20g vs 12g

[aldivalloch]

Aah, 16 bore, the queen of shotguns. Carries like a (proper) twenty bore, shoots like a twelve. Six pound gun, one ounce charge - all you'll ever need for everything in the British Isles apart from geese.

 

Regards!

[Vince Green]

There are many lovely 20s around. cartridges can be a problem though.

[The Duncan]

Oh dear..

Tin hat time?

 

 

and hearty congrats on your 3000th post Dekers

Edited January 20, 2011 by The Duncan

[HDAV]

There are many lovely 20s around. cartridges can be a problem though.

How so? There may be plenty around but no one selling them....

[malkiserow]

I really like using my 20 and 12 bore guns. It's all down to personal choice and what works for you. Plenty of blokes like to try girly equipment sometimes

 

One of the posters talked about a 2 inch 12 bore cartridge....... this man knows something of a rare treat. A light load in a gentle cartridge in a lightweight 12 bore is a joy to use, especially if it is an old sub 6.1/2 lb SxS.

[Guest cookoff013]

if i shot partridge, i`d use a 20, i`ve been primarily shooting 12s because they are cheap. cartridges can be bought anywhere. not everyone stocks the right 20bore loads. one cartridge isnt as good as the next.

 

20bore cartridges evolve slower, in the past 4 years cartridges have gone from 28g to 21g (well mass produced) the 20gauge loads havent even got there yet. development is slow, because demand is slow.

 

personally 5/8oz or 18grams is an ideal load for clays out of a 20bore. cheap to load and the load can move quick. i`m talking 1400fps.

i worked out that even with factory shot, £110 per k is doable. that is value for that gun. you cant deny that. no-one loads it because everyone is fixated on the 1oz load.

 

for game 7/8oz is the optimal charge, and 1oz should be considered, as a heavy, charge the loads just run very slow.

i wouldnt even entertain a 32g load in a 20bore. its like firing a 2oz load from a 12. pointless, when a 10gauge does the job faster and more efficiently.

 

i dont understand this obsession with 20bore cartridge manufacturers, making big loads for a 20bore. trying to be as versatile as a 12.

its just not going to happen.

 

20gauge is a "fantastic" bird gun. it really is. it is nice to use.

 

just keep it in mind its not a 12gauge.

[tomaddy525]

I hate to say it, and mean no offense by doing so, but the guy above is wrong. There is a purpose for there heavy loads in 20bores. What if your like me, and have one game gun and one wildfowling gun? When shooting on the family game shoot with my Browning 20bore wwe have one drive where the birds are ALL 40 yards+ you need something heavier. 28gram 6's just wound these birds, whereas the 34gram 5's i use kill them cleanly. Sorry, but that is just what ive learnt from experience.

[Colster]

I'm tempted to pinch one of these gems for my signature

 

It illustrates an unhappy truth about the shooting community, which is that whilst most shooters are enthusiasts who devote time to learning about and understanding their sport, a significant proportion are clueless and don't mind proving it by posting their, umm, misapprehensions.

 

You never know, we might then get fewer daft posts from people who try to compare apples with oranges......and then declare that the banana is best of all.

[Guest cookoff013]

I hate to say it, and mean no offense by doing so, but the guy above is wrong. There is a purpose for there heavy loads in 20bores. What if your like me, and have one game gun and one wildfowling gun? When shooting on the family game shoot with my Browning 20bore we have one drive where the birds are ALL 40 yards+ you need something heavier. 28gram 6's just wound these birds, whereas the 34gram 5's i use kill them cleanly. Sorry, but that is just what ive learnt from experience.

 

the 12gauge is popular because it is a 40+ yard gun (with the right load). whereas the 20bore isnt supposed to shoot big loads. 20s are a fantastic bird gun, they can do about 80% of what a 12bore can.

i bet 28g #5s would do as good job as the 34g #5s.

 

thats why rc sipe are so popular and "whack stuff hard" because the shot is larger than advertised.

 

if i was in a position to shoot 40yarders exclusively, the #5 would be the minimum i`d ever consider. i may even opt for 36g#4.

 

what you seem to think is #6 is a good shotsize for all distances, well its not. even #4 is a poor choice at 15-25yards, but really shines in the 40yard range.

 

gamebore dont even make a 32g cartridge for the 20bore, maybe they know something you dont?

hull cartridge dont even make a 32g cartridge for the 20bore, maybe they know something you dont?

 

lylevale do make a 32g 20bore load, but is only in #5 and #6

eley make a 32g #5 20bore load.

RC make a 32g 20bore load in 3-4-5s

the latter loads are more suited to 40yarders, just because the loads are larger and the shotsize bigger.

 

are your 34g loads 3" 20bore loads? because they sound like it. are they 3" magnum?

 

i`ve not found a european maker for 34g cartridges, what brand are they?