The 12-gauge shotgun represents an all-around type of weapon. It has so many options when it comes to choosing the preferable type of load. Even though the 12-gauge shotguns are lighter, its power is strong enough for different hunting applications.
Most gun owners have a 12-gauge shotgun because there are so many different loads that they can get for their shotgun, unlike rifles that use 17 hmr ammo. Also, there aren’t many disadvantages when it comes to characteristics of a 12-gauge shotgun. One that stands out the most is the bigger recoil than the smaller gauges. But besides that, it represents one of the most versatile shotgun gauges on the market.
Since there are so many different types of loads, it’s only natural to mention them in a respectable way and order.
Birdshot
As the name says, birdshot load is suitable for hunting birds. This type of 12-gauge shotgun load is one of the most used among shotgun owners. It comes in many different sizes. The diversity of 12-gauge load makes it suitable for different target game sizes. When it comes to the size of pellets for birdshot, larger numbers represent smaller pellets. This is important to avoid larger amounts of damage dealt to a target, thus making it unsuitable for food. It needs to be mentioned that birdshot isn’t limited to birds only – it can be also used for pest control, sporting games and small game hunting.
Depending on the shell in which the pellet is loaded and its size, the number of pellets varies. For instance, if we use a 12-gauge 2.75” with number 2 shot, there will be 97 pellets in it. If we talk about common sizes of birdshot, the numbers related to the sizes are the opposite of normal numbers. Thus being said, number 2 shot is larger than number 9 shot.
Buckshot
This type of 12-gauge shotgun load, as the name implies, hunters use to hunt male deers or bucks. It has the same cartridge design as birdshot but larger shot within the shell. This is simply because of its main purpose. Since you will be hunting deers, you will need larger projectiles. Besides hunting deers, buckshot is used for home defense and target shooting.
The numbers related to the size of the buckshot have the same rule as with birdshot. Number 1 buckshot is for example bigger than number 4. It has 21-25 pellets per ounce, and No. 4 just 10-12 pellets per ounce. The most commonly used buckshot is 00 Buck, also known as “double-ought”. He is larger than No.1 Buck, but on the other hand smaller than 000 Buck.
Number of pellets in a buckshot cartridge depends on the size of the shell and pellets that are loaded. Since buckshot is larger than birdshot, their cartridges have fewer pellets in them. The 2.75-inch 00 Buck shell can hold 8 pellets, while the 3-inch one can hold 12 pellets.
Slugs
Being designed to shoot multiple projectiles at once, slug loads spread out after leaving the shotgun’s barrel. Thus, their effective range is limited and they function as standard bullets. There are even special slug barrels with rifling grooves in order to stabilize the slug in flight. All that brings us to significantly more damage upon impact and a greater distance than birdshot and buckshot.
Slugs are made from different materials. The most common ones are steel and lead. But there are also, for example, rubber slugs. They can be used for “less-than-lethal” actions. In competitions and hunting, slugs can contain plastic sabot. This gives them more precision while shooting. Other than that, uses of slugs are large game hunting, home defense, breaching barriers and 3-Gun competitions.
The range of the slug is 75 yards. This is mainly because of its design, and it can travel more than birdshot and buckshot. As we said before, since its design is more similar to a bullet, it will perform better at longer distances. Slugs that are used in 12 gauge shells commonly weigh around 0,875 / 1 / 1.25 ounces.
Conclusion
There are so many options for different uses and we hope that the information in this article was useful to all shotgun-enjoyers. There is always something new to learn, and this is a tip of the iceberg. Be sure to stay informed, since there is even more to talk about this particular topic.
