Nope. It's a gauge. A 12 guage covers a narrow band of barrel bore diameter measured in millimetres and or inches or divisions of.
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20 vs. 12 gauge for hunting
- Thread starter Onojutta
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It matters not what has become popular.
Just because some numb skull was to ignorant or lazy to write gauge but found bore easier to spell or speak don't make it right.
It's a freaking gauge. Always has been always will.
Just because some numb skull was to ignorant or lazy to write gauge but found bore easier to spell or speak don't make it right.
It's a freaking gauge. Always has been always will.
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Crow-Feather
32 Cal.
Do not forget the 10 gauge side by side. You can shoot buck and ball and with 80 grains of 2F, drop most anything. I have had my Pedersoli kit for about 20 years. I use it more than my 10 gauge cartridge shotgun. Just fun to shoot.
One of my specialties is collecting BP shotguns. I have several ranging from 11 gauge doubles to .32 ga single fowlers (aprox 50 cal). Most of those being original are cylinder bore. The only choked black powder shotguns I have are the bit later "BP cartridge" ones of the later 1800's. Being chronologically gifted as I am, what usually dictates the shotgun I choose for any given hunt is the question, "how far am I going to pack it?" that being said, I've used 20, 16, 14, 12 and 11 gauge almost interchangeably. Seems like the larger bores take a bit more powder and shot to accomplish what the smaller ones do. Overall, I like my 16. Below are just a few
megasupermagnum
45 Cal.
What kind of velocity are you getting with 1 1/2 ounces of shot in a 20 gauge?
No idea and don't care. Did I even mention 1&1/2 Oz loads in a 20g? I don't think I did.
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This seems a round in circles debate . I use the term' Bore'. And as for what's best ?reading old accounts gives you all sorts of loads we wouldn't consider like three ounzes of shot. . Then as now shooters had their own ideas . 12 bore became the standard at least in English speaking regions but earlier the smaller bores 20 bore & under where more favoured . Pick your take there is no one set rule.
Rudyard
Rudyard
megasupermagnum
45 Cal.
Well, what standard 12 gauge loads do you load in your 20 gauge then?
1oz, 1&1/8oz and 1&1/4oz.
megasupermagnum
45 Cal.
That's a good hefty load for a 20, but still nothing what a 12 gauge can handle. A 12 gauge can easily handle a 2 ounce load.
Duelist 54 has a vid showing 2oz loads in a 20 bore FDC.
I tried it but found it a waste of shot. It didn’t kill any farther. I don’t think it unsafe
I would not want to try griz with a ml unless I had good back up. However I don’t see what a twelve or ten will kill in America that a twenty won’t.
I don’t hunt duck or goose so maybe there is an advantage there. But from thumper to bulwinkle a 20 will do them all
Errr no!
megasupermagnum
45 Cal.
Well, then enlighten us to what you know that I do not.
@tenngun, not everyone needs the range. For many, 7/8 ounces of shot provides plenty of a pattern for their purposes. Ducks and geese is one area range can matter. On top of that, you are forced to use shot less effective than lead. Bismuth is probably the most common for muzzleloader use. Needing more shot, and bigger shot (due to being lighter than lead) favors a larger bore.
Buckshot is another area. You could dump 000 buck (.360") in a 20 gauge, but it won't stack, and probably won't pattern great. 000, and even 0000 can work great in a 12 gauge.
I’ve been confused about buck. In military shooting an enemy line and can see an advantage, or a self defense load you have lots of advantage in that the buck won’t have a lot of energy after it leaves an assailant.
But hunting deer or bigger if your in buck shot range you can hit a heart with one ball.
Now there may be states that require buck, I don’t know.
I don’t waterfowl hunt, so can’t say any thing to that. But 29 bore has bought me a turkey or two
But hunting deer or bigger if your in buck shot range you can hit a heart with one ball.
Now there may be states that require buck, I don’t know.
I don’t waterfowl hunt, so can’t say any thing to that. But 29 bore has bought me a turkey or two
Onojutta
45 Cal.
So have any of you guys taken turkey with a 20 bore/gauge with no choke?
Yes, I made shot cups from index cards and toyed with the powder up and down til I got a good pattern, 80gr. FF, 1-1/2 oz. shot. Have taken three with that load, all from 20-25 yards. I no longer have that gun but was very successful with it on deer as well, I wish I could have figured a way to mount it with a fishing reel.
Robby
I don't currently have a 20 gauge smoothbore/shotgun, but I have taken turkey with my 16 double. it's cylinder bore. I haven't taken any much over about 20 yards or so. I like the idea of shot cups made from index cards, I made the mistake (as well as learned a lesson) of first using plastic shot cups (modern shotgun wads). I cut the piston off and just used the cup, but found that black powder tends to melt the plastic to the inside of the barrel. Had a heck of a time cleaning it out. I won't do that again! If you call in your turkey and keep the range under 20 or 25 yards, you should be OK.
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Loading 20 gauge guns with loads equaling or greater that prof loads is some thing you should not be doing kids you may get away with it today but at some point you will ruin your gun and possibly your self and any body near you when your 20 gauge turns into a pipe bomb. Standard loads for a 20 bore is light load 2&1/4 drams 7/8 once of shot small game birds heavy load and I mean heavy is 3 drams of powder 1&1/4 once of shot forTurkeys no matter what you do a 20 gauge is a 20 gauge .A lighter gun effective and good to 25 to 30 yards with shot on game with ball 62 to 70 grains ffg 570 to 60 cal ball depending on your bore and length of barrel effective range 50 to 60 yards .This is same for 16 and 12 gauge .The fundamental difference is the larger bore shotguns with larger internal bore volume can safely deliver heavier shot loads at these ranges safely .
So why is it Pedersoli stamp on their 12g doubles now 89g max and 1&1/4oz max.
I don't understand this thinking that bigger bores deliver heavier loads safer or "better".
It takes the same number of pellets to break a clay or kill a bird even if we choose to scatter the majority of shot all around the target pointlessly! Now we can waste a large amount or a little amount but it doesn't kill any better. The only thing that kills is getting just them few or several pellets in the quarry. So large or small the result is the same.
That is why when I go to the field I just pick what I fancy on the day, why, because the results will be exactly the same no matter what the size of hole in the barrel!
Also what is all this nonsense with " pipe bombs". In all my days here and elsewhere, in the field and at the range I have never read or seen someone loose their face or limbs due to their gun becoming a " pipe bone"!
A home is a sealed vessel contains explosive compounds. A barrel or tube or pipe is not a sealed vessel. It is vented. Only people that don't understand black powder fully think they are holding a bomb potentially.
For centuries manufacturers have tried to blow all manner of guns with massive charges of bp and massive loads and guess what....it doesn't happen. If it did it would be banned!
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