size of shotgun used

[jnyman]

Im curious, I no nothing of shotguns but would like to hunt pheasants and grouse. IM looking at purchasing a shotgun for these specific birds would I wanna go with 12GA or 20GA or a different size. I want to get an over under cause i really like the look and feel of them.

[beeker]

either will do just fine. go with what feels best for what you can afford.

[kenhuntin]

shotgun gauge is determined by how many lead balls the diameter of the bore it takes to make 1 pound. Unless your speaking of a .410 which is caliber. The lower you go in gauge obviously gives you more payload. The bigger 12 ga. can give you an advantage for farther targets because more shot is in the air backed by more powder. Ultimately if the gun feels good to you and you can maneuver a lighter 20 ga. better than a 12 then pick the 20. Most stores have a better supply of shells for 12 than 20 also

[MN RACK ATTACK]

Yea, you do get better performance, such as distance and knock down with a 12 but I use a o/u 20 and it works great for me. Ken is right in saying whatever fits you best is the way to go. I have a freind who uses a 28 gauge and does just as well as me.

[Randy Kaar]

For grouse, I like a 20 gauge, If you think you might duck hunt someday you might just get the
12 gauge and you will be set for most hunting and trap shooting.

IMO

randy

[The General]

All guns are fun, but if you are only going to own one get a 12 gauge.

[beeker]

the general is right.. if you have to get just one get a 12... but again it's all up to what you can afford and what feels right.. especially witha o/u

[thunderpout]

I started out a pump gun guy, now Im a O/U & SxS guy... wont use anything else, Love O/U's Ive had a bunch of em, tried to get by with a 12g to hunt grouse, pheasants and shoot clays with.... there is no perfect gun to cover those, and Im not even a waterfowl hunter.... I guess I agree with the other guys sayin the 12g would do it all better... but I used a 20g citori uplander for years on pheasants even though it was really the perfect grouse gun.(24"bbls, about 5 3/4 lbs)  You just need to know the limitations of the gun... I didnt take those looong 60yd pokes at roosters in the wind with that gun... but then again, you shure dont need a 8lb 3 1/2 mag 12g for grouse hunting!  Id still have that awesome little 20g Citori if I didnt take up sporting clays... it all started a chain of events... first it was to find a 12g O/U that "covered it all"  and since then, Ive tried to find it... but it really doesnt exist... the quick, responsive grouse gun isnt the best clays gun, and vise versa... the closest O/U I found that was closest to what your looking for is a light weight, shorter barreled gun,  I had a 12g Browing citori uplander with 24" barrels, it came close to covering it all, but it was a little too light and "whippy" for sporting clays... Beretta and Browning make some nice guns like that, the Citori Feather etc.  Ive seen some pretty nice used ones out there also.... they're out there for sale cause of guys like us trying to find that perfect gun!   For the time being, Im back to two guns, a 12g O/U for clays and pheasants, and a little SxS for grouse.  Those guys are right on though,  after being able to afford it, whatever you go with, make sure it feels right and fits you well... thats the most important thing!

[Bobby Bass]

I shoot a side by side 20 and have for many years. I like being able to select different loads for each side when grouse hunting. I will usually shoot 6's out of the full and 8's out of the mod. Lets me hunt dense cover and have a choice of shooting right away at the flush or waiting out a good shot. Of couse it does take awhile and a lot of practice to pull the right trigger. 

[thunderpout]

Right on Bobby.... the guys that always rip on O/U's and SxS's always bring up the fact that you only have two shots... I always say, "some guys only need one, the second is just there for confidence..." & if its an ejector gun, you can drop two more shells in faster than the empties hitting the ground.... But yeah, Bobby, not only do ya have two barrels with the option of two different loads in each, and ya can choose triggers (double triggered SxS) or a barrel selector on O/U's, but if ya have choke tubes, you even can choose how tight each shots pattern is for each load/barrel!   ie: first shot, open skeet or cylinder tube with #8 or #9 spreader load.... second shot, modified tube with max load #6 or #7 1/2 shot to try to rip thru some leaves...  Its nice to have options!   Its weird Bobby, when I got my 20g SxS. I was a bit worried about getting used to the double trigger factor, but picked it right up, must of had one in a past life...?   Its only when I go back to the 525 O/U that I will sometimes be lookin for that second trigger... thankfully it doesnt happen alot... hasnt cost me a bird or a clay target yet....

[Bobby Bass]

Best way to learn how to shoot grouse is with a single shot, you make em count then. Have seen to many guys wait and wait and wait for a better shot on a flush and the bird is gone and you are still watching. I will admit that till I learned how to shoot by s x s I would shoot and race to get that barrel reloaded. But after shooting a season of sporting clays I just dare that second bird to get up!

 Now shooting grouse up here in the pine woods and swamps is a lot different then shooting birds over corn. The 20's are nice and quick and a tad lighter humping through the swamps. Actually when the leaves are all down and we got some snow cover a lot of times I will take out my 20ga single shot. It is like carrying nothing and in a full choke you can reach out and swat birds from a distance. With one of them little sleeves on the stock to hold extra shells I can load and shoot a second or third shot real quick. Only problem there is when your vest is full of birds it makes it a little harder to get the gun up 

[jnyman]

Thanks for all the info its been great and a good learning experience. I have no intrest in duck hunting, just pheasant and grouse, mostly grouse. IM thinkin the 20GA SXS or O/U will be what I will go with should only take one shot LOL

[Go Big Red!]

An O/U would fit best then if not chasing ducks.  I someday will add a nice O/U in either 12 or 20 gauge to my collection.

Wonder if you know of anyone who would let you test their gun before you buy?  Wouldn't hurt if you had the chance.  I hate to think that you might buy one and decide later that it's not the best fit for you or what you hunt for.

[brandbll]

12 or 20? 12 or 20?  The simple answer should be 16, but for some reason it isn't.  I use 16 ga. for grouse and i like it a lot.  Unfortunately finding shells you like can be a major pain in the  .  Besides, not sure how many O/Us your gonna find in 16.  Personally, i'd say just go with 12 ga.  That way if you ever decide to go duck or turkey hunting your good to go.

[ATM]

Brandbll, the only draw back I see to the 16 is the ammo selection.  And if on a hunt and you run out in a small town good luck.  As far as the original question both will do fine for grouse and phez.  I would find your price point and go look, find what fits, some guys wnt really lite guns. I am 6'4' and 275 pnds so carrying a 7 pnd 12 is no more bother some than a 6 pnd 20. 

[guythathunts]

1 gun - 12ga - I have a lot of guns but if I had to choose one to keep it would be the 12ga - You can hunt anything from Bear to squirls with it. 20ga is a nice gun, but every bait shop and walmart and gas station that has 1 box of shels left on the shelf with have 12ga shells. Good luck in your search. If i were you I would buy a bunch of them though!