SHOTGUNS

Missileer

Missileer

Active member
Does anyone know, without looking it up, how shotguns came to be measured in gauges and what a gauge is? I just want to see if what I heard years ago is common knowledge.
 
Well WITHOUT looking it up it isnt a very factual response ;) lol

Aren't the gauges of shotguns just how much shot it can hold, or the amount of powder the shell can have?? As for the name gauge YOU GOT ME.

interesting question :D
 
SMPRfidlis said:
Well WITHOUT looking it up it isnt a very factual response ;) lol

Aren't the gauges of shotguns just how much shot it can hold, or the amount of powder the shell can have?? As for the name gauge YOU GOT ME.

interesting question :D
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Close but as you know, that's only good in horseshoes and hand grenades. :D
But on to the gauge thing. It was a British method that stuck. Let me simplify, if you melted one pound of lead and made an equal number of balls using an arbitrary size of ball mold, then however many of those balls or shot you counted would be the "gauge" of that shotgun. 12 balls of lead such size that one ball will fit the bore of your barrel and equals a pound is a 12 gauge. 8 balls of equal size= an 8 gauge. The gauge was a diameter measurement used for making lead molds.

The only gauge that differs is not a gauge at all but a caliber. The .410 is an actual caliber size but gauge stuck with it too. I read this junk in a gun magazine years before there was an internet and thought it was so weird that I remembered it. :)
 
Well now we know don't we!!!

What is the biggest (lowest?) gauge there is???? i think the biggest i have heard of is 12 but you say there is at least an 8??? lol those must pack a little punch :box:

i can just see a one gauge.... maybe a tank gun???? :shock: :?:
 
There is the 10 gauge which is still used today in the US for some hunting. Most folks use it to hunt Geese. But now that is becoming a thing of the past. A 10 gauge shotgun weighs a ton and kicks like a mule. But there are now a couple of companyies making a 3 1/2 inch 12 gauge. It's the same power as a ten without all that weight. I have a Benelli Nova and it's great. It'll knock ducks out of the sky as if they were right in front of me. To my knowledge the largest gauge was a 4 gauge shotgun. Or what was called a punt gun. It was used to harvest large amounts of ducks in one shot. And the thing was mounted on a boat. It wasn't a shoulder fired gun. THe 10 gauge is about the largest legal gauge you can use to hunt in the Great State of Florida.
 
5.56X45mm said:
There is the 10 gauge which is still used today in the US for some hunting. Most folks use it to hunt Geese. But now that is becoming a thing of the past. A 10 gauge shotgun weighs a ton and kicks like a mule. But there are now a couple of companyies making a 3 1/2 inch 12 gauge. It's the same power as a ten without all that weight. I have a Benelli Nova and it's great. It'll knock ducks out of the sky as if they were right in front of me. To my knowledge the largest gauge was a 4 gauge shotgun. Or what was called a punt gun. It was used to harvest large amounts of ducks in one shot. And the thing was mounted on a boat. It wasn't a shoulder fired gun. THe 10 gauge is about the largest legal gauge you can use to hunt in the Great State of Florida.
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8ga. here in Kentucky.
 
5.56X45mm said:
Or what was called a punt gun. It was used to harvest large amounts of ducks in one shot. And the thing was mounted on a boat. It wasn't a shoulder fired gun.
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gun.gif

THIS is the punt gun (also the NZ navy lol)
 
Hunters who used the huge bores were professional hunters and supplied large amounts of ducks and geese to the markets. They also wiped out the passenger pigeon. I think that came to a halt in the 1920s or so. 5.56 can tell you more of the history end of the pro hunters.
 
THe prfessonal hunter is still alive and well. They are now just called Hunting Guides. And back in the day, so game was hard to raise on a farm. So you had to get a professional hunter to do all the work.


And a shotgun for any tactical situations is both good and bad. A Remington 870 is the best master key in the world. ALso at least one man of a SWAT Team carries a shotgun. A shotgun is good for police work and close quartters combat for the military. The main problem is the ammunition capacity. You're talking about somehting like 7-8 rounds of ammunition. The standard battle rifle holds 20-30 rounds of ammunition. Also the pistol holds more ammunition. But when it comes to certain things. The Shotgun beats them all. Hence why I keep a customized Remington 870 for home defense. Also with a AR-15 and a Customized Springfield Armory 1911A1 pistol.
 
I want to get a Saiga-12S Exp-01-030. I have no idea if IzhMash will sell me one, though, since it's meant for special forces and police. Should be legal in the states. If I ever get it I'm keeping it loaded with 3" 00 buckshot and I'm getting an Aimpoint Comp M3. It is a pretty nice shotgun, though cheap compared to western designs. 8-round detachable magazines, Kalashnikov reliability and durability, comfortable AK-74M type folding stock (unlike the Saiga-12K it can fire while the stock is folded), and a built-in Picatinny rail.

If I am unable to procure one of those, I think the next best option would be a Benelli M3T with similar optics. And of course, the M3 can fire all sorts of things since you can switch it over to pump-action any time.
 
I've done that salute too much today , my god ......no offense sirs .....

what about the old model 12 trench shotguns ? they were great shotguns could take out 3 guys at once .... and its a pump ashotgun so you can fire on the run , though ammo is a big issui , but in close quarters combat , the shotgun is great wide open area , not so great ....
 
major liability said:
I want to get a Saiga-12S Exp-01-030. I have no idea if IzhMash will sell me one, though, since it's meant for special forces and police. Should be legal in the states. If I ever get it I'm keeping it loaded with 3" 00 buckshot and I'm getting an Aimpoint Comp M3. It is a pretty nice shotgun, though cheap compared to western designs. 8-round detachable magazines, Kalashnikov reliability and durability, comfortable AK-74M type folding stock (unlike the Saiga-12K it can fire while the stock is folded), and a built-in Picatinny rail.

If I am unable to procure one of those, I think the next best option would be a Benelli M3T with similar optics. And of course, the M3 can fire all sorts of things since you can switch it over to pump-action any time.
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There are legal but they are no longer made. The company that made them was purchased by remingotn and that firearm was discontinued. You can still get them for a good price at a gun show. They are pretty cool. 5-7rd magazine, AK action, Rifle type stock and design. I want one but I've yet been able to find one for a cheap price.
 
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