Shotguns: On why I prefer a 20 ga.

[Lees]

From here: Petzal: A Cautionary Hematoma Tale | Field & Stream

The pic says it all. I've never even gotten an actual bruise from a 12 ga., but stuff like this takes all the fun out of it for me. I have taken a lot of crap from male relatives on my preference of a 20 ga., but seriously, while I'll shoot a 12 ga. if I have to, I'm not voluntarily training with one. Same goes for any long gun with a big kick.

 

[jve153]

Its been said time and time again that a 20ga is a great defensive weapon. Almost as much power, easier follow up shots.

 

[jdhaines]

I am literally afraid to take a shotgun class with my shorty 870 with a plastic Choate stock and 1/4" butt pad. I've shot 50 rounds of 7.5s through it at clays while I was testing it...My jaw was bruised, shoulder was bruised, etc. I can't imagine a 2 day shotgun class. F that.

 

[remman]

The only caption that fits: "you're doing it wrong." with the bruising on the arm like that, the person in that pic is doing something seriously wrong, which probably involves putting other people in danger. Repeated poundings to an area is going to leave a bruise. Doesn't matter what gun you're shooting. It just takes longer with smaller guns. In the article, Petzal says to not shoot cheap shotguns. I like Petzal and enjoy reading his stories, but I'm gonna go ahead and call bull crap on that one. I've got a few Rossi shotguns from walmart. For less than $200, they are scary accurate, and don't kick any worse than my $500 remmington o/u. It's all about technique. Use the wrong technique you're gonna get hurt.

 

[Mosinguy]

Just like a Mosin, keep it tight to your shoulder, SHOULDER, not your arm!

 

[miguel]

Just like a Mosin, keep it tight to your shoulder, SHOULDER, not your arm!

This.

A friend and I have had the same discussion about Mausers. "Kicks like a mule" they say. We shot it and were like, WTF? Certainly more than a 22 or AK, but c'mon.

Hyperbole or proof that America has gone pink.

 

[mydoghasfleas]

I would say you may be unconsiously not holding tight against your shoulder when actualy pulling the trigger...that or your on some anticoagulants.

But hey, nothing wrong with a 20 gauge either!

 

[Lees]

Nope, that wasn't me. That's a dude's arm! I'm actually quite capable of shooting a 12 ga. without any bodily injury. I know all about keeping it tight to the shoulder. It's that one time that I inevitably will screw it up that scares me. I'll take the 20, thanks.

 

[88GT]

Nope, that wasn't me. That's a dude's arm! I'm actually quite capable of shooting a 12 ga. without any bodily injury. I know all about keeping it tight to the shoulder. It's that one time that I inevitably will screw it up that scares me. I'll take the 20, thanks.

One time probably won't leave a bruise like that either.

12 or 20 wouldn't have made a difference for that dude.

 

[SSGSAD]

I have NEVER held any long gun, against my ARM... but I have been bruised, by a 12 ga ... two friends and I went to the range, with a box of clays, and 100 12 ga., shells well we shot all 100 rounds, and I was bruised for a week ... but NOT that bad ...

 

[Leo]

That is a lot of the reason that specifically designed trap shotguns have such big stocks and are so heavy. The weight absorbs a lot of the recoil. If you are at a big shoot you might be shooting 200 or 250 shots a day for 3 days. If you do well and make it into the eliminations, you may shoot that much for another day or two. If you start to hurt on the first day, you may as well pack up and go home. My Beretta trap gun is heavy AND I have a coil/hydraulic recoil system made by Ken Rucker. 1000 shots in a week only drains my wallet, my body does not hurt.

I find the 20 gauge (and the 28 gauge) to be very challenging and fun shooting full speed, full angle registered trap, from the full handicap distances. More than once I have suggested to the ATA and bigger clubs to open a sub gauge classification. Skeet and sporting clays already have sub gauge classes. I have seen no action towards that yet, but I shoot a 20 gauge skeet gun for trap every once and a while.

 

[Knight 1]

I would suggest you get a better recoil pad and that you may be holding the gun incorrectly. It's been my experience that some people will loosen up after a hard recoil and cause more problems. Opposite of what you would think.

 

[MtnBiker6510]

I'm against the summary at the end "don't shoot cheap shotguns"? The injuries are a result of the shooters' improper positioning of the shotgun not the cost of the shotgun. Its an irrelevant point.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

How about just not holding the gun like a pudknocker?

It's not that tough, you just have to be smarter than the gun. Off to gun school with you gun writer.

 

[jdhaines]

Just because the bruising is on his arm doesn't mean that the damage occured there. It says in the article that he tore his upper pectoral muscle and his bicep muscle. If you tear some tissue under the skin, you can get a huge bruise in places where the damage didn't actually occur. I'm not saying he didn't do something wrong, just that he didn't have to hold it against his bicep to cause that damage.

 

[monitor51]

Wow, that is UGLY!!! I'm in the something is wrong here camp. Most likely holding more on the arm then the shoulder and not tight. Last time I went out trap shooting I went through 100 rounds of 12GA 7 shot and had very light bruising while wearing a t-shirt.

As mentioned meds could be part of the issue or something else we don't know about.

 

[indiucky]

I am a male and I began using 20 gauges at age 25 and have never looked back. I did alot of dove hunting and the 20 gauge does most everything a twelve will (except ducks and geese) and do it with less recoil.

IMHO of course.

 

[rugertoter]

From here: Petzal: A Cautionary Hematoma Tale | Field & Stream

The pic says it all. I've never even gotten an actual bruise from a 12 ga., but stuff like this takes all the fun out of it for me. I have taken a lot of crap from male relatives on my preference of a 20 ga., but seriously, while I'll shoot a 12 ga. if I have to, I'm not voluntarily training with one. Same goes for any long gun with a big kick.

Wow man, thats brutal! I can't remember the last time my 12 did that to me - even shooting 3" Turkey loads! There is nothing wrong with the 20. If you load it with the proper load, it will get the job done for you. So many people are so caught up in super powerful guns anymore, that they forget the first idea of going to the range is to become a better shooter and to have fun. Well, at least for me anyway. I shoot more .22 LR than any other caliber, and when I do shoot the heavy stuff, I will only shoot about 10 rounds or so and make sure I hit my mark. Get well soon!

 

[Zoub]

If you kill someone with a 20 gauge no one can argue you that you are doing it wrong.

If you miss with a 12, what good is it to anyone. A miss is a miss.

I use both. Dead is dead with a gauge.

The guy in the OP is surely not nicknamed "the gretest shotgun instructor of all time" He is doing it wrong. BUT that is exactly why many women shoot a shotgun two or three times and they are D-O-N-E with them. They are allowed to shoot a gun that does not fit them and shoot it wrong. Even a .410 shot like that will destroy a shooter in short order.

 

[yotewacker]

I have shot up to 500 times a day with a 12ga. shooting trap and doves. It seems to me by the pic that the gun is not being properly shouldered. The bruise as I see it should be on the upper shoulder area not the arm. Looks as if he is trying to gangsta shoot it.