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md2020

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I have a few 12ga guns. I like them all. I am strng enough to handle them all. I am not really recoil sensitive…. So the 12 ga works

but, I’ve been reloading 7/8 loads for my 12ga and I really like how soft they shoot. I also reload 1oz but I honestly cannot say I hit or miss any more or less. I cannot hit the really long ones regardless. There is little or no advantage to 12ga over 20ga for me

does anybody prefer their 20g over their 12ga.. and why?
 
I bought a 20ga O/U just to try it out, I may give up a few birds that I “might” have hit with my 12ga on the Sporting Clays course but the fun of shooting a smaller, lighter gun makes up for the lost birds. Now, stick the .410 tubes in the 20ga and each hit is a bigger surprise for me than it was for the pigeon. ;)

In the odd session where I shoot for score the 12ga comes out and if I apply the stuff the 20ga taught me I end up doing pretty well.
 
I prefer my 20 ga to my 12 ga because of it being lighter. If I shoot more than one round with my 12 ga, my scores will often start to drop off. That doesn't seem to happen with the lighter 20 ga.
 
I have a few 12ga guns. I like them all. I am strng enough to handle them all. I am not really recoil sensitive…. So the 12 ga works

but, I’ve been reloading 7/8 loads for my 12ga and I really like how soft they shoot. I also reload 1oz but I honestly cannot say I hit or miss any more or less. I cannot hit the really long ones regardless. There is little or no advantage to 12ga over 20ga for me

does anybody prefer their 20g over their 12ga.. and why?
Yep, about half of the shooters I see are now shooting a 20-ga. for sporting, and the other half are shooting 12-ga. with 7/8-oz. loads.
But we are certainly not the originators of this concept. I have known for three decades that the British have turned away from the 12-ga. to the more comfortable 20-ga. long before we started to. Plus, a lot of 20-ga. events, including 20-ga. trap have shown up at the Grand American in Illinois. A surprising number of makers have been offering specifically manufactured 20-ga. trap guns with 32" barrels for 20 years that I know of.
Mike
 
A Master Class friend of mine, shooting a 12 ga, turned to me and asked if IC was enough choke for a target in a tournament. I said it was enough for my grandson who shot just before you with his A400 20 ga. lol
 
Yes, many people switch from 12ga to 20ga for Sporting Clays. There are a number of reasons for this:
  • Lighter recoil: The 20ga has lighter recoil than the 12ga, which can make it more comfortable to shoot for extended periods of time. This is especially important for new shooters and those with smaller frames.
  • Less carry weight: 20ga shotguns are typically lighter than 12ga shotguns, making them easier to carry around the course.
  • More forgiving: The 20ga has a larger shot pattern than the 12ga, which makes it a more forgiving gun. This means that you don't have to be quite as precise with your shot placement to hit the target.
  • More challenging: Some shooters find that the 20ga is more challenging to shoot than the 12ga, due to the lighter recoil and larger shot pattern. This can make it a more rewarding experience to break targets with a 20ga.
 
On real sporting targets over 35 yards, the 12 gauge will outperform a 20 gauge. If you shoot skeet in the woods maybe not so much. There's a reason not many people shoot 20 gauge in 12 gauge events on real sporting targets in registered events for score.
 
I switched. The weight of 12 gauge target guns give my off hand shoulder problems. That is why I opted to go with a lighter gun.
I am sure I’m giving up a little bit on some very very distant targets, but the reality is I shot 1 ounce loads in12 gauge. Dropping to 7/8 my scores haven’t changed, so I doubt I have given up much.
For reference, I am a solid B class shooter
 
My 32" 12 gauge SC gun weighs 7.75 lbs; not much advantage to a 20 gauge SC gun. I do shoot mostly 7/8 oz #8.5s at SC, with a handful of 1 oz #7.5 for the long shots, on intermediate courses; 3/4 oz #9 at skeet and subgauge SC. The simplicity and less inventory/equipment to load one gauge exceeds the appeal of a smaller frame for me.
 
explain that
I can't wait.. LOL
Yep, about half of the shooters I see are now shooting a 20-ga. for sporting, and the other half are shooting 12-ga. with 7/8-oz. loads.
But we are certainly not the originators of this concept. I have known for three decades that the British have turned away from the 12-ga. to the more comfortable 20-ga. long before we started to. Plus, a lot of 20-ga. events, including 20-ga. trap have shown up at the Grand American in Illinois. A surprising number of makers have been offering specifically manufactured 20-ga. trap guns with 32" barrels for 20 years that I know of.
Mike
Where do you see this happening? British folks are all shooting 20 gauge guns? Last I knew all the champions of every top division in the world shooting Sporting Clays and FITASC are shooting 12 gauge shotguns.

I understand that smaller gauges are fun to shoot and that some folks might prefer or need to use the 20 gauge or smaller but let's be honest about it.

I love my 16 gauge guns but......
 
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