Slugs 12 -vs- 20ga

BoogieMan · August 19, 2013, 08:33 AM

I am looking for a rifled barrel for my S&W 1000 in 12ga. If I find one that will seal the deal for 12 ga. So far no luck so I may end up shopping for a Savage or Browning slug gun. I am new to slug guns and everyone I know who whoots a 12ga slug complains about the recoil. Seeing as I have no problem dropping whitetail with a 30 cal bullet I cant imagine that I would need more than a 20ga. I also hear that 20ga gets a little flatter shooting with greater accuracy and less recoil.
Is any of that true?
Is there good availability of slugs available in 20ga?

big al hunter · August 21, 2013, 12:19 AM

I was trying to decide between 20 and 12 for my slug gun a couple years ago. Ended up getting 12 ga. Mostly because I couldn't find a decent selection of slugs for 20. All any store had was foster slugs, in a couple brands. Every store I went in had 4 brands or more, and every slug I could imagine in 12 ga.

And for recoil and versatility I went with a TC Encore Prohunter. The stock has a flexible section that they claim reduces felt recoil 40%. I will say it comes really close to meeting the advertising. I get 1 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards with a couple kinds of sabot slugs. And I have the option of different barrels and calibers.

hogdogs · August 21, 2013, 08:18 AM

12 gauge for selection alone... Ammo has never been as diverse in anything loaded for the 20...

Brent

Doyle · August 21, 2013, 08:56 AM

Quote:

I also hear that 20ga gets a little flatter shooting with greater accuracy and less recoil.

I can agree on the less recoil. I'm not so sure about the flatter shooting.

TimSr · August 21, 2013, 09:25 AM

In Ohio, where rifles aren't used for deer hunting, 12 guage is king for range and knockdown power, and selection, but 20 guage is also very popular for youth, women, and those who have trouble handling the punishing recoil of a 12 guage slug, with a wide range of slug type slection. Hornady makes a super accurrate 20 guage saboted slug for rifled barrels.

SteelChickenShooter · August 21, 2013, 09:59 AM

I like a 20 gauge, especially the 870 youth combo model, because it is so easy to carry with one hand and is capable of taking any deer in the most common places and typical distances. I also have a longer bolt action rifled barrel 20 gauge with superb long range accuracy using a variety of outstanding shells readily available.
However, it does seem to be true that the 12 is more popular and I do find a bit more 12ga ammo in many stores. I still manage to find all the 20ga ammo I need in most places I shop.
For the record, I did sell off my largest and heaviest 12ga shotguns but did replace them with a much shorter rifled barrel 12 ga with iron sights.
So I'm no good help with an opinion other than to say look over what you like and buy whatever you want. I have and use both depending on where I happen to go when hunting.

PetahW · August 21, 2013, 04:52 PM

.

Anyone wanting a softer-recoiling shotgun of whatever gauge would do well to look at attaining a gas-operated autoloader, ILO of a recoil-operated gun.

20ga's can sometimes exhibit better accuracy than 12ga's because they recoil less (less slug weight); and some slug guns are either rifled or underbored (like the Ithaca Deerslayer).

FWIW, I switched from 12ga's to a 20ga Deerslayer, over 20 years ago, and it's never stopped the deer from being converted into venison.

In my state/area, which has shotgun-only & muzzleloader-only deer seasons (no CF rifles or handguns allowed), I can directly obtain just about the same variety of either Foster-type or sabot slugs in 20ga as in 12ga - with an even wider choice of both from online ammo dealers.

.

August 19, 2013, 08:33 AM	#1
BoogieMan Senior Member Join Date: April 4, 2012 Location: South Jersey Posts: 2,217	Slugs 12 -vs- 20ga I am looking for a rifled barrel for my S&W 1000 in 12ga. If I find one that will seal the deal for 12 ga. So far no luck so I may end up shopping for a Savage or Browning slug gun. I am new to slug guns and everyone I know who whoots a 12ga slug complains about the recoil. Seeing as I have no problem dropping whitetail with a 30 cal bullet I cant imagine that I would need more than a 20ga. I also hear that 20ga gets a little flatter shooting with greater accuracy and less recoil. Is any of that true? Is there good availability of slugs available in 20ga? __________________ Concentrated power is not rendered harmless by the good intentions of those who create it. Milton Freidman "If you find yourself in a fair fight,,, Your tactics suck"- Unknown

August 21, 2013, 12:19 AM	#2
big al hunter Senior Member Join Date: March 12, 2011 Location: Washington state Posts: 1,558	I was trying to decide between 20 and 12 for my slug gun a couple years ago. Ended up getting 12 ga. Mostly because I couldn't find a decent selection of slugs for 20. All any store had was foster slugs, in a couple brands. Every store I went in had 4 brands or more, and every slug I could imagine in 12 ga. And for recoil and versatility I went with a TC Encore Prohunter. The stock has a flexible section that they claim reduces felt recoil 40%. I will say it comes really close to meeting the advertising. I get 1 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards with a couple kinds of sabot slugs. And I have the option of different barrels and calibers. __________________ You can't fix stupid....however ignorance can be cured through education!

August 21, 2013, 08:18 AM	#3
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	12 gauge for selection alone... Ammo has never been as diverse in anything loaded for the 20... Brent

August 21, 2013, 09:25 AM	#5
TimSr Senior Member Join Date: March 8, 2013 Location: Rittman, Ohio Posts: 2,074	In Ohio, where rifles aren't used for deer hunting, 12 guage is king for range and knockdown power, and selection, but 20 guage is also very popular for youth, women, and those who have trouble handling the punishing recoil of a 12 guage slug, with a wide range of slug type slection. Hornady makes a super accurrate 20 guage saboted slug for rifled barrels.

August 21, 2013, 09:59 AM	#6
SteelChickenShooter Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2011 Posts: 863	I like a 20 gauge, especially the 870 youth combo model, because it is so easy to carry with one hand and is capable of taking any deer in the most common places and typical distances. I also have a longer bolt action rifled barrel 20 gauge with superb long range accuracy using a variety of outstanding shells readily available. However, it does seem to be true that the 12 is more popular and I do find a bit more 12ga ammo in many stores. I still manage to find all the 20ga ammo I need in most places I shop. For the record, I did sell off my largest and heaviest 12ga shotguns but did replace them with a much shorter rifled barrel 12 ga with iron sights. So I'm no good help with an opinion other than to say look over what you like and buy whatever you want. I have and use both depending on where I happen to go when hunting.

August 21, 2013, 04:52 PM	#7
PetahW Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2008 Posts: 4,678	. Anyone wanting a softer-recoiling shotgun of whatever gauge would do well to look at attaining a gas-operated autoloader, ILO of a recoil-operated gun. 20ga's can sometimes exhibit better accuracy than 12ga's because they recoil less (less slug weight); and some slug guns are either rifled or underbored (like the Ithaca Deerslayer). FWIW, I switched from 12ga's to a 20ga Deerslayer, over 20 years ago, and it's never stopped the deer from being converted into venison. In my state/area, which has shotgun-only & muzzleloader-only deer seasons (no CF rifles or handguns allowed), I can directly obtain just about the same variety of either Foster-type or sabot slugs in 20ga as in 12ga - with an even wider choice of both from online ammo dealers. .