Mike
Thanks for your reply. In answer to your questions:
  • I have only shot a 12 GA when I went bird hunting (called rough shooting) with a friend in England where I grew up. If I remember rightly I had a sore shoulder after shooting a box of shells (not sure what the load was).
  • I will be shooting factory ammo.
  • I'm 5'-7" with a medium frame (165lbs.) and I'm retired.
  • I guess being from England I like the side by side. I have a 16 gauge by WP Jones of Birmingham and also a 12 gauge with Damascus barrels by William Jones of Liverpool. Both are straight stocks with double triggers. I don't want to shoot them as they are too valuable.
I was talking to a couple of guys while checking out a local sporting clays club and they suggested that the recoil from a 12 would be felt less than a 20 due to the weight of the gun.
Thanks
Alan