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Hi im 14 years olld and am looking to buy a mossberg 500 pumpo because its in my price range and i like pump over semi-auto. I already shoot an old Savage model 220 single shot crack open and I am fine with the amount of recoil this gun has. I want the Mossberg for some skeet shooting and some bird hunting. I was wondering what gauge (20,12) would be better for this and better for my age. I know some people say 20 gauge for my age but if a 12 doesnt kick a whole lot more than a 20 im all set. Please give your opinion.

-thanks

id say get the 12 gauge. in a couple of years the 20 gauge will be nothing for you. you can get diffrent loads etc. for a 12 gauge to take the recoil down a little. good luck, and welcome to the world of shooting.

I would also say go with the 12! Welcome to the addiction!

Im 15 and i only have one 20 ga. the rest are 12 i can eat pretty much any shell that ive tried (the 2 oz. turkey load kinda kicked my a$$ tho) ive also shoot my old sxs 12 ga and t pretty much doesnt have any padding go with the 12 you kick you self later on if you dont

12 ga.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You will no doubt grow into it and it really doesn't kick much harder than a 20ga. Although if you got the semi with a gas system the kick would be considerably less.

Once you use your 12ga. for many years and run into some extra cash you will start to look at the smaller gauges/lighter guns for field use and more specific hunts. I am now trying to find me a nice lightweight 20ga. that I can carry all day long!!!

go for the 12 gauge!


ive always used 12, but recently ive been going back to 20. i do a lot of high volume shooting- several hundred rounds in a day, and after a while, my 12 gauge shotguns start to hurt a little bit

My 2 cents. My first nice shotgun I got was a 20 ga. and I received it when I was about 13 or 14. I'm 38 now and still have and shoot that gun. I have two 12's and I still prefer the 20. It's lighter and easier to carry in the field. I've limited out on dove, quail, and pheasant and can hold my own on the skeet range with the 20. I can shoot several rounds and not do much damage to my shoulder. If you are not going to shoot competetively, or hunt ducks or deer with it, I would consider the 20 gauge. Where I live in Texas, except for duck loads, you can get the same selection of shells for the same price in either 12 or 20. The correct selection of choke and shells can easily make up for the difference in gauges when shooting skeet.

Get the 12 gauge. At your age you don't know what you might be hunting in a few years, it's better to go for the gauge with more versatility now. I got my first gun when I was about your age, I then got into waterfowling, so you can bet I was happy that I already had a 12 gauge.

I would go with the 12 gauge. I first used a 12 gauge single shot when I was about 13 and never regreted it. A 12 gauge is so much more versatile especially if you are only going to have one shotgun. I definately has the advantage also if going for geese or turkey. Also the ammo is more common and usually cheaper.

DeerHead,
It depends on what birds you want to hunt. If you are limiting yourself to upland game and also skeet, I would agree with 686Covey and go with the 20. I also see we are in the minority but that matters little. The 20 will serve you well with those limitations. If you want to shoot geese, turkeys etc, then get the 12.

With the 12 you have the most versatility and ammo choices.

Now that said, I'm in the market soon for a SxS 20ga. LOL

If you're only going to shoot dove, skeet, quail, get the 20ga but, If you don't know... get the 12 also, if you don't currently own a shotgun, get a 12 because you're going to want that versatility, expecially in your first gun.

I would also suggest that you re-think the auto. If you're shooting skeet or clays, you just don't see pumps being used. Autos don't kick as much as pumps and you don't have to cycle it, just pull the trigger and focus on the target.

If an auto is in your budget, go with the auto. Then later on, get a double.

With the 12 you have the most versatility and ammo choices.

Now that said, I'm in the market soon for a SxS 20ga. LOL

If you're only going to shoot dove, skeet, quail, get the 20ga but, If you don't know... get the 12 also, if you don't currently own a shotgun, get a 12 because you're going to want that versatility, expecially in your first gun.

I would also suggest that you re-think the auto. If you're shooting skeet or clays, you just don't see pumps being used. Autos don't kick as much as pumps and you don't have to cycle it, just pull the trigger and focus on the target.

If an auto is in your budget, go with the auto. Then later on, get a double.

If you are going to bust clays, any guage will do. My best scores are with a 20ga A5. The heavier 12ga will recoil less with light loads however.

If you're only hunting upland, why buy a 12ga? It is always going to run 1-2 lbs heavier than the 20ga, and both rounds do an equal job on almost all upland game short of wild flushing end-of-season big pheasant. With a 12ga the last quail I took was pulverized and the last chukkar I took had its wing and thigh/leg blown clean off - way too much gun for smaller pointed birds. Turkey fall to either guage fine due to tight chokes and headshots.

If waterfowling, the 20ga is fine for ducks with Hevishot or close-in with steel (I scotch-doubled 2 ducks today with one shot of Kent Fasteel #3 at 15 yards with an IC choke). The 12ga is really the better overall choice however, given it's going to be leaning up against a blind or gunnel most of the time. I find geese and divers need the 12ga 3" due to body mass and thick skin/fat layers respectively.

Remember, shot placement is more crucial than gauge. I have a Benelli M1 20 ga and a Super Black Eagle, and the SBE has not yet made it out of the safe this season due to my addiction to Hevishot.

My first gun was a 20ga SxS well used Parker. that was 54 years ago. I still hunt with it. In fact, I have only hunted upland game with a 20ga of some sort.

That said,you can shoot 20ga shot loads in a 12ga. The 12ga gun is just a pound or a bit more to carry. Should be no problem for a young man. If you should get into waterfowling(shotgunning's Holy Grail),the 12ga will serve you better,too.

A 12ga will do anything that a 20ga will,and a lot more,can you say the reverse? Except be a little lighter to carry.

hi i'm 14 and im taking up hunting and from what i hear the better gun to go with is the 12 gauge because the kick isn't to much harder then the 20, but what about everything else like is the range different? ect. your opion's?

driller has it right
Get a 12g.

thanks......i'm going to a gun and knife show on sunday i'll check prices out.

It's pretty much all been said, but I'll say it again. If you are only going to have one gun and don't know what you might shoot, get a 12 gauge. If you know that upland birds and skeet are all you plan to use it for, get a 20. It will be considerably lighter to carry around and has plenty of oomph for those uses.

If your a good shot 20ga if not 12ga..