As a start, you've made a couple statements in your opener that I take exception to..... no, they are just flat wrong. Those are:
(1) That the cost of the a subgauge gun is more than a 12 gauge. This is true only in the case of vintage double guns. New over/unders are no higher in 20 gauge than in 12. New autoloaders and pumps are comparable in price for 12s vs. subgauges. And face it, most of America's shooters/hunters don't give a rip for what we like, vintage doubles. So, most of America can buy a new subgauge gun for the same cost as a 12.
(2) That all subgauge shells cost more. C'mon buzz, where do you shop for shells? Twenty gauge loads have been the same cost as 12s for so long I can hardly remember when they weren't. I'd agree that 16s, 28s and .410s are higher. But, you included 20s in the mix, and that is just not accurate.
(3) This one is just my opinion, but there are venues where the 12 gauge is NOT "clearly advantageous".
I would pose another, but related, question. Why is it that 12 gauge proponents feel so threatened by the "lesser" gauges, and feel that they must, from time to time, revisit this age-old debate and try to discredit "sub-gauges"?
SRH
