12g V 20g for sporting clays

[curious2]

Hi folks: Im a retired lightly built male, height 5'6, weighing 11stone and are getting back into shooting after a thirty year break !

I am attracted to 20g for sporting clays due to light gun weight and fast handling. As most folk at our sporting shoot use 12g 24gram loads it occurs to me that the argument for using a 12g to better absorb recoil is maybe not as valid as it was when 32gram was the norm. I can comfortably shoot 100 rounds of 24gram with a 20g without fatigue or recoil awareness.

I still get the comments " give yourself more of a chance to break clays use a 12g" but don't understand this as 24grams is 24 grams regardless of what gun one uses ?

So is there a valid reason to move from 20g to 12g for shooting sporting clays..........I understand the need for a heavy gun for trap and skeet but thats not what Im interested in.

One alternative is a Beretta ultralight 12g which weighs in at 6.25ilbs similar to a 20g but opens up the possibility of cheaper 12g shells.

Your thoughts appreciated.

 

[Mick.J]

You have hit the nail on the head, CHEAPER cartridges! A 20g is expensive to run. If you decide to get a 12g the same old advice goes, try some out before you buy.

 

[Will Hewland]

This has been done on here if you search, but the overwhelming advice will be 12g, for steadiness of movement.

24g is 24g, but its in a tighter pattern through a 20g.. Agreed that this is the minor reason. It's all about handling. You just don't see 20g used in registered competition. (Well, I haven't seen them..)

 

[Mark Jones]

24g through a 20bore is likley to create more perceved recoil than in a 12 bore. Somthing worth considering

 

[Fuzrat]

This has been done on here if you search, but the overwhelming advice will be 12g, for steadiness of movement.

24g is 24g, but its in a tighter pattern through a 20g.. Agreed that this is the minor reason. It's all about handling. You just don't see 20g used in registered competition. (Well, I haven't seen them..)

Shot a decent FITASC score (for me) at Weston with my 20 and 21g shells However, as has been said they are very expensive to feed. £50 odd per thousand more expensive is a whole chunk of change if you shoot 10,000 a year!

 

[MX8man]

As Clever has said it's all down to steadiness of movement. 20g is a more difficult gun to shoot consistently. As someone once said to me, a 20g is quick to move, but.........,,,,

Equally quick to stop!

 

[EdSolomons]

Too light and fast to shoot sporting any good....

 

[MARK-POACHER]

hi can see your prob, but go for a 12g for clay shooting, my father is mustard at game shooting with a 20g but as a keen clay shot too brought his self a beretta ultralight 12g as he just could not compete or swallow cost of running 20g for clays..you could also think of a light auto 12g no recoil....just a bit more cleaning.. all the best with your choice mark.

 

[curious2]

hi can see your prob, but go for a 12g for clay shooting, my father is mustard at game shooting with a 20g but as a keen clay shot too brought his self a beretta ultralight 12g as he just could not compete or swallow cost of running 20g for clays..you could also think of a light auto 12g no recoil....just a bit more cleaning.. all the best with your choice mark.

Thanks everybody it seems the 12g advantage is steadiness and cartridge cost. Mark its interesting to see your father is shooting clays with a beretta lightweight, I guess he isn't affected by the liveliness and quick to stop issue attributed to light guns ?

 

[sibaldib]

I have shot a 20 bore for years (pheasant and duck). I regularly shoot 28grm and occasionally 30grm and recoil is not an issue for me. However the one big problem I had with the gun was on crossing birds. As has been said above, it is quick to get going but it also stops quickly.

In the middle of last game season I changed to a 12 bore and my shooting improved.

When I started clay shooting a few months ago I didn't even contemplate the 20 bore. As far as clays are concerned the only slight advantage you would have would be with fast teal.

Get yourself a Beretta SP1 Field or Ultralight and use 24grm cartridges.

 

[MARK-POACHER]

Thanks everybody it seems the 12g advantage is steadiness and cartridge cost. Mark its interesting to see your father is shooting clays with a beretta lightweight, I guess he isn't affected by the liveliness and quick to stop issue attributed to light guns ?

he is 67 and didnt want a heavy gun to push around he is in B class and loves shooting lightweight and he only uses 21 eley lights !! he puts in 65/70 at wylye and others around us and he is happy...i dont mean to be funny but as we get older we do get weaker so a lighter gun would move as a heavy gun would when we are 20 years old..go with what your happy with and enjoy..mark

 

[Les53]

I only ever shot a 20 guage once. It was awful and had a kick like mule! But each to his own I guess.

 

[Mick Shaw]

I only ever shot a 20 guage once. It was awful and had a kick like mule! But each to his own I guess.

Hi Les, It’s a pity you don’t live closer or you could try my 20 bore it might change your mind, it’s a Beretta 682. 20 bore trap gun that has Teague chokes it weighs nearly 8 pounds so recoil is not much of a problem, I shoot it at trap/skeet and sporting, and as for the ammo price I load my own so no problem.

Mick.

 

[Les53]

Hi Les, It’s a pity you don’t live closer or you could try my 20 bore it might change your mind, it’s a Beretta 682. 20 bore trap gun that has Teague chokes it weighs nearly 8 pounds so recoil is not much of a problem, I shoot it at trap/skeet and sporting, and as for the ammo price I load my own so no problem.

Mick.

Hi Mick, If I lived closer I would take you up on that offer mate! :wink:

 

[squimp]

I've shot quite a bit with a 20 g and even a 28g gun.

I find them a little harder to shoot with than a 12 bore - but they are fun. Fitasc targets with 21 grams and a 28 bore is a good game. Needless to say I dont shoot serious competitions.

Mine dont recoil much as they have long barrels, are heavy (over 7lb) and they have been fitted. I have even shot 30 grams thru one at high pheasants.

Cartridge prices are the big problem, particularly now that you can buy decent 12 gauge shells for around £160. 20 bore clay shells are bad enough, 20 bore game shells are fearsomely expensive and 28 bore 24 gram game shells even worse !

I live in Glos if you think you could shoot with a 15" plus stock; you could come up and have a try sometime?

 

[Mark Jones]

Hi Les, It’s a pity you don’t live closer or you could try my 20 bore it might change your mind, it’s a Beretta 682. 20 bore trap gun that has Teague chokes it weighs nearly 8 pounds so recoil is not much of a problem, I shoot it at trap/skeet and sporting, and as for the ammo price I load my own so no problem.

Mick.

Handy for practice but cannot use homeloads in competitions

 

[Mick Shaw]

Handy for practice but cannot use homeloads in competitions

Thats ok for me as I dont shoot competitions any longer, only ever did a few but now only compete against my self, :wink: