273.438 gr (18 g) 5⁄8 oz. Remington Slugger 23⁄4" Slug
1,800 ft/s (550 m/s)
1,575 ft⋅lbf (2,135 J)
273.438 gr (18 g) 5⁄8 oz. Remington Slugger 23⁄4" Slug
1,580 ft/s (480 m/s)
1,513 ft⋅lbf (2,051 J)
468 gr (30 g) Federal 23⁄4" 11⁄8 oz. #3 Buckshot
1,200 ft/s (370 m/s)
1,496 ft⋅lbf (2,028 J)
546.875 gr (35 g) 11⁄4 oz. Fiocchi 3" #5 Shot
1,200 ft/s (370 m/s)
1,748 ft⋅lbf (2,370 J)
382.812 gr (25 g) 7⁄8 oz. Winchester 23⁄4" #71⁄2 Shot
1,200 ft/s (370 m/s)
1,224 ft⋅lbf (1,660 J)
The 20-gauge shotgun, also known as 20 bore, is a type of smoothbore shotgun. 20-gauge shotguns have a bore diameter of .615 in (15.6 mm), while the 12-gauge has a bore diameter of .729 in (18.5 mm).[2] 12-gauge and 20-gauge shotguns are the most popular gauges in the United States.[3][4] The 20-gauge is popular among upland game hunters, target shooters, and skeet shooters.[4]
20 lead balls of the diameter of a 20-gauge shotgun bore weigh one pound, while just 12 lead balls of the diameter of a 12-gauge shotgun bore equals the same weight.[2] A 20-gauge shotgun is more suitable for hunting certain types of game or for some hunters because it may have less felt recoil than an identical shotgun in a larger gauge, [5] and guns may be smaller and weigh less, though this has changed since the introduction of the 3-inch magnum shotshell.[3]
Regarding the yellow body tube color that 20-gauge ammunition usually has, it has been reserved in SAAMI documentation saying "SAAMI has reserved yellow for 20 gauge ammunition" "This ammunition shall have a body tube that is primarily yellow" "Yellow shall not be used for any other gauge/bore shotshell body" "No other recommendations are made as to the color of service body tubes for other gauges/bores"[6]
This color designation may be designed to aid in identifying 20-gauge shells. A 20 ga shell if mixed in with 12 ga. shells will enter the chamber and lodge inside the bore at the end of the chamber. If a 12 ga shell is loaded and fired behind the lodged 20 ga shell the result is catastrophic. [7]
20-gauge shotguns are especially suitable for hunting game birds such as quail, grouse and mallards when using lead-free birdshot. A 20-gauge buckshot load would most commonly be utilized in close- to mid-range self-defense scenarios.[citation needed] While slug loads are ballistically less accurate than rounds used in rifles, powerful, high-grain slug loads can provide improved ballistics for hunting deer when paired with a rifled barrel.[8]
While the 20-gauge is generally perceived to have less felt recoil than the 12-gauge, there are too many variables, including gun weight, type of shotgun, stock pattern, shot weight, shell size, etc. for that opinion to be a fact.[9][10] There may be little to no difference between the two when using target ammunition. Loads for waterfowl will tend to produce more felt recoil in a 12-gauge shotgun than in a 20, but this may not be the case depending on the gun used.[9] Full-power 20-gauge shells fired from a light 5 lb (2.3 kg) gun will have more felt recoil than those fired from a heavy 7 lb (3.2 kg) gun.[11] To do a true comparison, two identical shotguns, one in 12 and one in 20, with identical ammunition (other than gauge) have to be compared. In those cases, the 12-gauge does generate more recoil energy than the 20.[9][12]
United Kingdom
