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]
Description
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]
Specifications
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]
Recoil
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]
20 20–20–20 club The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2 The 20/20 Experience 20:20 (album) Top 20 on 20 Interstate 20 BEL 20 OSS '20 Chromosome 20 VIC-20 20/20 (American TV program) DECSYSTEM-20 EFW N-20 TOPS-20 AD 20 20/20 (song) List of highways numbered 20 20 Años Interstate 20 in Texas U.S. Route 20 in Wyoming Interstate 20 in South Carolina Huawei Mate 20 20 minutes Jeremiah 20 Polysorbate 20 U.S. Route 20 20/20 (Canadian TV program) 2019–20 Under 20 Elite League Neopup PAW-20 Interstate 20 in Alabama Independence 20 Matthew 20 20 mm caliber ICL 20-20 Indian Championship 2008–09 USS SC-…
20 Shenyang WS-20 Fiat CR.20 20 Greatest Hits Bendix G-20 Fiat A.20 AS-20 Ring chromosome 20 syndrome 20-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid Wisconsin Highway 20 20 bästa låtar 20 to One Aeroprakt A-20 Vista 20-gauge shotgun 20 Fingers (album) 20 (number) 20 Grandes Éxitos September 20 20/20 (The Beach Boys album) February 20 UTC+07:20 Kentucky Route 20 1919–20 Divizia A SM UC-20 Interstate 20 in Mississippi 20 Supersucessos July 20 November 20 December 20 Maryland Route 20 August 20 WNBA Top 20@20 October 20 Tennessee State Route 20 20 Centimeters May 20 Ordnance QF 20-pounder Ishikawajima Ne-20 Poland national under-20 football team January 20 June 20 Revelation 20 Special routes of U.S. Route 20 Xi'an Y-20 USS Barnes (CVE-20) U.S. Route 20 in Indiana AN/USQ-20 Under-20 Four Nations Tournament 20 Lekë 1919–20 Primera Fuerza season Connecticut Route 20 Business routes of Interstate 20 Korg MS-20 AeroVironment T-20 Tecno Spark 20 1806−20 cluster March 20 20-point agreement Ontario Highway 20 20 złotych note 20 bästa Chase XCG-20 Nacra 20 Back in 20 Rheinmetall Mk 20 Rh-202 Chile national under-20 football team BD+20 2457 20 August 1955 Stadium (Algiers) U.S. Route 20 in Iowa M
