12 Gauges Are Overrated Change my mind

[onlybrowning]

Anyone try the 1 3/4" short shells in their 12 gauge? Should work fine with any break open style shotgun.

Yes, but not for anything serious. They’re neat. I wouldn’t hesitate to use them if I didn’t have a 20 or 28 in the same SxS.


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[sndmn11]

i am actually looking at a Franchi! any experience with the affinity 3 elite vs 3? sorry if I'm derailing the thread.

I have one I'd sell, model 41411; it and I haven't become besties but it is great to carry and has had zero hiccups.

 

[Sinistram]

No, 12's aren't overrated, but they're generally not necessary for upland bird hunting. Sure, a windy, snowy day in the pheasant field might call for a bit more oomph. Enter the 12ga. for that. I still also greatly prefer them for turkey hunting, as I'm not on the TSS bandwagon (yet, at least). On a pleasant day for any flying game or furry woodland critters, one of the 20ga. doubles is likely coming out of the safe.

The conflation that might be happening here is that 12ga. GUNS are generally bigger and heavier than their sub-gauge counterparts, and that's the drag when you're covering the miles. I've handled petite, 6lb 12ga. doubles you'd hardly notice during a day afield. Those are few and far between. One of my favorite bird guns is my Remington 870 Special Field 12. They trimmed down all the dimensions and it's about 6.5#. It's a great companion when the action is fast.

 

[hardincobucks]

Always felt the same. I use a 28 gauge for all my upland hunting and I personally would only use a 12 for waterfowl. I don’t have any issues shooting pheasants quail and sage grouse out to 35 yards. Really the only difference between gauges imo is the effective range. 95% of birds get killed under that 35 yard range anyways so I’d rather have the lighter gun and lighter ammo when walking 8-10 miles that day. Almost all the birds shot in these photos were shot with my Benelli legacy 28 gauge

 

[Spikehorn]

I still prefer the 12ga for waterfowl and late season pheasants. Everything else 20ga gets the nod.

 

[flyfisher117]

easier to carry around depending on what the 12ga is, but if you havent already try loading some 7/8oz 12ga loads. Clays is a great powder for it, burns clean, very mild recoil, easily available, and it's a 20ga standard payload, great for clays and smaller birds like grouse, doves, quail, etc.

It's a Benelli Super Nova or a Mossberg 500. The Benelli is not the most fun to pack but it's not horrible either.

I haven't tried 7/8 loads yet. I got started into reloading shotshells 2-3 months before covid. So once covid kicked off I bought the components for 1 ounce loads and that's what I have been doing since. Now that components are trickling back I should try some 7/8

 

[westslopelaker]

I only hunt waterfowl, so it's a 12 gauge for me. Most the times a 20 would be fine but it your chasing a cripple or have birds finishing at 40 yards, the 12 takes the edge

 

[Pony Soldier]

I started with a 16 in the 60s and still have it. The choices on ammo are dismal and rare. The fit, weight and balance is unbeatable.

I still use my 12 for geese and the choices there have diminished over the years. I have to buy when I find it and stockpile for my needs. It brings tears to my eyes when I pay $25 for a $5 box of shells. Or have to buy 10 boxes of 16 gauge shells because I haven't seen them offered for a couple years and the choices for shot range from slim to none.

The only good thing that came out of steel shot was the elimonation of 70% of the hunters which of course was the purpose.