Firearms Owners Against Crime
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Tactical shotguns are effective tools for home defense, but a 12 gauge may not be the best choice for many city dwellers. Recently, Mossberg and Remington have come out with tactical pump guns in 20 gauge, and for many people they’re a viable alternative to Grandpa’s 12 gauge “riot gun.”
A 20 gauge tactical shotgun has important advantages for urban dwellers, especially if they’re smaller in stature or are over 50 years of age. To begin with, 20 gauge defense loads have significantly less recoil than full-power 12 gauge loads. For example, a standard-velocity 20 gauge Remington Slugger rifled slug generates about half the recoil of a 12 gauge slug. Using a downloaded tactical 12 gauge slug reduces the recoil, but the 12 gauge still recoils more than most 20 gauge guns firing slugs.
When it comes to buckshot, low-velocity tactical 12 gauge buckshot loads kick about the same as 20 gauge buck, but only because 12 gauge tactical guns are often at least a pound heavier than most tactical 20s. In addition, the bigger and heavier 12 gauge gun doesn’t handle as well as a 20.