I've always been a fan of the 20 gauge shotgun for hunting and skeet shooting. I use a 12 gauge in my police work, but I've always maintained that the difference between the 12 gauge and the 20 gauge for self-defense is the difference between teeny and meeny. A 20 gauge #3 buckshot load carries 20 pellets of about .25 caliber. At any rational self-defense distance that load of 20 gauge buckshot is going to do all that needs to be done, with about half the recoil of the 12 gauge.
It looks like Mas Ayoob agrees. For those of you who don't know Ayoob, he's an old-time police officer and writer who is teaching for an outfit called ProArms.
So, for those folks who don't want the recoil of the 12 gauge shotgun, the 20 gauge is easily available. I own three or four because I like the gauge. As it turns out, it'll do the job just fine.
Hat tip to Xavier.
I still recommend the 12 ga. Reduced-recoil loads are now available in 2 3/4", and mini-shells are available that reduce the recoil well below that of a 20-ga, but still deliver six 00 pellets at 1300 fps, or a 7/8 oz slug, same as a 20-ga.
ReplyDeleteFiring mini-shells in a Coach gun SXS double, a kid can control the gun with little effort. Then as the kid gets older and stronger, the coach gun can be loaded up to suit his or her new confidence levels.
That same gun, when loaded with those 3" artillery shells, can sling 1 1/4 oz of pellets or zing a 1 oz slug at almost 1500 fps, with a shoulder which can stand that sort of gaff.
Also, if it's a boy shooting, and he was born to brag, he'll get a kick out of telling his buds he shoots a "man's 12-ga", even though he won't tell them it was loaded with mini-shells.
'Scuse me for giggling, when he said the only real difference between the two is "seven more little white spots on the coroner's xrays." Nice subtle gallows humor, I guess.
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