All around shotgun - any reason NOT to buy a 12 gauge ???

[huntsman]

Happy Thanksgiving to you, did you buy?

 

[CopperFouling]

OP, I think the first response was pretty succinct.

As far as the 28 gauge goes...

There is no good reason for 28 ga to exist. LOL.

If you shot one, you might not say that. They’re quite nice for clays and hunting. I don’t own one—I’ve shot several—but have been tempted several times in the past.

 

[Hokkmike]

Thanks all...

 

[toivo]

Thanks - I do have a CZ rifle in .223. It is very good quality in my opinion.....

Just FYI, the CZ shotguns are made by Huglu in Turkey. The rifles are made in the Czech Republic.

I'm not knocking the shotguns -- I have a CZ 20-gauge side-by-side that works fine. Just thought you should know that they're not from the same factory.

 

[Hokkmike]

Just FYI, the CZ shotguns are made by Huglu in Turkey. The rifles are made in the Czech Republic.

I'm not knocking the shotguns -- I have a CZ 20-gauge side-by-side that works fine. Just thought you should know that they're not from the same factory.

No, thanks - much appreciated. While the CZ rifle, in my opinion is TOP notch, this does give me pause to wonder about the shotguns.

 

[Tirod]

First, I would strongly suggest Mossberg over Remington at the present time, unless its an older 870. The newer Remington owner are unimpressed with the fit and finish. The Mossberg owners are happy it's military issue.

Second, the talk about recoil in a 12ga doesn't discuss that wide variety of loads - including 1 3/4". There are also low recoil tactical loads now, too. Aguila is common at one Ag supply store who sells a lot of Mossberg Shockwaves, and for that, a newer upgrade model is coming out that handles all shells with no adapter. It's an odd duck for some, goes to a lot of local rural use now, or at least the shells. They get 30-50 boxes and a week later, gone.

There does seem to be a bit of hoarding, just like .22.

 

[John Joseph]

Looking for probably my last shotgun. Don't have one currently.

The only actions I am pretty sure that I do not want are an autoloader or single shot. I LOVE the looks of O/U's. Pumps are ok. S/S would be my last pick.

I have hunted small game and birds only 3 or 4 times in my life. I have done sporting clays about half a dozen time at the range. I have NEVER shot skeet but probably should. Home defense is always an option with a shotgun in my opinion.

I have fired 20's, 16's, and 12 gauges from a variety of guns.

I have been told that, for a guy like me, 12 gauge is the BEST way to go. It will do everything that other gauges may not possibly do as well. A few have suggested to me that a 20 gauge is just as lethal and effective for most application with less felt recoil.

I am very interested in your collective opinion about any reason not to buy a 12 gauge. If you have a favorite or preferred model feel free to thought that suggestion in too... NOTHING beats the wisdom of the many shotgunners on forums like this. Thanks....

12s are usually more economical to purchase factory ammo for, while 20's are more economical to handload.
12 ga ammo takes up more room, 20 ga ammo takes up slightly less room.
That said, I always go with the 12.

 

[Buzznrose]

I read and believed that a 12 was better than a 20 in every way. Then I discovered a youth model 20 ga Beretta gas gun and I now enjoy tromping about in the field like never before. The little gun is easy to carry, easy to maneuver and as deadly as any 12 in my hands. I never notice recoil. Fits in a standard rifle case with its 24" barrel. You will do better with a 12 on targets and stationary shooting. For field work, I'm a believer in 20.

I really like this post! All true!

12 gauge is absolutely the.most versatile gun you can have and shoots the widest variety of shells, especially if it has a 3” chamber, but you are going to deal with more weight. Not an issue if you are a strong guy but we all get older…and if bringing in new shooters, especially kids or women, may not be the right choice. A light 12 gauge non-SA can kick even with light loads.

If I only had one shotgun, it would probably be a semiautomatic gun with a 24-26” barrel, with adjustable chokes, capable of holding 4+1.

I would probably choose a 12 gauge but I could easily make due with a 20G.

If I went with “buy once cry once”, I’d buy a Benelli or a Beretta. If on a budget, I’d probably buy a CZ-712/720. My 712 and 720’s have served me well.

I do not reload shot-shells, so commercial availability is important to me. That said, I generally buy and stock up whenever I see shells available at a reasonable price.

 

[Appalachiannative]

All I own is 4 different 12 gauges, in the shotgun dept that is, I hunt squirrels with dogs so I wear a game vest. I keep the vest stocked with shells so I can just grab it an go. I don't want any other gauges around so I ain't gotta worry about absent mindedly putting a 16 or a 20 in my chamber this creating a dangerous situation. Furthermore I can load it with #8 to hunt doves,#6 to hunt squirrels,# 5 magnum loads for turkey, 4 buck to hopefully dispatch that darn coyote that keeps coming around at night and most importantly 00 buck for the intruder I hope to never face. The single shot has the advantage of being light weight and you can open it up and swap shells for to accommodate the current situation in hunting/survival but for straight home defence a pump or an old fashioned recoil operated auto is better. Don't like the gas operated ones. Especially these new fangled bull pups

 

[Appalachiannative]

Oh and for the best value in pumps just get a Remington 870. I've got the wing master. Got it used for a good deal more than ten years ago but the express works fine. My old man like Mossberg 500.

 

[joneb]

Looking for probably my last shotgun. Don't have one currently

For me the 12ga is to shotguns as the 30-06 Springfield is to rifles. If I could just have one it would be a 12ga. With that said my Ithaca 37 20ga is a pound lighter than my Rem. 870 12ga

 

[rabid wombat]

I LOVE the looks of O/U's.

Browning or Beretta…find what fits…12 ga a great way to start…used will be the cheapest…as others have said, the gun will be the cheapest item…ammo, range fees, leases…all will be more expensive….

Think Ginger or MaryAnn

 

[TTv2]

Over time I've started to think that 20ga may be just fine for all my needs. I saw that one retailer was selling a Rock Island 12ga pump for almost $100 and for the first time I actually said I might have gotten one if it was 20. I figure for a lower quality gun a smaller bore is better.

So, the reasons not to get a 12 are if you don't care for the recoil, aren't going to be shooting it a lot, and don't want to deal with uncommon ammo like Aguila minishells to reduce recoil. What other gauge you could use is debatable, I'm back and forth with 20 and .410, I feel .410 is fine for defense and survival use, but 20ga has its own merits.

 

[entropy]

I figure for a lower quality gun a smaller bore is better.

That's counterintuitive. Smaller bores shotguns require tighter tolerances, (particularly in the feeding mechanism) thus better machining, and lower quality guns rarely have that. The Mossberg 500 is the lowest I'd go in a .410 pump.

 

[DustyGmt]

There is no reason not to get a 12 ga.
There is no good reason for 28 ga to exist. LOL.
Sorry I hated seeing that gauge on the shelf over the last year or two and sold out of 12 and 20 ga.

I hear ya brother, found myself saying the same thing every time I made the 40 minute one way drive to specifically look for 12ga ammo only to find 28ga, wondering why it exists and thinking the time and resources could have gone into making a shell people actually use....

As to the OP, only reason not to get a 12ga and opt for a 20ga would be if you are very recoil sensitive or if you think there is a possibility of a small framed wife or kid might need to take control at a critical time.

Of the purposes stated, HD, occasional clays, general purpose shotgun? Remington 870 for the win. Versatile, good aftermarket support (barrels, stocks, forends, etc), reliable as they come and pretty much indestructible and not cheap but not expensive.....