20 gauge or 12 gauge

One of my favorite shotguns is a Remington 20 semi. That shotgun is so well balanced at one time a pheasant flew out and I didn't have time to get the gun pointing in the correct direction fast enough so I took a hip shot literally with the butt of the gun beside my right hip and nailed that Pheasant from a good distance. That gun is on site before you even look down the sites when you do use it up on your shoulder. And the smooth back of it where the back of the action meets the stock allows it to slide off the side of your right cheek without busting up your teeth. You can't say that about a Brownie. My dad broke off a center top front tooth when his brownie 12 gauge semi slip from his shoulder during an overhead shot at a goose. He had to have a cap on that tooth for the rest of his life. People love the Brownie for its action but if you're going to point the gun towards the sky you don't want that flat back of the action coming against your face. It can cause some serious damage. For that reason alone I will never buy a Brownie shotgun. As for 20 or 12 or even 10 gauge I've shot all of them and it depends on what you're shooting at. 20 is pretty light to be trying to bring down a goose. But for duck or anything smaller it's plenty enough.
Must be the 1100. I have the same, 20ga very nice handling, pulled a few hip shots for pheasant back in the day. Now they are rare around here.
 
It's not like "should I get a Ferrari or a McLaren." So cheap, get both. Less than $500 each, often far less. Shotguns are so ubiquitous and affordable everyone should have multiples in several calibers. It's always nice to find ammo for something you have, when it's in short supply. Or as a loaner in a pinch.

IF recoil is a real concern, reduced recoil shells are the solution in a 12 ga.
It’s definitely not about the money. I just do not keep “too many” guns which fit the same purpose. I have a little gun problem and my wife has a little shoe problem. So we keep each other honest 😉
 
Not saying it's a dumb idea, I thought about one for home defense, and that's basically what my searching turned up, clicking on various forum discussions.
I’ve recommended the break-open, single shot 410 to many people for HD. You can get one crazy cheap so it’s great for people who can’t afford much. It’s manageable for smaller framed people and in buckshot it’s still powerful enough. It’s literally the easiest gun to learn to shoot I think. And lastly if you live somewhere unfriendly to guns it’s still likely good-to-go cause it’s not intimidating. Just slap a shell holder with some extra buckshot on the butt and you’re ready to rock and roll on the cheap.
 
It fine the recoil is not really the problem. I just legitimately had more fun with the 20. It was lighter, smoother, and just easier to manage which translated into being more enjoyable. I guess my logic behind it is if I’m going to shoot for fun why wouldn’t I just shoot a gun that I have more fun with?
Is a "fun gun" the only foreseeable use for a shotgun?

For me the answer is no. I keep a loaded 12 ga. nearby because it is arguably the best civilian "fight stopper" available. I'm not going to argue the point, some might disagree and have a different preferred weapon. However I have seen the damage a 12 ga. can do. A 1.25oz slug or 12, .30 caliber pellets moving around 2200 fps will simply ruin someone's day. That's why I keep it handy. I've seen videos of it instantly, and I mean instantly, stopping someone about like a bolt of lighting or a death ray from a magic wand. People do not "shrug off" a correct 12 gauge load.

12 ga. ammo is far more available and generally less expensive than 20 ga. ammo, and has more offerings and higher weight loads. It is the ubiquitous most versatile weapon available.

It's one of those tools where the intrinsic value, far exceeds the price tag (not unlike a saw, a hammer, a prybar, etc.). No point selling it. Keep it, buy lots of ammo.

(Yes, there are other excellent tools, and trust me I have plenty of those at the ready as well for social bumps in the night.)

YMMV.
 
Is a "fun gun" the only foreseeable use for a shotgun?

For me the answer is no. I keep a loaded 12 ga. nearby because it is arguably the best civilian "fight stopper" available. I'm not going to argue the point, some might disagree and have a different preferred weapon. However I have seen the damage a 12 ga. can do. A 1.25oz slug or 12, .30 caliber pellets moving around 2200 fps will simply ruin someone's day. That's why I keep it handy. I've seen videos of it instantly, and I mean instantly, stopping someone about like a bolt of lighting or a death ray from a magic wand. People do not "shrug off" a correct 12 gauge load.

12 ga. ammo is far more available and generally less expensive than 20 ga. ammo, and has more offerings and higher weight loads. It is the ubiquitous most versatile weapon available.

It's one of those tools where the intrinsic value, far exceeds the price tag (not unlike a saw, a hammer, a prybar, etc.). No point selling it. Keep it, buy lots of ammo.

(Yes, there are other excellent tools, and trust me I have plenty of those at the ready as well for social bumps in the night.)

YMMV.
The one I am speaking of will be for fun. I don’t disagree with anything you said. But I will add that a 20 gauge is still plenty devastating regarding terminal ballistics. That said I do prefer a pistol for my HD weapon. I keep a G19 in a bedside gun vault. It’s safe away from the kids and my wife is comfortable shooting it. Also I can move more freely in my home with it. I have little kids and I want to be able handle them easily while armed. Much harder to do with a long gun. I choose to put more emphasis on my ability to get to my family and keep them safe than terminal ballistics on the bad guy.
 
Would a 12 gauge autoloader provide less recoil?

Personally, I would get one of each, but perhaps that’s just me..
 
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The one I am speaking of will be for fun. I don’t disagree with anything you said. But I will add that a 20 gauge is still plenty devastating regarding terminal ballistics. That said I do prefer a pistol for my HD weapon. I keep a G19 in a bedside gun vault. It’s safe away from the kids and my wife is comfortable shooting it. Also I can move more freely in my home with it. I have little kids and I want to be able handle them easily while armed. Much harder to do with a long gun. I choose to put more emphasis on my ability to get to my family and keep them safe than terminal ballistics on the bad guy.
As a war veteran, I've seen a lot in my career, and I have always been a bit "forward looking" on this topic, simply consider your situation today might not be your situation tomorrow. This belief has served me very well. I have a personal philosophy that has served me very very well, in that the world is likely to get a lot harder and more dangerous in the next decades. Also, you have kids. Those kids will be adults. Would you not like extra guns around for your adults to have defensive tools? Think long range, broad use. And as I said, 12 ammo is generally a lot cheaper and more plentiful. IME 20 ga. ammo can run up to 2x the cost for similar types of ammo.

Also, yes, a 20 is excellent. A 9 is a good handgun round. Nothing you said is wrong. A 12 gives you more versatility and cheaper/easier ammo availability. That's my point. I've never been to a gun shop that didn't stock 12 ammo. I have frequently been in shops without 20 ammo, however. It's just not as common, and generally pricier.

You came asking if you should keep the 12. Yes. Keep the 12. As I said, the intrinsic value far exceeds the few hundred bucks you'll get for it. That's a nice date night expense. Shotgun is far, far more utilitarian and valuable than a nice steak dinner and drinks. But YMMV. I've given you my expert advice. If your views ignore all the global concerns and instead belief that the world going forward is going to be a Disney movie, maybe your family can sell the extra guns for some money now.
 
What? You specifically asked.
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I meant the comment about selling off guns and living in a Disney movie. It’s a really strange leap. Anyways I know what I said and now I’m starting to regret saying it. Probably should have said (edit - Mod) crowd need not apply. You know what I think will have that rum and head off to bed now.
 
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Already have a 410. It’s a good little round. I wouldn’t go skeet shooting with it though.
My father used an ancient long barrel 410 with a beach wood stock for skeet shooting.

Need very good reflexes, skill and aim but he had better accuracy than the other guys with large shotguns.

Had to shoot it almost immediately out the chute though.
 
I meant the comment about selling off guns and living in a Disney movie. It’s a really strange leap. Anyways I know what I said and now I’m starting to regret saying it. Probably should have said (edit - Mod) crowd need not apply. You know what I think will have that rum and head off to bed now.
LOL. So "home defense" isn't (edit - Mod). Um. Okay. What, is that like a social outing with icecream and cake? Someone violently invades my house, it's considered the (edit - Mod) has HTF.

On internet forums, I find it fascinating that people will ask for advice. Very experienced folks, in this case myself a subject matter expert in combat arms, trained and familiar with every common platform, as a multi-tour combat veteran officer who trained and lead soldiers in combat environments, with a large number of friends in military and law enforcement, respond with my opinion and advice. Been carrying a firearm for 20 years. Studied self defense shootings in depth. I've tried cases involving firearms as a prosecutor and as a defense counsel tried self defense cases. I am literally an expert in this field.

Then the original poster wants to argue with me about MY HIGHLY EDUCATED OPINION GENERATED OVER DECADES OF EXPERIENCE AND STUDYING THE TOPIC, which they expressly solicited and didn't pay a penny for. I really don't get it. Just take it in. Ignore it. Maybe just even say "thank you," and move on. No. Gotta argue, put downs, disagreements from someone with obviously no knowledge on the topic, and so forth. Do you think this furthers good relations? Willingness to contribute?
 
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Would a 12 gauge autoloader provide less recoil?

Personally, Iwoild get one of each, but perhaps that’s just me..
Yep, an auto loader cuts down on recoil, but an inertia operated has more recoil than a gas operated.
An A5 browning will recoil more than a Browning Silver auto.

Same goes for centre fire rifles. I wanted my daughter to be able to shoot a 300 Win mag, so I bought a Browning Bar (FN) and put a muzzle brake
on it. Now it has less recoil than her Tikka T3 in 6.5x55.

I'm one of those types that might have a 10 year old Beretta 686E adjustable comb, new in the box closet queen.
 
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Shells are harder to find and more expensive in 16 gauge.
Yes, more difficult today. Unless you scoop up a private deal. I just sold the last of three 16 ga. shotguns that I had owned. Someone got a smoking deal on the worn early Ithaca 37 featherweight that I had hunted for almost 60 years. Also 22 boxes of 16 ga., from #8 shot to #4. Also a few slugs and #2 Buck loads.
 
While there is nothing "wrong" with a 20, the shells are more expensive, and contain less shot payload. My attitude is why handicap yourself? Remember, in Skeet they increase the degree of difficulty by going to a smaller gauge.

In Trap they increase the degree of difficulty by shooting handicap targets at a greater range. (From 20 to 27 yards). Almost no one who shoots Trap seriously, shoots it with anything less than a 12 gauge.

Today they have several 12 gauge autoloaders on the current market that shoot just as soft as a 20 with 12 gauge target loads. So there really isn't anything to gain by going to a 20, for either clay target games or hunting. All it basically gives you is less shot in your pattern, at a greater cost per round.
 
While there is nothing "wrong" with a 20, the shells are more expensive, and contain less shot payload. My attitude is why handicap yourself? Remember, in Skeet they increase the degree of difficulty by going to a smaller gauge.

In Trap they increase the degree of difficulty by shooting handicap targets at a greater range. (From 20 to 27 yards). Almost no one who shoots Trap seriously, shoots it with anything less than a 12 gauge.

Today they have several 12 gauge autoloaders on the current market that shoot just as soft as a 20 with 12 gauge target loads. So there really isn't anything to gain by going to a 20, for either clay target games or hunting. All it basically gives you is less shot in your pattern, at a greater cost per round.
You’re making some solid points here. It was definitely more challenging to hit the target with the 20. Kind of made it more fun, but my score wasn’t great. And I was definitely clipping targets more than I usually do.
 
LOL. So "home defense" isn't (edit - Mod). Um. Okay. What, is that like a social outing with icecream and cake? Someone violently invades my house, it's considered the (edit - Mod) has HTF.

On internet forums, I find it fascinating that people will ask for advice. Very experienced folks, in this case myself a subject matter expert in combat arms, trained and familiar with every common platform, as a multi-tour combat veteran officer who trained and lead soldiers in combat environments, with a large number of friends in military and law enforcement, respond with my opinion and advice. Been carrying a firearm for 20 years. Studied self defense shootings in depth. I've tried cases involving firearms as a prosecutor and as a defense counsel tried self defense cases. I am literally an expert in this field.

Then the original poster wants to argue with me about MY HIGHLY EDUCATED OPINION GENERATED OVER DECADES OF EXPERIENCE AND STUDYING THE TOPIC, which they expressly solicited and didn't pay a penny for. I really don't get it. Just take it in. Ignore it. Maybe just even say "thank you," and move on. No. Gotta argue, put downs, disagreements from someone with obviously no knowledge on the topic, and so forth. Do you think this furthers good relations? Willingness to contribute?
I think the problem for me is your energy is kind of intense. To be fair you know what you’ve done but how is anyone else gonna verify your experience. Didn’t exactly slapped down your DD 214 with the comment. If I’m coming across as argumentative I apologize because it was not my intent. I’ll openly take the feedback and try to do better next time. My feedback to you would be you’re coming across little intense and somewhat pretentious.
 
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Sort of off topic but if anyone is looking for some reasonably priced 20ga buckshot I've been shooting this stuff and like it $14 for 25rnds:

 
12. and learn to load skeet 12ga, it is fun. Custom loaded 8 shot 12ga for skeet is extremely easy shooting stuff at a one ounce payload of shot but any of the commercial "clay and field" type target loads shouldn't beat you up with a 12ga.
 
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