Should I settle on a 20 gauge for casual clay games?

[45Badger]

Beretta 686 guns fit me like a glove in 12 and 20. No idea why, but I shoot both well above my average. I’ve been looking for a used 30-32” 12 gauge for an all around, multi purpose play gun. Casual trap, sporting clays and 5 stand. Skeet if I ever get the itch.

All the 12 gauge guns I have found were either logisticallly difficult (ma**h***s owners), way over priced, or shot to shit for almost new $$. I stumbled across a mint 20 gauge with 30” barrels for good price. What am I giving up? Thanks!

 

[dixidawg]

Get both. Grab the 20 now, and keep looking for a 12.

 

[MisterHappy]

You are giving up ~20% of the pellets in each shot load (more or less) - if you figure that a target load in a 12 is 1.25 oz, and it's 7/8 oz in a 20. So, mathematically, you'll have lower scores. Maybe not 20% lower, but there's a reason that Skeet has a 4-gun match (12. 20, 28, .410), as the smaller ones are more challenging.

That said, a gun that fits you well, physically and mentally, will be better for you, overall, IMO. Knowing it's the RIGHT gun is very important.

If it's just "casual" shooting, and you'll not cry over a couple of missed targets, go with what you like. If you're a Trapezoid or Skeeter that's new, and chasing a 25 straight patch, the 20 may frustrate you, when you only get to 24 (was that one I dropped because I didn't throw enough pellets?).

Dixiedawg is right - run what you brung; be happy with it, and if you stumble over the perfect 12.....buy it. But base it on what YOU like.

 

[45Badger]

You guys are enablers….

 

[Lefty38-55]

I used to ‘casually’ shoot a 20 … ‘til the old man at the range told me, “… that 20 is costing you 5 or 6 birds.”

 

[MisterHappy]

I used to ‘casually’ shoot a 20 … ‘til the old man at the range told me, “… that 20 is costing you 5 or 6 birds.”

I can do that with my 12, no issues.

 

[grizquad]

Keep looking for the 12 and in time you can get a set of Briley tubes to make 20ga when you want to shoot sporting clays. That what I have done for my sporting gun. Look at Joel Etchen Guns in Pa. on his used page, They are great to work with and have had some nice 12's for reasonable money. They are out there.

 

[Sf Becket]

FWIW I have a Mossberg 500 in 12 gauge. It’s a great versatile gun. Only complaint from me is that it kicks like a mule

 

[45Badger]

FWIW I have a Mossberg 500 in 12 gauge. It’s a great versatile gun. Only complaint from me is that it kicks like a mule

I’ve been using an 870. Time to get back to cool toys.