doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com 12 or 20 ??

Hi all,

I am a lurker on the site, but now I have a question for which I would like some opinions. I have a pretty nice English SLE in 12ga. It weighs just under 6.5 lbs and is choked IC and Modified with DT and straight hand stock. Recently I have been thinking about acquiring a 20ga sxs with which to hunt quail. The question is do I really need the 20 or should I just shoot the 12 with 7/8 or 1 oz loads? What will I get from the 20 that I don't get from the 12?

Thanks,

Tex

A snobbish sense of superiority and elitism over others for possessing a small bore?...if that's your thing. Otherwise that sounds like a very nice 12GA. Stick with it.

A gun that is maybe about one pound lighter.

or not. A lot of 20's are in the 6.5lbs range.

20 gauge shells require less room in your hunting vest. You can shoot in both 12 and 20 gauge vintager events.
Biggest advantage is the excuse to purchase another gun!

Whether or not it makes a difference to where you hunt, some privately owned land won't permit 12 gauges for quail. If you are considering a gun from the UK, a 16 ga. BLNE made between the wars will usually run under 6 lbs. and the cost will be lower than a 20 ga. in the same condition and maker. An Ithaca SKB 100 in 20 ga. weighs just under 6 lbs. depending on barrel length and wood density and in very good condition will be about $1K. Gil

Consider a 2" chamber 5.5lbs 12 bore. The perfect upland gun.

I have a couple for sale here, if interested and Dave gets a cut.

Hello Texsss

Welcome on your first posting

I would say use what you have and consider Win AA Xtra Light ammo

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/winchester-aa-x-tra-light-target-load-shotshells

What fun, what fun !

BUT who am I to say not to get another gun "Just because"



Pictures please of your current beauty

Mike

Skeetx is right-on here. If your Brit SLE fits you well, then what you have is as close to perfection as most shotguns ever get IMHO. That being said, however, is one gun truly ever enough? As has been mentioned here earlier, sub-gauge guns are mandated for some hunting situations (mostly quail, mostly private) and perhaps by your own physical limitations. They are very-much indeed all the usual adjectives you hear (cute, light, quick, pretty, etc.) but they do not kill anywhere nearly as effectively as the venerable 12 gauge. I shoot a 16 on upland birds because it strikes an excellent balance for me in the weight/handling/lethality equation but... I know that there are 12s out there that would solve that equation equally well for me (and perhaps even slightly better?) if I devoted the time and resources to find them. It all boils down to time and resources.

Why are quail limited to 20 gauges only? Do they kill them too dead? Too far? Is the landowner trying to limit effective range with a no-12 rule?