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Q:
What are the advantages/disadvantages of a 12ga vs. a 20ga with respect to shooting slugs? I assume the 20ga is going to have lighter recoil and the 12ga would have more stopping power, but when shooting at ranges of 100 yards or less is there a real difference?
Question by jakenbake. Uploaded on February 09, 2012
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Answers (9)
if you hit it in the vitals no, you wont see a difference...but that 12 gauge will carry a lot more shock power when it hits.
It comes down to Energy(ft/lb)for that Under 100Yd shot
The 12Ga delivers more then the 20Ga, the real difference is Bullet Placement on your Whitetail,Hog,
Bear.The 12Ga is Carried by more Alaskan Guied's for
Big dangers Game.
The deer wont care. The 20 ga is still sending out a big hunk of lead. I know a few people who shoot better with a 20 ga because of less recoil. Being more accurate will make up for any short comings in energy differences.
No deer will live on the difference if you shoot straight. Unless you are into recoil you will enjoy shooting the 20ga more even though the recoil is still on the stiff side.
Never bothere me to shoot 12 Ga Slugs in an 1100/11-87, recoilt is negligible, once I loaded 2 in My Stevens 311 12ga and it doubled on me, I have to admit THAT ONE stung a bit. ;-0~
You can actually go to a smaller sabott in your 12 gauge and pick up velocity and less recoil even improve on tighter groups. That said, Ive switched to hunting everything but waterfowl with a 20 guage!
Nope. deer don't know the difference at all. The 20 allows you faster follow-ups and with the new slugs you are not giving much up. I use a HBBS .410 and it drops em where they stand as long as I put it where it belongs. Hey,you shoot them with a 30/30 and smaller bullets. 375 grs is a heck of a punch when pushed at 1500fps.
A 20 gauge usually shoots a little farther.
Think of it this way: A .270 is used quite commonly in deer hunting. Between a 20 and a 12, there is a small difference in diameter, whereas between a 20 and a .270, there is a rather large one. A .270 will drop a deer in his tracks, in the right place, so if you shoot right, there is no difference. However, sabots perform unusually well on a 20.
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No deer will live on the difference if you shoot straight. Unless you are into recoil you will enjoy shooting the 20ga more even though the recoil is still on the stiff side.
It comes down to Energy(ft/lb)for that Under 100Yd shot
The 12Ga delivers more then the 20Ga, the real difference is Bullet Placement on your Whitetail,Hog,
Bear.The 12Ga is Carried by more Alaskan Guied's for
Big dangers Game.
The deer wont care. The 20 ga is still sending out a big hunk of lead. I know a few people who shoot better with a 20 ga because of less recoil. Being more accurate will make up for any short comings in energy differences.
if you hit it in the vitals no, you wont see a difference...but that 12 gauge will carry a lot more shock power when it hits.
Never bothere me to shoot 12 Ga Slugs in an 1100/11-87, recoilt is negligible, once I loaded 2 in My Stevens 311 12ga and it doubled on me, I have to admit THAT ONE stung a bit. ;-0~
You can actually go to a smaller sabott in your 12 gauge and pick up velocity and less recoil even improve on tighter groups. That said, Ive switched to hunting everything but waterfowl with a 20 guage!
Nope. deer don't know the difference at all. The 20 allows you faster follow-ups and with the new slugs you are not giving much up. I use a HBBS .410 and it drops em where they stand as long as I put it where it belongs. Hey,you shoot them with a 30/30 and smaller bullets. 375 grs is a heck of a punch when pushed at 1500fps.
Think of it this way: A .270 is used quite commonly in deer hunting. Between a 20 and a 12, there is a small difference in diameter, whereas between a 20 and a .270, there is a rather large one. A .270 will drop a deer in his tracks, in the right place, so if you shoot right, there is no difference. However, sabots perform unusually well on a 20.
A 20 gauge usually shoots a little farther.
Post an Answer