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Joined: 28 Jan 2018 Posts: 159

I have made a discovery about myself: I am a 2 gauge man. Allow me to explain. I own shotguns in 6 different gauges, but there are only 2 that I actually use. Most hunters will do almost all of their shotgun work with a 12ga. If they need something a little smaller, the 20ga. Anything smaller than that, and they will get a 410. I, on the other hand, use 16 gauges for just about everything that most people use 12s and 20s for. I have a 16ga deer gun [Ithaca Deerslayer], 16ga turkey gun [modern Remington 870 express with synthetic]. I have 16s with short barrels, long barrels, and every conceivable choke constriction. I use 16s with success for trap and sporting clays. [I don't shoot skeet]. I use slugs, buckshot, and bird shot in my 16 bores. When I grab a shotgun to do just about anything, the question is not, which gauge, but, which 16 gauge do I use. I think youall get my point. The other gauge that I actually use ls the 410. I use it to shoot chipmunks, birds and other small pests around the house. Currently the only 2 410s that I have are a Win model 42, and a Win 9410. I would like to add an 870 at some point too. Any other likeminded folks?

I’m not opposed to other bores, at least not 12ga field and target guns.

I shoot 12 gauge at clays. Usually 1oz loads.

I will also carry a light 12 SxS in field. Have a AyA XXV ble that’s 6.25 lbs, and is a nice match to my 16ga xxv Ugartechea. Also a Sauer war production 12ga that gets some less than fair weather days dog training.

Having a 12ga is about mandatory in our dog testing, as factory poppers are required by the test rules in several events.

Something funny happens to me when I’m shooting any of the sub-16gauges. Those skinny barrels just don’t look right. Messes up my sight picture. I could probably get over it, but I can achieve all I need with 16’s or 12’s with a moderate load.

Joined: 01 Oct 2007 Posts: 962 Location: Minnesota

I use most common gauges.
12 ga for clays, pheasant, and waterfowl.
16 ga, pheasants, game farm birds, and occasional doves
20 ga, some game farm birds, and doves
28 ga doves
410 doves

I shoot all these gauges (bores) multiple times per year, the 12 and 16, are used often.

Joined: 04 Mar 2019 Posts: 1840 Location: Central ND

12 gauge for most clay targets. 16 gauge for some clay targets and all my hunting.

I basically use two shotguns, a Benelli SS and my 16 ga. 1100. Now and then you might catch me shooting clay targets with a 16 ga. Citori or a Beretta 686.

I only own shotguns in two gauges, 12 and 16. I have zero interest in any of the other gauges.

If I could see my way clear to buy a Rizzini Comp 16 with an adjustable stock, the 12's would sit.

Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 444 Location: WI

12 gauge for clay games and waterfowl, 16 gauge for everything else - with everything else being almost exclusively ruffed grouse and the occasional woodcock (I don't like to eat them so I don't shoot them), and sometimes pheasants.

12 - geese
16 - late season ducks/ clays
20 - early ducks(teal) and woodies
28 - quail/dove
.410 - dove/quail

Variety - the spice of life. Wink

*Last edited by skeettx on Wed Dec 28, 2022 11:37 pm; edited 1 time in total*

For doves, I use a different gun each outing

Last three years, not many doves the last three years

01 Sept 20 08 doves, Tristar 410 3” #6 Herter’s Rained out
02 Sept 20 15 doves, Remington 3200 16 gauge, no Herter’s ammo
03 Sept 20 15 doves, Browning Superpose RKLT 20 IC/Mod
04 Sept 20 15 doves, Browning Superpose RKLT 12 Mod/Full
05 Sept 20 15 doves, Browning Citori 16 gauge Sk & Sk
07 Sept 20 14 doves, Remington 3200 12 ga Mod/Full 40+ Wind
08 Sept 20 NO HUNT 46 degrees, raining and windy
09 Sept 20 NO HUNT Rain
10 Sept 20 NO HUNT 38 degrees and rain
11 Sept 20 15 doves,American Arms Brittany 20 gauge
12 Sept 20 15 doves, L.C.Smith Q3 (1893) with Briley 20 ga tubes
14 Sept 20 15 doves Liegeous D’Arms A Fue 16 O/U, Herter’s #6
15 Sept 20 15 doves GECO 16 ga SXS & Citori
16 Sept 20 15 doves Krieghoff Drilling 16ga & Citori 2 ½ ammo
17 Sept 20 15 doves, Helice French 12ga 2 ½ ammo
18 Sept 20 15 doves, Zamacola 12 Ga. SXS
19 Sept 20 5 doves Daly Superior 20ga. Sk&Sk Others in our spot
21 Sept 20 15 doves, Superposed IC/MOD Carved 20 gauge
22 Sept 20 15 doves, Rem 11-87 #6 Mags also lots of pigeons
28 Sept 20 4 doves, Remington 1900, few doves, colder
29 Sept 20 2 doves, Browning A-5 16 3-Shot, almost no doves
05 Oct 20 3 doves, Remington 3200 20 gauge ported barrels

01 Sept 21 03 doves, Tristar 410 3” #7 ½ Federal HOT, Windy
02 Sept 21 08 doves, Superposed 20 Ga IC/MOD RNLT
03 Sept 21 09 doves, Remington 3200 with 20 gauge barrels, rained
04 Sept 21 02 doves, Brittany 20 ga Sat before Labor day, people
06 Sept 21 00 doves, 20 Superposed, HOT!! No birds at all
07 Sept till 12 Sept covid quarantine
13 Sept 21 02 doves,Miroku 20 gauge still HOT!!
14 Sept 21 03 doves, Miroku Superior 20 gauge still HOT!!
18 Sept 21 06 doves, Rem 1100 Factory 20 ga cutts. Still no doves
20 Sept 21 03 doves, 20 Superposed Skeet 4 digit, cooler
21 Sept 21 Lots of Collards and Pigeons
27 Sept 21 02 doves, Rem 1100 Factory 20 ga MOD
11 Oct 21 02 doves, Superposed 20 ga IC/MOD RNLT
18 Oct 21 00 doves, Minke NADA ZIP NOTHING
19 Oct 21 06 doves, Remington 11-87 #6 shot worm digger

01 Sept 22 15 Doves, Daly 410 3” 7 ½ reloads
02 Sept 22 15 Doves, Browning Superposed Chisled 20 IC/Mod
03 Sept 22 15 Doves, Browning Superposed 20 IC/Mod
05 Sept 22 15 Doves, Daly Superior Grade Skeet 20 gauge
08 Sept 22 15 Doves, Remington 3200 16 gauge Federal #8 ammo
12 Sept 22 15 Doves, Browning Citori 16 gauge
13 Sept 22 15 Doves, Geco Belgium SXS 1923 16 gauge
14 Sept 22 No Hunt RAIN and getting ready for garage sale
24 Sept 22 02 doves Liegeous D’Arms A Fue 16 O/U, Federal GL
26 Sept 22 09 doves American Arms Royal 20 gauge barrels
27 Sept 22 01 doves, American Arms Brittany 20 gauge
03 Oct 22 03 doves, Zamacola 12 Ga. SXS
Rain, muddy roads

Joined: 24 Jul 2016 Posts: 548 Location: Ohio

12 Gauge for geese and16 for everything else. I do shoot clays with both.

Member Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 2346 Location: West MI

I wanna be Skeettx when I grow up.....

10ga Waterfowl. 16ga Waterfowl, Upland, Clays. 24ga occasional Bunny's & Clays for grins.

All those other oddball gauges as loaners to visiting friends and family for clay games.

..I am primarily a Duck Hunter,and use a sixteen gauge Model 12 95+% of the time, mixing in a little Model 21 16 here and there,except our annual Saskatchewan trip, then it's the Model 12 Heavy Duck,primarily because of ammo availability.
Dove and Quail,lately it's been 16 too,but before lead was banned here,I liked the '28 and Mod.42s...

Member Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 376 Location: North ID.

I use a 16 ga for most of my hunting, but do use a 12 for waterfowl and switch between a 16 and 12 for late season pheasants.

Joined: 28 Jan 2018 Posts: 159

Joined: 28 Jan 2018 Posts: 159

16ga for all shotgun hunting , 16 , 28 and 410 for targets .....BP for all deer hunting that isn't Bow oriented .

12ga for trap, 16ga for everything else. I was actually gonna take a couple of 20's to South Dakota this year but I couldn't find any 20ga non-tox shells Crying or Very sad

!