gauging thoughts

[Fronty Owner]

Whats your thoughts on the "rare" gauges?
is a 16 gauge better than 12 gauge on recoil or 20 gauge on pattern?
is a 28 gauge better than 20 gauge on recoil or .410 on pattern?

[CMoore]

Ummm..... Both I would think. A 16 gauge is smaller than a 12 so I would think it would have less recoil, but it is larger than a 20 so I think it would have a better pattern due to more shot and powder being in the shell. Same for the 28.
I think?
Cory

[Fronty Owner]

I guess what im asking is if its significant?

[Equalizer_2]

Cost of ammo is significant and so is availability. Just about everybody that carries ammo has 12 and 20 gauge, you have to find a source of 16 and 28 gauge shells.

The smaller the gauge the better shooter you need to be as the pattern will be smaller due to the smaller number of pellets.

[Adaminak]

I have literally burned hundreds of pounds of powder behind various payloads of shot in different size cases on skeet ranges around the country. My best year-end averages are always with the 28ga. I started shooting all four gauges for each event, but quickly switched to shooting 20ga in place of the 12 ga. Purely a balance issue because the gun felt much different with the 12ga barrel instead of the 20ga tubes. My averages in both guns went up, and were slightly better than the 28, and significantly better than the .410. The second year I shot I started reloading, and the reduced cost of 28ga and.410 ammo meant I shot it a lot more, and my averages in both guns went up. The 28 actually was the same as the 20 and 12 averages. Of course the .410 is still my personal "idiot stick", but I'm getting there. From my third year on, the 28ga has been my best gun. Minimal recoil, yet a pretty substantial shot pattern with effective density. We could get into shot cloud dynamics, but suffice it to say the patterns of all three gauges through the same percent restriction choke are the exact same size. Only the pattern density changes, with the outer edges getting noticeably thinner on the 410. Do I shoot the 28ga in place of the 20 and the 12? Nope. Hulls don't reload as long, and 28 ammo is expensive. I live with the loss of 1-2% overall average and save the extra $800/year. As far as small game hunting though, a nicely balanced 28ga over/under is the perfect grouse, quail, woodcock, and other small bird gun, and it’s an absolute joy to carry.

[Fronty Owner]

so your suggesting that for clays, the extra 1/4 plus ounces of lead just excess?

[Adaminak]

Originally Posted by Fronty Owner

so your suggesting that for clays, the extra 1/4 plus ounces of lead just excess?

Pretty much. Even when I shoot trap with the extra distance involved, I still shoot 7/8 oz 12 ga loads. The only time I step up to a 1 oz load is if I'm shooting trap doubles or Continental trap, and I never shoot 1-1/8oz loads for a competition.

For skeet it's more about a well balanced gun that points where you're looking and swings naturally so you can put the center of the pattern where it needs to go without stopping your swing.

If you're serious about shooting clays, one of the things you can do is actually pattern your shotgun (with any chokes you'll use) at the distance you'll be shooting. For 16 yard trap that generally means patterns between 22 and 28 yards, adding a yard for each yard of handicap. For skeet it usually means about 15 yards. I could write a few paragraphs about how to pattern, why it may or may not be a good idea, and the philosophies behind those opinions, but I won't bore you with details unless you're interested. It can get really, really tedious and could take some of the fun out of the game...

[Fronty Owner]

Im more serious about shooting dove, rabbit, and squirrel.
I wont pass up a chance to go break a few clays.

I find it odd that 12 and 20 gauge are so popular, but 16 and 28 gauge seem to have a cult following.

[Adaminak]

I think the 16's popularity is because it had a huge following in the '20s, and many of that generation passed their favorite guns down to our grandparents and parents. Ballistics are really close to the 12ga, and superior to the 2-3/4" 20ga. Here's a decent article that explains a little of both the "cult" classics.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/16gauge.htm

[Adaminak]

As far as hunting, you'd be fine for the birds and squirrels with smaller shot loads. I still hunt rabbits with 1oz of #6 simply because it tends to do a better job of getting through the ground cover and those little buggers can be difficult to hit! I personally think the best squirrel weapon around is the 3" .410 with 5/8oz of #6.