Author Topic: 12 vs 20 ga shotguns (Read 925 times)

Cheyenne Ranger · « **on:** January 31, 2003, 12:13:10 PM »

Now I know this isn't anything like a real scientific study but I shot my Win 97 in 12 ga and then my pard's Russian-made SxS in 20 gauge. The 20 had a much harder hitting recoil :eek:

I know the guns are different types but from my way of thinking the light weight of the 20 doesn't soak up the recoil near as well as the more massive (OK, a bit heavier) Win 97.

Just one Cowboy's opinion :grin:

Old Cane · « **Reply #1 on:** January 31, 2003, 01:25:25 PM »

Make that 2 cowboys. I agree. I am recoil sensitive (sissy as my wife says) with long guns. Pistols....bring it on. It it won't come flying up out of my hand I want to shoot it. I got a 20 SxS and it knocked me purple. I think between the weight and the sharp recoil it seems more concentrated.

ButlerFord45 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 31, 2003, 02:14:04 PM »

HEHEHE!! I guess it was at the last shoot I was at, as I was poppin the shotgun poppers I heard someone ask, "Is that black powder?". The reply from the "seasoned vet" was "Yep, lot's of smoke and boom but almost no recoil", well needless to say I took that as a personal challange!!! A little later in the day, I had the "vet" try out my little 20 ga. It's a sweet little Browning SxS, weighs about 6 lb. swings great and shoots sweet! Anyway, I slide a couple of shells into the gun for him to try. Well we won't hear comments like that from him again!! 80gr of FFF under an ounce and a quarter of shot in a 3" mag shell from a 6 lb gun will get your attention!!!
Yep, most 20's are lighter, therefore more felt recoil, generally, but it doesen't have to be that way. You'll probably have to reload your own, but they can be loaded really light, almost to 28 ga feel. I won't give up my 20! I'll just load'em different for folks that are recoil sensitive.
As an additional thought, BP does give a little more push as opposed to thump.

Calamity Jane · « **Reply #3 on:** January 31, 2003, 02:21:33 PM »

80g in a 20 Ga.

Lawrdy! I only load 54 in a 12 Ga. (best pattern). I load 'bout 30g in me 20 - but then I'z a gamer :oops:

ButlerFord45 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 31, 2003, 03:48:11 PM »

Hiddie Jannie!!! I like ta know when it goes off! I gotta use 3" hulls for that, but they are a WHOLE LOT of FUN ta shoot!!! :-D

Old Cane · « **Reply #5 on:** February 01, 2003, 07:43:04 AM »

Jane, a BP gunfighter gamer?

Calamity Jane · « **Reply #6 on:** February 01, 2003, 01:39:44 PM »

WHAL OF COURSE! :eek: :roll:

Jose Grande · « **Reply #7 on:** February 01, 2003, 01:52:31 PM »

Lone Yankee worked up a light load fer a 20ga. that knocks the plates down,but is easy on the shoulder for a friend who had a quad-bypass & couldn't shoot regular loads anymore. The Doc. said it could be fatal if he did. Course the doc wanted him to stop shooting longarms altogether,but we couldn't have that. :-)

Greybeard · « **Reply #8 on:** February 02, 2003, 10:20:21 AM »

Dang Doc told me I needed to stop shooting both long guns and handguns. Now that jist ain't gonna happen and I told him so. But I have got to cut way back on the loads or stopping will be the only choice.

My right shoulder has bursitus so bad that really light recoiling long guns is all I can take anymore. I have arthritis in my hands so bad some days I can't shoot at all and most days the big boomers I've shot so much are hurting worse and worse.

That's one reason I'm thinking CAS might be good for me. Keeps me shooting but with real light loads.

GB

Cheyenne Ranger · « **Reply #9 on:** February 02, 2003, 10:34:35 AM »

Just remember Marshal GB, if you can't see the bullets coming out of the barrels they are probably going too fast :grin:

I'm getting pretty much in the same boat as you. Rotator culf surgery on the right shoulder and my hands are stiff and sore in the mornings. Already shoot a little 9mm in USPSA and wanted to find another shooting sport that didn't require I prove my manhood by blowing my arm off with the recoil.
And there is nothing quite so satisfying as the sound to stell being hit by a big old, slow moving .45LC bullet (that is when I hit them)
CR

ButlerFord45 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 02, 2003, 10:39:46 AM »

Just to make sure you two keep shooting I have something you both need to store in the back of your mind, 32-20

Cheyenne Ranger · « **Reply #11 on:** February 02, 2003, 10:51:10 AM »

That's been in the front of my mind as a possibility for the Mrs. Either that or a really down-loaded .38 Sp. The RV's are too big for her hands of either looking at a birds head or Cimmeron. Waiting on the Marshal's review of the EMF's, too.

ButlerFord45 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 02, 2003, 10:54:47 AM »

Have ya seen the "Vaqueritos"? It's a Ruger single six frame in 32 H&R Mag?

Greybeard · « **Reply #13 on:** February 02, 2003, 03:46:10 PM »

I toyed with that idea but the .32-20 is a tapered case and requires lube for resizing. That's a pain enough for rifle cases I shoot in much smaller volumes. Same reason I elected to fore go the .44-40 and .38-40 and go with the .45 Colt. I already know that CAS velocity level loads are very mild on recoil. Heck compared to what I normally shoot I hardly know the gun went off.

I've been shooting the JDJ Hand Cannons in TCs and the .454 Casull and .480 Ruger so long now and that's after what seems like a life time of heavy .44 magnum shooting. I've had days of shooting several hundred rounds of heavily loaded .44 mags and when doing the product test on the FA83 and Taurus Raging Bull both in .454 Casull I often fired a couple hundred rounds or more of .454 Casull in a day.

Now I have tendonitus in the wrists, arthritis in the hands and from all those years of shotgunning my right shoulder is so messed up with bursitis that it don't want anymore.

The .32 Mag is a really nice little round. I used it a lot in NRA Silhouette competition back when I was shooting that. And it is a straight wall case. If you could get a rifle in it as well as handguns that could be a nice choice.

GB

sunvale · « **Reply #14 on:** February 26, 2003, 02:30:30 AM »

I shoot a 16ga Winchester 97 and a 16ga winchester 24. Shoot them all day with not problem. I'm a 58 year old fire fighter with 26 years of injuries behind me and a Vietnam Vet with 24 months of combat and I don't have a place that does not hurt the first 3 hous in the morning. The 16ga does it for me.
sunvale

Cheyenne Ranger · « **Reply #15 on:** February 26, 2003, 04:23:59 AM »

Hey Sunvale,
Noticed you spent some time in the wonderful country of RVN. Me, too.
Was with 1st Cav.
Came away with 3 PH and a SS plus some other stuff.

Old Cane · « **Reply #16 on:** February 26, 2003, 07:11:06 AM »

Hey GB, what is that JDJ necked down from? I can't remember the cases used for that. Is it the 309 you shoot? What does that compare to in other production rounds?

Greybeard · « **Reply #17 on:** February 26, 2003, 10:59:32 AM »

Old Cane, it had been so long since I'd made a comment on this thread I had to go back and see what I'd said. :eek:

The JDJ hand cannons by JD's definition have to be of .35 caliber minimum and be made from a case no smaller than the .444 Marlin. Mine that fit was a .358 JDJ. It is a necked down .444 Marlin case shooting 225 grain bullets at 2300 fps from a 14" barrel. It is a handful when ya pull the trigger. I've never owned a .309 JDJ but have had a 10" barrel in .300 Savage that sure was a handful also.

The case capacity of the .358 JDJ is between that of the .358 Win. and .35 Whelan. The .309 JDJ is between the .308 and .30-06 in case capacity. You can run a 165 grain bullet to 2400 fps in the .309 JDJ. Recoil with it is far less than in the .358 JDJ. Mild by comparison.

GB

Old Cane · « **Reply #18 on:** February 26, 2003, 11:05:09 AM »

Well, we certainly don't need anything mild.

Wow, thanks fotr the info. I didn't realize they were that big. The .309 is the only one I've ever heard mentioned but I don't get out that often, you know.