Hog huntin Harry
Member
What are the advantages and disadvantages of 20 gauge vs 12 gauge. Which patterns better, shoots slugs more accurately, ect ?
How bout Hatfield single shotsFor what purpose?
As AF says, 20's are great upland guns. They can also do most of what 12 gauges can do, but as AF says, you can load a 12 down, it's hard to load a 20 up past a certain point.
The things you are asking are more individual gun specific than gauge specific.
I reload 12 gauge ammo to 28 gauge levels - 3/4oz, for practice12 ga can easily be downloaded to 20ga levels if wanted.
20 ga is a really classy upland gun.
12 has a bigger payload.
20ga 3in sabots have become extremely popular slug guns.
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Both the savage 220 20ga and the h&r 12ga are very accurate slug guns.
I'm not hoping for superb rifle like accuracy, just minute of paper plate at 65 yards.From reading your other thread on this, sounds like you want to shoot slugs from one. As AF could tell you, they buck a bit, but it can be done. Note he has a scope on his, they make scopes specifically for shooting slugs. Every advantage you can get to improve accuracy with slugs should be taken. Look at his H&R slug gun (the bottom one) and set one up like that. Hatfield would not be my first choice.
One is bigger, the other is smaller.What are the advantages and disadvantages of 20 gauge vs 12 gauge. Which patterns better, shoots slugs more accurately, ect ?
They are more comfortable to shoot from a light gun. I shot some from a cut down to camp gun sized Winchester 37. About like an AK in recoil, accuracy was about the same at 50 yards. Right in your paper plate at 65 yards area.I just had a light bulb moment, I can use aguilla mini 12 gauge slugs to fix my flinch.
Well saidhe 20 gage is more of a finesse weapon. I like to use it when walking a lot with my hound. Its lighter and the noise and recoil is less.
Well stated and totally true.In guns of equal weight 1 oz of shot from a 20 ga recoils just as much as 1 oz of shot from a 12. BUT... since 20's tend to be lighter, a 20 will actually recoil MORE than a 12 if the same weight loads are used. If you are using the standard loads it is about a wash. Now a 12 loaded with some of the heavier charges will kick a lot more than a 20 with the heaviest loads available.
Yep, I grew up with single shot break actions and have no desire to own or shoot one.I am not a fan of those cheap single shots as they never fit anyone, so the recoil is horrible, and the quality is marginal