20 or 12 gauge shotgun?

[da box king 10+ year member]

Well since you want to hunt deer I would probably go for a 12. If it was just smaller game I would favor a 20.
Get yourself a nice rifled slug barrel if you plan on shooting sabots.

I've also gotta recommend the good ol Remington 870 Express. Cheap, reliable, and an all around great gun.

yes you are correct my man...I hear the mossberg shoots flatter, and very reliable and still a little cheaper than the 870. I would love the 870 but its a little more than I want to spend.

The combo will come with both barrels...lookin for an all around game gun

 

[qtipextra 5,000+ posts]

12

 

[DidUHearThat? 10+ year member]

12 with a long (28") barrel will give you the tightest patterns at the longest ranges.

 

[Flipx99 5,000+ posts]

12ga. The price is about the same, so get the bigger gun. I bought mine for home protection.

I am thinking of buying another with a long barrel to shoot clay targets.

 

[Pop da Hatch 10+ year member]

Guns can kill people //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

 

[groundpound4200 5,000+ posts]

12 for deer, 20 for small game like Moe Lester said. I

 

[bigbirney420 10+ year member]

20 is good all around gun, but not for deer.

I have a few 12's and shoot quail and pheasant just fine, its more in the load you choose. I started on Remington 870. Great gun. But I love my Browning pump and Beretta semi auto

 

[Captain_Ahab 5,000+ posts]

i like 12's too, just wasn't sure if there would be much differance?
what I mainly want to know is if the 12 would be too much for field use like bird, and rabbit, and squirrel

no, 12 is not too much..THey make loads specifically for small game..Just like they make loads for ducks/turkey/deer..

I'd recommend a Mossberg 835. Affordable and durable..And you can get the package that comes with a rifled barrel for slugs for deer hunting.

 

[cf2004 10+ year member]

Guns can kill people //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif stupid mofos with guns fill people //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crazy.gif.c13912c32de98515d3142759a824dae7.gif

 

[cobra65427289 10+ year member]

Get a 12, extra 75 yards of accuracy and its worth it. I've got an Ithaca deerslayer (also has rifled barrel avail.) and a Browning Auto-5 12 gauge. I'm in love with both. I almost never use my Auto-5 light 20 gauge.

 

[peas247 10+ year member]

20 is fine for deer, i got a h&r single shot break action 20 guage with a 12 guage blank barrel bored for a 20 guage. gun weights about 10 lbs, at 200 yards i am only droppin 7" and still holden within a 5" group. i'd like to see a 12 guage do that.

 

[da box king 10+ year member]

will i be loosing much accuracy by goin with a 12 over a 20?....wish i could get a nice 16 again...

so if i understand right that by goin with a longer barrel it will be more accurate and tighter groups?

 

[DidUHearThat? 10+ year member]

will i be loosing much accuracy by goin with a 12 over a 20?....wish i could get a nice 16 again...

Lose? You got that backward. At short range they are the same, but at longer range the advantage goes to the 12.

so if i understand right that by goin with a longer barrel it will be more accurate and tighter groups?

Yes, and increased range. Although the "accuracy" has as much to do with the increased "pointing" of the longer gun. It's much easier to accurately aim/point a 28" gun than an 18" gun.

If you would like to do bird hunting, a 3 1/2" magnum 12 gauge with a 28 barrel will give you much greater range, pattern control and accuracy than smaller barrel, smaller shells and smaller gauge gun.

For an all around hunting gun I suggest a 12 gauge with 3 1/2" magnum chamber and 28" barrel. Stick with Remington, Mossberg or Benelli.

 

[riogigalo 10+ year member]

vote for 12. i own an 870 with rifled deer barrel. if you dont mind going used you can find them for ~200.

 

[Flipx99 5,000+ posts]

I am probably going to get another shotgun to shoot clay targets. I seen this Mossberg 28" barrel that's probably about $300. Model Number is 56240.