Author Topic: Survey says? (Read 8183 times)

Salkehatchie · « **on:** July 22, 2012, 06:37:57 PM »

Well, I think I posted something similar some time back. However am planning on a new gun and would like my data updated!

So...if you could have one bore size for round ball and shot, and most mid-western game, which would it be? 16ga. or 20ga.?

Have limited this to those two As I am not fond of the lower calibers nor of the larger ones. Lower for effectiveness in shooting and larger ones in recoil and cost.

I think, I know which way this 2 pt. survey will go, but want advice from the pros.

Thank you!

Daryl · « **Reply #1 on:** July 22, 2012, 06:54:07 PM »

Shot AND ball means smoothbore. Midwestern game would be deer mostly and birds wiht possiblility of elk? The 20 bore would work, but I'd still go with a 16 bore. The ball is light enough to not kick very much even with up to a healthy 120gr. charge and the 16 will handle shot better than the smaller bore, imho. I am not into overloading shot, ie: 10 bore loads in a 20, so the larger bore would be my preference and give better, shorter string 'flying bird' patterns.

Dan'l 1946 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 22, 2012, 07:07:27 PM »

I'd opt for the 16 gauge for the same reasons that Daryl has given.
Dan

Standing Bear · « **Reply #3 on:** July 22, 2012, 08:45:56 PM »

my experience with 20 ga and 16 ga is limited to suppository guns but I have not seen much advantage in the 16. I would select the 20 ga as the 330 +- grain RB would be plenty big for big game.
TC

Dennis Glazener · « **Reply #4 on:** July 22, 2012, 09:33:07 PM »

Quote

So...if you could have one bore size for round ball and shot, and most mid-western game, which would it be? 16ga. or 20ga.?

I owned a 54 smooth bore and in my opinion a waste of time to try the smaller shot in it i.e. #71/2 or #8 but I liked it for round ball. Never shot any #4 or #6 shot in it.

I owned 2-20 Ga smooth bore, never shot round ball in one of them but round balls shot well in the other at 40 to 50 yards (our deer range). I never was happy with either one in how they shot #8 shot. The patterns just had too many holes in it. Too spotty. Maybe if I had fooled with them more I could have gotten them to shoot better. #4's seemed to do fairly well out to about 20 or so yards (both cyl bore) but nothing to brag about.

I have had 2 16 ga, was a one a 44" Colerain shot #8 shot great but didn't do much with #4 over 20 yards. It shot great patterns with #8 shot, far better than with the 20 GA and that sold me on the 16. I picked up another 16 at a gun show after I sold the Colerain. This one had a 38" Getz barrel and that was the tightest shooting smoothbore I have owned. I have no idea if it had been choked or not, if so it wasn't obvious to me. I made the mistake of putting a price on it and I don't own it any more! I have a 38" 16 bore barrel on order from Charles Burton. Hopefully I will have it soon. To me, hands down I would go with a 16 bore and I would want a 36" to 40" barrel.
Dennis

bob in the woods · « **Reply #5 on:** July 22, 2012, 09:51:49 PM »

I'd go with the 16. I would rather shoot 20 bore loads in a 16, than 16 bore loads in a 20. [ I shoot a 10 bore myself. It is my most used gun, precisely because it is so versatile. ] I'm now building a Chambers officer's model 20 bore with cherry stock simply because I really like the gun, but would have preferred it as a 16 had it been available. Honestly, I know that the 20 will do most anything I need it to do here with the exception of goose, and duck hunting. That , is where the 10 really shines.

Bill of the 45th · « **Reply #6 on:** July 22, 2012, 10:22:55 PM »

If waterfowl is on your list, then I would go with the 16Ga.

Bill

hanshi · « **Reply #7 on:** July 23, 2012, 12:30:55 AM »

I have a .20ga smoothbore and it seems to want for nothing. Already killed a deer and almost got a turkey.

Osprey · « **Reply #8 on:** July 23, 2012, 12:54:35 AM »

I vote for the 16, if only becuase I've had that Colerain, 44" swamped oct/round barrel and it made the lightest, sweetest carrying smoothbore I've ever picked up. Shoots a BIG chuck of roundball and plenty of shot. I used the last one I had jumpshooting wood ducks in flooded timber and it was sweet.

Roger Fisher · « **Reply #9 on:** July 23, 2012, 01:26:22 AM »

Smoothie for midwestern game and you are incl deer and elk. Many shots at long ranges

Shouldn't you opt for a rifle...? Or,or,or smoothie for bird shootin and rifle for the 4 legged stuff?

Salkehatchie · « **Reply #10 on:** July 23, 2012, 01:52:51 AM »

Roger:

I have a .45 long rifle for the reach out and touch 'em situations. For some odd reason I have this inclination to smoothies. Got no clue why.

Roger Fisher · « **Reply #11 on:** July 23, 2012, 05:27:39 PM »

Quote from: Salkehatchie on July 23, 2012, 01:52:51 AM

Roger:

I have a .45 long rifle for the reach out and touch 'em situations. For some odd reason I have this inclination to smoothies. Got no clue why.

They are surely fun to shoot and a greater challenge.

Daryl · « **Reply #12 on:** July 23, 2012, 05:58:59 PM »

I haven't been able to do it with a muzzleloading smoothbore, but black powder loads in a double 12 I had (late 1800's) would put 6 balls, (3 from each bore) into 10" at 100 meters offhand using a scope. That accuracy was certainly capable of taking moose or elk at that range. Longer ranges with smoothbores usually requires heavy charges and larger bores - thus another reason for suggesting a 16 over a 20 bore. It has a potential accuracy advantage.

Hungry Horse · « **Reply #13 on:** July 23, 2012, 07:17:31 PM »

In my book the clincher would be water fowling, if you shoot Geese especially, but ducks as well, you need the bigger bore. The 20 ga. will do everything else just fine. If you wind the 16 ga. up to where it will shoot a round ball reasonably flat, its going to kick the snot out of you. Many of the trade gun shooters out here on the left coast, that hunt mule bucks, and elk, regularly, with a smoothie, are opting for the 24 ga. because it shoots flatter at longer range. After all its all about hitting them in the right end.

Hungry Horse

BrownBear · « **Reply #14 on:** July 23, 2012, 08:38:10 PM »

I've more or less quit on the "one gun duzz it all" outlook. My needs are too specific, and what's great for one job is likely marginal for another, compared to another choice. I have 20, 12 and 10 gauge, and am looking hard at 16 and at either a 28 or a 410. Not saying anyone else has to do it that way, but you should be prepared for one gun leading to the next, often as a "refinement" or departure from the one-gun impulse.

What I'm saying is a fowler, a smooth rifle and a "true" shotgun like a SxS will serve yo udifferently, and one will shine for a particular job while the other limps.

In my terrain I have lots more uses for shot from a smoothbore, and when it comes to round ball, a rifle just works out better. My choice of 20's these days are a 20 SxS for upland birds and small game and a 62 cal rifle for deer/large game, rather than asking a fowler to do both jobs.

Waterfowl on the menu? I'd go for a 12 or 10 gauge SxS alongside whichever rifle best suited your shooting ops.

Pheasants and deer? I'd go for the 16 smooth and your choice for a rifle.

northmn · « **Reply #15 on:** July 23, 2012, 09:17:34 PM »

Use 16's in modern guns and like them. BP is another story. Shot game with both 12's and 20's. For shot I much prefer the 12. As already stated it is preferable to shoot 20 ga loads in a 12 than 12 loads in a 20. As long as the ball is well placed in a deer it will go down with either. Recoil is a matter of individual tolerance. If I were shooting the gun a lot at Rondy's the 20 might be better, but for that occasional use as in hunting the RB in a 16 likely is not all that bad. The extra weight does of the RB does not hurt. I mostly shoot shot in a smooth bore and use rifles for deer.

DP

Salkehatchie · « **Reply #16 on:** July 24, 2012, 02:53:49 PM »

Interesting. Not a real consensus which I thought I might get.

It does seem that for shot, the larger bore gets the nod. 20ga. is OK, but... 16 and up is much more effective.

Round ball 20ga. does get the edge? Also seems as if most lean towards the rifle for the RB. Which I understand.

I have a .45 [TN] and a .62 [Jaeger] on order. Which should more than fill the rifle ticket. At some point though, especially with two sons in college and the economy the way it is, funds are limited. I mean this could go on forever! Not the two kids at home till they are 30; God help me

Then I will run away from home

But the quest for a good gun collection.

Now I live in a very rugged area. Deep narrow ravines, some small pasture/meadow areas. The largest pasture within a mile of my house is less than 5 acres. Very cut up and brushy with scads of trees. Ruffed grouse, turkey, squirrel, bear, cougar and deer. I do not care what the state Dept of Conservation says about the mountain lions either. Wild feral hogs and dogs as well. We, at our house have taken to caring a pistol whenever we go into the woods.

Salkehatchie · « **Reply #17 on:** July 24, 2012, 06:33:42 PM »

Quote from: BrownBear on July 23, 2012, 08:38:10 PM

I've more or less quit on the "one gun duzz it all" outlook. My needs are too specific, and what's great for one job is likely marginal for another, compared to another choice. I have 20, 12 and 10 gauge, and am looking hard at 16 and at either a 28 or a 410. Not saying anyone else has to do it that way, but you should be prepared for one gun leading to the next, often as a "refinement" or departure from the one-gun impulse.

What I'm saying is a fowler, a smooth rifle and a "true" shotgun like a SxS will serve yo udifferently, and one will shine for a particular job while the other limps.

In my terrain I have lots more uses for shot from a smoothbore, and when it comes to round ball, a rifle just works out better. My choice of 20's these days are a 20 SxS for upland birds and small game and a 62 cal rifle for deer/large game, rather than asking a fowler to do both jobs.

Waterfowl on the menu? I'd go for a 12 or 10 gauge SxS alongside whichever rifle best suited your shooting ops.

Pheasants and deer? I'd go for the 16 smooth and your choice for a rifle.

Well, I have a .45 rifle and have a .62 rifle on order. We do have geese and ducks so.... One of my issues is a budget! Kind of like fly fishing. No one rod will do for pond perch, bass, eastern spring creek trout or western freestone.

It does seem as if one had to pick one smoothie would be a 16. Although, most definitely not the optimum cure all end all. Man, no way to do want to have more than 4 guns, would love it. But USD is the clincher.

Hmmm....

Kermit · « **Reply #18 on:** July 25, 2012, 07:46:39 AM »

My inclination would be...

http://www.flintlocks.com/RK-09.htm

Probably the 12. Not sure why. The 10 speaks to me too.

Daryl · « **Reply #19 on:** July 25, 2012, 04:55:31 PM »

You can easily have a 16 bore that has less felt recoil than a 20 bore - design is all important.

Dan'l 1946 · « **Reply #20 on:** July 26, 2012, 06:51:25 AM »

I've got a ten bore fowler that weighs in right at 8 pounds and doesn't seem to recoil any harder than my old 20 gauge fowler did. I've never tried to make a magnum out of it, though. My heaviest load of shot is 1 3/8 ounce of #5 shot.
Dan

ebiggs1 · « **Reply #21 on:** July 29, 2012, 12:48:37 AM »

16 ga but only because you won't let me say 12 ga!

Vomitus · « **Reply #22 on:** July 29, 2012, 04:17:57 AM »

Single barreled ten gauge! Works good for everything on this continent and maybe the African Grande Slam!

Bunnies with shot,buffalo with balls! Seriously, for eastern whities and hogs,birds and bunnies,a 28ga is all you need.Just something to consider. For hunting only,I'd have a 10gauge for where I live.(moose,elk, griz, and geeze)
Although, I load my new 28 with 80 gr of 2Fg and I know,if a moose gets inside of 60 yards,I'll blow both sides outta him!

News:

Author Topic: Survey says? (Read 8183 times)

Daryl

Daryl

BrownBear

northmn

Daryl

ebiggs1

Vomitus