What gauge for all around shotgun?

Bake · August 4, 2015, 02:46 PM

Which one?

10
12
16
20
28
.410

Fisher · August 4, 2015, 03:35 PM

Here is my breakdown on the choices you gave us.

10

To much recoil and ammo no readily available in all areas

12

Definitely an all round good gauge. Recoil can be excessive for some

16

A dying gauge, not readily available in most areas.

20

This would be my choice. Reasonable recoil, handle most small game well and does well will deer slugs. In other words if you need it for self defense, home defense or survival it works well.

28

Typically used for sporting shoots like skeet or sporting clays. Not a gauge you find with a wide range of shot sizes.

410

Getting harder to find ammo for this gauge. Does not have a wide pattern for birds or self defense.

Jim

ammo.crafter · August 4, 2015, 03:42 PM

Fisher is right on.

I use a 20ga G-3 for everything from sporting clays to pheasant hunting.

Lighter than a 12ga to haul around and lots of loadings for various situations.

cc-hangfire · August 4, 2015, 04:11 PM

+1 on the 20ga & Fisher covered it well. 12 & 20 are the choices due to almost universal ammo availability; 20ga has less recoil but can still do it all.

FITASC · August 4, 2015, 04:15 PM

Where's the 24 and 32 gauges?........

Bake · August 4, 2015, 05:55 PM

Many years ago I saw a cartridge board in Northern Thailand, it had a 4 gauge, and 8 gauge, 10, 12, 16, 20, 24 gauge, 28, 32 gauge 9 mm, .410, and 22 RF Shot. Because of the humidity in Thailand, all of these were loaded using brass hulls. In Vietnam, the 12 gauge came in two varieties, paper or if you knew the right guy, brass. ( same same loading)

BigJimP · August 6, 2015, 05:09 PM

12ga..... ( come on man...24 and 32 ga...'s ...really ).../ I'm going to wet myself if you don't quit making me laugh....

zippy13 · August 6, 2015, 06:46 PM

Quote:

12ga..... ( come on man...24 and 32 ga...'s ...really ).../ I'm going to wet myself if you don't quit making me laugh....

What Big Jim said.
You can down-load the 12-ga to shoot like a smaller gun, but you can't up-load the little guns. Also, the heavier 12-ga gun eats some felt recoil.

Creek Henry · August 6, 2015, 10:28 PM

The 12 is hard to beat for versatility. A good, modern SA 12 that will cycle anything can really do it all.

A O/u 20 3" can do an aweful lot though :)

**44 AMP** · August 7, 2015, 11:24 AM

Being as all shotguns operate in the same velocity range (for best patterns), the one that throws the most shot is the best, balanced against your ability to manage the recoil.

For most of us, that is the 12ga.

August 4, 2015, 02:46 PM	#1
Bake Senior Member Join Date: November 11, 2012 Location: San Joaquin Valley, Calif. Posts: 482	What gauge for all around shotgun? Which one? 10 12 16 20 28 .410 __________________ 1. The pattern board is your friend, use the Dam thing!!! 2. The maximum range of a firearm and/or cartridge, is usually measured in miles, and means nothing. 2a. The effective range of a firearm and/or cartridge, is usually (the ability of the shooter) measured in yards, and means everything. Last edited by Bake; August 4, 2015 at 02:52 PM.

August 4, 2015, 03:35 PM	#2
Fisher Senior Member Join Date: August 14, 1999 Location: Reynoldsburg, Ohio Posts: 329	Here is my breakdown on the choices you gave us. 10 To much recoil and ammo no readily available in all areas 12 Definitely an all round good gauge. Recoil can be excessive for some 16 A dying gauge, not readily available in most areas. 20 This would be my choice. Reasonable recoil, handle most small game well and does well will deer slugs. In other words if you need it for self defense, home defense or survival it works well. 28 Typically used for sporting shoots like skeet or sporting clays. Not a gauge you find with a wide range of shot sizes. 410 Getting harder to find ammo for this gauge. Does not have a wide pattern for birds or self defense. Jim __________________ "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and passed on ... or we will spend our sunset years telling our children's children what it was like in the United States when men were free." ~ Ronald Reagan

August 4, 2015, 03:42 PM	#3
ammo.crafter Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2006 Location: The Keystone State Posts: 1,970	shotty Fisher is right on. I use a 20ga G-3 for everything from sporting clays to pheasant hunting. Lighter than a 12ga to haul around and lots of loadings for various situations. __________________ "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading". --Thomas Jefferson

August 4, 2015, 04:15 PM	#5
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,441	Where's the 24 and 32 gauges?........ __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

August 4, 2015, 05:55 PM	#6
Bake Senior Member Join Date: November 11, 2012 Location: San Joaquin Valley, Calif. Posts: 482	Many years ago I saw a cartridge board in Northern Thailand, it had a 4 gauge, and 8 gauge, 10, 12, 16, 20, 24 gauge, 28, 32 gauge 9 mm, .410, and 22 RF Shot. Because of the humidity in Thailand, all of these were loaded using brass hulls. In Vietnam, the 12 gauge came in two varieties, paper or if you knew the right guy, brass. ( same same loading) __________________ 1. The pattern board is your friend, use the Dam thing!!! 2. The maximum range of a firearm and/or cartridge, is usually measured in miles, and means nothing. 2a. The effective range of a firearm and/or cartridge, is usually (the ability of the shooter) measured in yards, and means everything. Last edited by Bake; August 4, 2015 at 07:48 PM.

August 4, 2015, 04:11 PM	#4
cc-hangfire Senior Member Join Date: August 14, 2014 Posts: 304	+1 on the 20ga & Fisher covered it well. 12 & 20 are the choices due to almost universal ammo availability; 20ga has less recoil but can still do it all.

August 6, 2015, 05:09 PM	#7
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	12ga..... ( come on man...24 and 32 ga...'s ...really ).../ I'm going to wet myself if you don't quit making me laugh....

August 6, 2015, 10:28 PM	#9
Creek Henry Senior Member Join Date: October 23, 2009 Location: Dallas Posts: 514	The 12 is hard to beat for versatility. A good, modern SA 12 that will cycle anything can really do it all. A O/u 20 3" can do an aweful lot though :)

August 7, 2015, 11:24 AM	#10
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,819	Being as all shotguns operate in the same velocity range (for best patterns), the one that throws the most shot is the best, balanced against your ability to manage the recoil. For most of us, that is the 12ga. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.