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12 gauge or 20 gauge, that is the question.


The Dynamite Kid

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I have both a 12 & 20 gauge in Stoeger two trigger SxS. I like both of them very much, but I migrated more to the 20 gauge. I reload for both so shells are not a problem. A few folks that I shoot with use 20's and give me their empty Remington hulls. I have enough 20 ga. hulls to last my lifetime. I load 3/4 oz. & 7/8 oz. shot in light loads for both gauges, and I really can't tell a big difference in recoil. As for shucking the empties if you hone out and polish the 20 ga. chambers, like most do in slicking up their shotguns, there is no issue with 20 ga. hulls sticking.

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16 hours ago, Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971 said:

Stay with factory shotgun shells.  Unless you shoot blackpowder there is little money to be saved reloading shotgun shells.  

Unless ya can't find em! Everyone with LNLR shells around here is always out.

Started loadin' my own... never out.

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My double is a 12GA (so is my verboten 93/97).  My 87 is 10GA, and I have a single barrel 20ga.  I shoot them all, depending on my mood.  But if I had to start all over, my first would be a 12ga simply for the availability of different ammo for it.

 

Looks like I may need to get a 16GA to complete the set of allowable SASS shotguns.  Perhaps a 97... ;)

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7 minutes ago, The Dynamite Kid said:

Thanks guys, great info.  I decided I better not pass up the $550 Stoeger 12.  Picked it up today.  Time to slick that sucker up!

 

Dynamite

See http://marauder.homestead.com/files/stoeger.html or pay a CAS smith for the work on the Stoeger.

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Before you send it off, try what I did. Get some valve lapping compound at the Auto Parts store, smear it on the lugs and just work it open and closed for a bunch of times. Keep putting it on, cleaning it out occasionally to see how it feels with some grease on the lugs.

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On 2/16/2021 at 2:14 PM, Abilene, SASS # 27489 said:

At my first big match in 2000, there were some tough knockdowns.  None of the 12ga guns on my posse knocked them over, but a guy's 20ga did.  It had full choke.  So knockdowns are not a problem.  However, 20ga will recoil more unless you load your own light loads.  Low Noise Low Recoil AA's are available for 20 ga but are much harder to find than the 12ga version.  12Ga outnumber 20ga with CAS shooters by 10 or 20 to 1 for a reason.

 

Then the targets were not adjusted properly.

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I've always shot a 12 gauge but it really doesn't matter. 20 gauge shells are just as plentiful as 12 and the recoil is about the same. Whatever you can get a deal on go for it! My son has a JW2000 in 20 gauge and he loves it!

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On 2/16/2021 at 2:30 PM, The Dynamite Kid said:

Howdy folks,

I'm new to SASS and considering a shotgun purchase.  I'm leaning towards a SxS, 12 gauge or 20 gauge is the question.  I noticed that 20 gauge guns are legal according to the handbook and I think the reduced recoil might be a positive, but knock down power may be a problem.  Please help me make a sound decision by sharing your insight and opinions.

 

Thanks,

Dynamite

First--- Welcome to the best game and folks goin.

My opinion is to go 12 ga., recoil will feel lighter due to the heavier gun and ammo if purchased is easier to find and cheaper. AA makes Lownoise,low recoil ammo as well as others and there are many recipes for light loads available for the asking. 12 ga. for sure.

 

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On 2/16/2021 at 11:30 AM, The Dynamite Kid said:

Howdy folks,

I'm new to SASS and considering a shotgun purchase.  I'm leaning towards a SxS, 12 gauge or 20 gauge is the question.  I noticed that 20 gauge guns are legal according to the handbook and I think the reduced recoil might be a positive, but knock down power may be a problem.  Please help me make a sound decision by sharing your insight and opinions.

 

Thanks,

Dynamite

I suggest going with a 12 ga.  If any shells are available they will most likely be 12 ga. They are sold in most Liquor stores and Chinese food restaurants.   A Low Recoil 12 ga round will recoil less than most 20 ga rounds, same about of shot but a bigger hole to go down will yield less recoil. 12 ga shells are often cheaper than 20 ga. You can also find a cheap/used Mec 600 jr set up for 12 ga and load you some very low recoil shells for about half the price of new low recoil shells (if you can find them). I will admit that right now Primers are hard to find but in the long haul they will come back.  

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I realize that the OP has already made his decision but there is something else to ponder regarding the debate between 12 and 20 gauge and that is the size of the chamber mouth when loading/reloading a double. A young lady in our club started out with a 20 gauge and was having issues with loading at the line. I talked her into trying another shooter's 12 gauge and her loading issues mostly went away. I know that this is a sample size of one but it's something to think about.

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20 hours ago, The Dynamite Kid said:

Thanks guys, great info.  I decided I better not pass up the $550 Stoeger 12.  Picked it up today.  Time to slick that sucker up!

 

Dynamite

 

Here’s a link to Marauder’s page on how to slick up a Stoeger.  Marauder.  He’s got a lot of useful information for a lot of different guns.  Hope it helps.  Here’s another link to Manny CA’s YouTube video for a Stoeger  Manny CA

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Potato-potatoe tomato-toMAtoe... which is better? LOL

I started in SASS with a pair of 7-1/2 Vaqueros in 45LC, a Marlin and a Rossi 20ga with 26" barrels. Seventeen years later (yikes!!!) LOL I still have the Marlin. Letting that Rossi go wasn't the stupidest gun I ever sold but it's in the top ten.

 

My most recent 20 that I used for SASS, a Stoger Uplander Supreme (long barrels of course LOL) Went to fund, eventually, another 20ga. Indirectly kinda-sorta. At the time I was working at a gun store and had just bought another 1100 for trap. I decided since that Stoger had been relegated to backup duty because I'd found a really mice single trigger Stoger coach gun, I'd put that on the rack to offset the cost of that one. An additional consideration was do away with 20ga and "standardize" with 12ga.

 

It sold and the same day some guy brought in a really sweet vintage 1100 20, in the box with three barrels and a buncha chokes. Of course it didn't end there. Week later a super nice walnut stock one came in....AFTER I found the perfect "tactical" trap gun in 20 for the wife. So much for standardization.

 

I've found that recoil between the two 12/20 isn't much of a difference depending on which load you use. Every 20 I used knocks'em down if you do your part. When my son was getting into SASS his first shotgun was a H&R in 410. He graduated rather quickly to a 12 ga because he was stocky and could handle it. (takes after his dad) so I set him up with featherlights (for a short while) and built him a short stock, Dead Mule recoil reducer in the stock NorChester which he still shoots.

 

 

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