load. Most important of all, I have fun with it.

Congratulations on your new gun. Have fun and stay safe.

 

[cfullgraf]

When I was shooting competitive skeet in the 1990s, my 20 gauge averages were better than my 12 gauge averages. My over/under with tubes in it for 20 gauge swung better than shooting 12 gauge without the tubes. Towards the end of my competition career, I shot 20 gauge in the 12 gauge event. At the time, 1 oz loads were the lightest found in 12 gauge.

More recently, I have shot skeet with 7/8 oz 12 gauge loads and I do better than with the heavier loads but I am out of practice.

I suspect with the appropriate choice of choke, a 12 gauge 7/8 oz load would mimic the diameter of a 20 gauge 7/8 oz load.

 

[tahoe2]

all the birds I have shot with either gauge couldn't tell the difference.
But I would prefer a 16 ga O/U if I could find one, That said I usually hunt with a 12 O/U, but the recoil of the 20 ga is much nicer.

 

[tahoe2]

all the birds I have shot with either gauge couldn't tell the difference.
But I would prefer a 16 ga O/U if I could find one, That said I usually hunt with a 12 O/U,
but the recoil of the 20 ga is much nicer, and the lighter gun is easier to swing on birds.

 

[oneounceload]

Shooting the same payload at the same velocity, you will typically find the 20 to have more recoil simply because most 20s are a pound or more lighter than their 12 counterpart. As far as loading down, I reload both 12 and 20 to 3/4 oz. Saves the shoulder, yes, but it also save a LOT of money on lead costs. A 1 oz load will give you 400 rounds from a 25# bag of shot, a 3/4 oz load gives you 533, a little over half a flat more.

 

[PabloJ]

What it means is that with soft shot like lead there will less pellets on target form 20br due to stringing. What will suck is if non-tox will be mandated for all upland plus turkey gunning. Steel shot is the only affordable alternative and if one goes two sizes in shot diameter from lead to match lead knockdown power the 20ga case will seem quite small. Remember soft non-tox shot is $100 per 25 rounds!

Thank God 3.5" Wingmaster Supermag weighs only 6lb8oz with 28" 'Light Contour' barrel so the 20ga isn't really needed. One would have to have lots of faith NO tooth fillings and be a little crazy to cook off 89mm shell in that gun.

 

[jmr40]

What are the differences between 12 gauge and 20 gauge if they use the same weight of shot?

If you are carrying a gun for miles a day the 20 will be lighter and easier to carry. That is it really.

I have 12's that weigh under 7 lbs and that is as light as I want my guns to be. I can duplicate any 20 guage loads from the 12 and get better patterns because of the shorter shot string.

A 20 or 12's loaded to 20 ga specs will work just fine on most stuff, but 12's give less recoil from the heavier guns.. You can get some 20 ga loads, especially in 3" shells that pretty much duplicate standard 12 ga performance, but if you need more shot, the 12 will easily out perform a 20.

12 ga shells tend to be far more plentiful and cheaper, especially in specialty loads. I've had 20's in the past, but can't find any real advantage that I can use.

 

[herrwalther]

I know several people who prefer to hunt with 20 over 12 gauge simply for recoil. The weaker recoil of the 20ga allows for better follow up shots.

 

[oneounceload]

I know several people who prefer to hunt with 20 over 12 gauge simply for recoil. The weaker recoil of the 20ga allows for better follow up shots.

If the payloads are equal, the recoil will be higher, not lower

 

[LAGS]

If I am out Quail or Dove hunting and run into an old hunter that grew up in the midwest, they almost always are shooting a 20 Ga.
When they see me with a 12 Ga. they say, "What the heck are you doing, you are going to blow up the Birds". Or they say, "Did Goose season open? what is the 12 ga for?"
I guess if so many hunters in the midwest rely on the 20 ga. , it must get the job done.

 

[IdahoSkies]

To answer your question in a word (or two): shot string.

When a shotgun shell payload leaves the wad it does not spread out uniformily, and the column of shot also does not slow down uniformly, it spreads out into a string. You can google some high speed camera shots of shotgun ballistics.

a 1 oz. 12 gauge load is wider and not as deep as a 1 oz 20 gauge load. The 20 gauge load is narrower, but longer, if that makes sense. Depending on how you shoot, you will likely find one of the two setups fits with your shooting style. A long shot string gives you the benefit of more forgiveness with leading. Because the string in longer, the length of time the target has to enter or leave the pattern is longer. A wide pattern allows for a wider area where a hit can be scored.

That is the real difference between a 12 and 20 gauge. Comparing the same shell (say a Kent #4 pellet in a 1 oz. load) in a 20 or 12 Both send their payload down range at the same velocity. Because of the same load weight (1 oz) the payload has the same number of pellets. The only difference is the pattern you get due to the different dimensions of the shell.