Chuck;
Now don't get me wrong, I like the 20ga. Have owned several & hunted them with complete satisfaction of the years. it was just the statement;
The pheasant would be the only bird (if wild pheasant) that would even seem worthy of a 12g shell, IMO
that drew attention.
So my question here is still what constitutes worthiness.
When I was using a 20ga extensively my favorite load was the old 2½de-1oz field load. The handload I was using in the above mentioned 12ga had an approximate "2½de-1oz". "Why" would one be more "Worthy", just because of the different size of the hole down the bbl??
I even note many proponents of the 28ga extolling it's virtues using a full oz of shot.
The question was not about one's favorite, which I had inserted mine is the 16ga, but about the "Best all-Around". Even for the uplands, even for small birds, especially as he did include pheasants, the 12ga still wins hands down as Best All-Around.
Sticking purely with factory loads it has readily available loads from 1 - 1½oz in the standard 2 3/4" length, A range available in no other gauge.
To say a grouse, quail, woodcock etc is "UnWorthy" of a 12ga simply sounded Elitist to me. There simply is no reason for anyone to ned to apologise for carrying a 12ga loadeds appropriately if they so desire, even if their quarry should be the "HummingBird".
Now, they would likely need to appologise for shooting hummingbirds, but not for their choice of gauge.
