Why 12?

[ChrisPackham]

I’m keen to understand how and why 12 has become the  ‘go to’ option for clays and game.  I have recently acquired a 16 bore Aya no2 and find it just as capable for game and clays as 12, better balanced, faster handling and not uncomfortable with 28g cartridges.

 

[chippy]

I guess the 12 bore must have proven itself in the past as the best compromise.

 

[Hamster]

Something to do with the best compromise in the way shot sits in the cup or shell and subsequent shot pattern quality/lethality V load as well as factors such as recoil, gun weight (and its carrying ease). All gauges have their benefits but the 12 is the best compromise. 

 

[ChrisPackham]

Something to do with the best compromise in the way shot sits in the cup or shell and subsequent shot pattern quality/lethality V load as well as factors such as recoil, gun weight (and its carrying ease). All gauges have their benefits but the 12 is the best compromise. 

Makes sense I suppose, do you ever feel that 12 is overkill? (clays as well as game)

 

[bisondan]

Makes sense I suppose, do you ever feel that 12 is overkill? (clays as well as game)

Not when I'm bringing down ducks at 75-yards

 

[chippy]

Makes sense I suppose, do you ever feel that 12 is overkill? (clays as well as game)

Not really. you can go down to 21g if you want.

 

[westley]

Makes sense I suppose, do you ever feel that 12 is overkill? (clays as well as game)

Have you seen the price of 28 bore cartridges recently  ??

 

[Hamster]

Makes sense I suppose, do you ever feel that 12 is overkill? (clays as well as game)

Not really, I think it's the best compromise. I do like the thought of a 16, 20 or 28 (have owned the latter) but if restricted to just one then it'd have to be the 12 bore because it can be most things to most men. 

 

[MDP]

I’m keen to understand how and why 12 has become the  ‘go to’ option for clays and game.  I have recently acquired a 16 bore Aya no2 and find it just as capable for game and clays as 12, better balanced, faster handling and not uncomfortable with 28g cartridges.

Good point, I've just acquired a 28g Arrieta for game and it does a good job. I shoot with a friend who never uses more than 28 grams through his 12 bore and it's never a disadvantage. 

 

[ChrisPackham]

Not when I'm bringing down ducks at 75-yards

Hadn’t realised steel reached out that far, what cartridges are you using?

Shooting clay gun feels like swinging a cannon to me now!

 

[westley]

I have a lightweight English 12 bore, an Italian 20 bore O/U (which weighs the same as the 12) and a 28 bore O/U. If I am game shooting the 12 bore S x S is my 'go to' gun, if there is a possibility of ducks, then the 20 bore with steel shot. 

 

[CharlesP]

I wonder if the calibre of the early eighteenth century Brown Bess (and later) so beloved of the "Thin Red Line" might have influenced popular opinion as to the bore size of choice?

 

[chesterse]

Going back to the 50s we used to collect cartridges cases and 16 bore was a lot more popular for game shooting than today.There were probably two 12 bore cases for every 16. Can't ever remember picking up a 20 bore case. My wife's grandfather was one of the old wildflowers on the Lincolnshire Wash, punt gun etc and his shotgun of choice was a 16 bore hammer gun for ducks, geese and everything.

I'm sure I read somewhere that a 16 bore with a 1oz (28gm) load is just about a perfect combination.

Would be interesting to see a modern 32" clay gun specifically designed for16 bore and 28gm shells, price and availability of cartridges would be prohibitive though!

 

[Paul120]

From listening  to people and experince over the years ( so not scientifically based). We are alos talking average gun weights etc. Not "well I have a 9.9lb 20b or a 6.6lb 8b. Which someone will put forward to contradict)

I believe the answer is that the 12b is the best compramise on gun weight v cartridge performance. 

A higher maximum load compared to smaller guages and are generally  of a  more managble weight compared to a 10b or 8b. 

Also you can carry more cartridgrs with a 12 than a 10.

Ok. So you can shoot fragile pottery or easy game with 21g but you may want to shoot something a bit more challenging. 

My 20b is fine up to 24g even some 28g. Not sure I'd like to do too many at 32g which are ok in a 12. Remember 28g is just a clayshooting rule to reduce percieved enviromental impact so unless you are clay shooting in a CPSA comp or s ground that specifies a max load, 28g is just a number. However as most cartridges are shot at clays 28g are the most available and cost efficient to use. 

The final thing is cart performamce. A 20b 24g is 30 to 40m/s slower than a 12. Not much bit comp shooters wamt the max performance they can get.

When they dropped the Load size for Olympic trap it was thought that some may change to 20b but it never happened. Probably some down to cost of 20b carts but there were some that quoted speed as a factor.

PS. Just to add I have a 16b which is a joy to shoot even though it looks like it's spent most ov it's life as a fence post.

 

[Wonko the Sane]

The simple fact is that the Cosmos loves the 12ga.  Nothing else compares.

And of course like all things Limey the number 12 was initially selected cos if you count all of your fingers the number is 10.

 

[CharlesP]

"And of course like all things Limey the number 12 was initially selected cos if you count all of your fingers the number is 10."

Not always in these parts