It’s really confusing, but ever since then, companies manufactured shotgun shells listing the powder load in terms of drams of black powder. Much better for a home defense gun is a 20 gauge. Fortunately, it’s no longer necessary to actually do the calculations necessary to determine the internal diameter of the barrel for the most popular shotgun bores. The difference between 10- and 12-ga. payloads is most apparent in turkey ammunition. Well, are you related to the Marquis de Sade? To determine the size of birdshot, just subtract the shot size from .17″. Would never attempt using it for duck or geese, but then I would never use my 30-06 on a rhino hunt either, and I still shoot trap/skeet with my 12g 870 Wingmaster, not prefered by many in that application but does wonders for me. The 3½” 12 gauge, on the other hand, tops out at 2¼ ozs., and … This is why a 10 gauge shotgun has a larger diameter than a 12 gauge shotgun, which has a larger diameter than a 20 gauge shotgun, etc. The spot where it says “2 3/4 inches” references the length of one of these shells after it has been fired. That’s perfectly understandable because the way shotgun gauges are classified is counterintuitive at first glance. A 3 1/2″ will carry enough shot to kill anything that you are entitled to. ( Log Out /  Up to you. The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI) standards for those same shotgun bore sizes are listed below. The longer shell capability necessitates a longer “shuck” stroke. To settle this same argument a few years ago, I stacked my 12 ga. 3 1/2″ up against a friends 10 gauge. With 10 Ga. you have two and a quarter ounces of 00 or 000 Buckshot; and if you use an Improved Cylinder choke, your pattern should be about 15 inches if you shoot from 20 to 25 yards. Though they are far from the only really good shotgun options, I personally prefer either a Remington Model 870 or a Mossberg 500. Thanks for your support. Sizes other than those listed below are sometimes available in limited numbers. 3-1/2″ 12 1-9/16 oz steel 1300 fps. That means an 8 gauge liner is .2 mm thick! Now we get to the 2 1/2 dram equivalent part. For this reason, they are also the most likely to get mixed up. The shell lengths and gauges listed below are standardized by SAAMI and are therefore the most widely available and easy to find. But it’s so strange how those older black powder weapons were rated and gauged. The 12-gauge is simply too large for the 20-gauge to stand a chance in this area, as the 12-gauge delivers more speed and power to the target. There’s a reason for that. In short, the smaller the gauge of a shotgun, the larger the bore diameter. A dram is a unit of mass from the British Avoirdupois weight system that still remains in varying degrees of use in some of the former colonies. The same principle applied to 8 pounders, 6 pounders, 4 pounders, etc. If it’s a 20-gauge, he is excellent, and if it a .410 he is bragging. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! A 3″ 12 will be better for target shooting practice before hunting season, particularly if you prefer a gas auto. Twelve gauge is about the thickness of a nickel, and 14-gauge is about the thickness of a dime. Obviously, if they’re made out of the same material, a 12 pound round ball will be larger in diameter than an 8 pound ball. Obviously they do nothing about recoil. Thanks so much for taking the time to share this and keep up the good work as I truly enjoyed it. All of the other shotgun bore sizes certainly have their place for specific tasks, like goose hunting for the 10 gauge or small bore skeet shooting for the 28 gauge, but none can hold a candle to the versatility of the 12 and 20 gauge shotguns. load will have a higher velocity than a 2 1/2 dram eq. For example, a 2 Bore rifle has a nominal bore diameter equal to the diameter of lead ball weighing 1/2 pound, a 4 Bore rifle has a bore diameter of a 1/4 pound lead sphere, etc. Most shotgun shells are loaded with lead shot and it’s best to assume that’s what you’re dealing with if the box doesn’t say anything about it one way or another. (Often in error. At the same time, the heavier load fired from a larger bore shotgun comes at the price of more recoil. The difference in 3″ vs 3-1/2″ 12 payload is only 3/16 oz of steel (Reminton 1-3/8 oz 3″ vs 1-9/16 3-1/2″) or 1/4 oz of lead (Remington 2 oz 3″ vs 2-1/4 oz 3-1/2″). We shot at a 55 gal. If we were to fire it out of a 7 lb Winchester Model 101 Field, it would generate 13.9 ft lbs recoil energy. The 10 versus 12 gauge is simply a function of ballistics. The .410 does have a very mild recoil, which makes it popular for smaller framed hunters like children. 28 gauge and .410 shells are small enough they they’ll travel all the way through a 12 gauge barrel without getting stuck. Re: 10 GAUGE VS 3 1/2″ 12 GAUGE. Around here, I would say that 10Ga. The shot pattern of a shotgun gradually expands as range increases. The 10 gauge tends to have another disadvantage though which makes it less favorable in the eyes of some hunters. So shells marketed for waterfowl hunters will state that they contain pellets made of bismuth, tungsten, steel, or some other sort of alloy that doesn’t contain lead. .410 ammunition and shotguns are pretty common and easy to find as well. Indeed, advances in non-toxic shotgun ammunition over the past few decades have dramatically improved the suitability of the 20 gauge for waterfowl hunting. Yes, not as wide a pattern, not as much shot capacity, but easier to swing onto target, and reaches out almost as far as a 12. would be a good choice, since “single projectile” is banned in a area about 40 miles long by a width varying from 5 to 10 miles. Most people probably know that there are 16 ounces in a pound. Today's video is all about shotgun bore sizes! Glad you enjoyed the article Jeremy! This makes it easier to hit a target, particularly one that is moving, out to a certain range. The 20 gauge comes in second, followed by the 28 gauge and the .410 bore. Of all the shotguns in the United States, 12 gauge guns are by far the most popular. This might be an unusual application for some, but we felt it represented a great scenario. It’s substantially more powerful than the .410 bore, but still has a very gentle recoil, even in a lighter gun. ( Log Out /  This is also true with a 10 gauge (or 10 bore) ball compared to a 12 gauge (or 12 bore) round ball. If it were named like all the other popular shotgun bores, it would be approximately 67 gauge. Almost all the 3-1/2″ pumps are converted from the 3″ models by lengthening the receiver and bolt, while redoing some internal stuff. Guess that’s enough clearance depending on which projectile you use. If you plan to use it, think about taking up a position with butt of the shotgun against a wall for bracing. To put it into perspective, here are the thicknesses of the gauge steels in inches: 7 gauge .1793" 10 gauge .1345" 11 gauge .1196" The difference between 11 gauge and 7 gauge is .0597". Everyone thinks that if they buy a 3-1/2″ 12, that they can shoot everything from light 2-3/4″ target loads up to 3-1/2″ Roman candles. Though not as tightly defined as machine screws and nuts which must mate with one another, nails are standardized to some degree, particularly those used for structural purposes. There is one exception to this rule: the .410 bore. For example, the Federal Premium’s 2.75-inch shells loaded with sabot slugs in 12-gauge and 20-gauge have noticeable differences in ballistics. If we were to fire it out of a 7 lb Winchester Model 101 Field, it would generate 13.9 ft lbs recoil energy. Share this and keep up and greetings from a few years ago I! Requires wire that ’ s about it rule # 6 “ all things are never equal ]... To a smaller gauge shotgun is subsequently fired without removing the obstruction it out of a,! Why wouldn ’ t any sane person always pick the 3-1/2″ 10 the is. Less common than the.410 does have a tolerance of +.020″ (.51mm ) some 2 7/8 '' for! '' than 10 gauge and 20 gauge variants that bore size for 40 gauge velocity than 2! 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