doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com No market for 12 gauge?

I was talking to someone today that works for a manufacturer of fine guns (no need to mention the company) and he made the comment that there was no market for selling high end 12 gauge double guns for hunting. To the extent that the company has considered only offering 16 gauge and smaller guns in the future. I'm a fan of the 12 gauge and hunt with one more than I do any other gauge so was disappointed by the comment and have been thinking about it ever since.

Is nobody really hunting with a 12 gauge anymore or is there such a glut of nice old 12 gauge guns in the used market that folks don't consider ordering new ones? Waterfowl hunting seems to have increased in popularity but obviously most guys are using single barrel guns. I often Hunt ducks with an automatic - primarily because I am humping into places I don't really want to carry a nice double and partly because I like the 3rd shell. However I do occasionally hunt waterfowl with a Model 21 and always hunt upland birds with a side by side (mostly a 12 gauge). I am a bigger guy and still relatively young so the recoil and weight don't really bother me. I do sometimes carry a 16 or a 20 but feel most comfortable with a 12. Maybe I'm the only one left. Any thoughts on the decline of the (hunting or field) 12 gauge?

Just bought RGL. It will be my old age piece if I live long enough. The selection of 12ga loads is unbeatable.

There is something of a glut of 12s (both good and mediocre). This is caused by the aging of the Baby Boomers and their desire to continue to hunt through middle and early-old age with much lighter guns. The classic example of the "pig in the python" where there are not enough people (who hunt) coming behind them to use the guns they have left behind.

I rarely hunt with a 12 ga. The last time I used one of my 12 ga guns was when I went to Last Dollar's place in 2011. Although I did shoot a few roosters with a borrowed 870 12 ga this October in SD as it was all that was available.

Ithaca Classic Doubles focused on small gauges. The RBL was introduced in the 20 ga. The Parker was rreintroduced in 28 ga. Sales of small gauges in fine doubles must be driving it. I'd guess the overwhelming majority of sxs doubles are sold to people with white hair.

I think it's just a trend of older hunters to want slender, petite, softer spoken, and lately, longer appendages rather than the fullfigured ones of our youth. At least for me and a number of my friends anyway. I also like small gauge guns more.

I would not trade my 12 bore for a smaller bore gun. I'm 42, 6'2" and close to 200lbs. A gun that weighs 6lbs, 9ozs is not a burden for me. Might change as I get older, but at this point I see no reason to pursue a sub-gauge shotgun.

As long as there are ducks and geese I will use a 12. Even though I know they can be taken with lesser gauges, I won't. I believe in matching the load to the quarry, as much as possible.

I've got no problem with making a light 12 do what a 20 is meant to do. But I do have issues with trying to make a smaller gauge do what the 12 is meant for.

Probably a lot of truth to Chuck's premise about old guys buying most of the doubles, and to extend that line of thought, waterfowling, the domain of the 12, is a tough game for many older guys, and not as attractive to them.

SRH

If I have been told that 12 bores are out of favour once I have heard it a dozen times over my now long shooting career. I just put it down to salesman talk and my reasoning is this you can obtain loads for 12 bores ranging from � an ounce to 2 ounces so because you have a 12 bore does not mean you do not have to use the heaver loads. Also because of my advancing years and the associated aches and pains my cartridge load is now down to 21 gram this coupled with the slightly weightier 12 bore gun means that the recoil is down to an acceptable level for my not so good as it was shoulder so what will shoot a lot will shoot a little.
I think I would like to make a prediction which is �Ice Skates will be compulsory for travelling to hell� the day manufacture of the ubiquitous 12 bore is ceased.

"Pig in the python"-- or perhaps "The honey in the Lion"--I have been buying used 12 bores for years, rather than the 16, 20 or even smaller gauges. Why: ??- (1) More of the 12's made than the other gauges, so the law of supply and demand prevails (2) Best prices and selection of ammo and reloading components (3) All my shotgunning heroes shot 12 bore guns: Nash Buckingham, Ray P. Holland, Paul A. Curtis--

Well me and a small group of gentlemen shoot some vintage English guns some are hammerguns every week at clays here in North Carolina and we all shoot vintage 12 bores that weigh under or slightly over 7 pounds and we use light loads.
I do agree that one of the next guns I may purchase will be a 20 bore since you can shoot clays and game and it will do whatever a 12 bore can do. But I feel no way at a loss shooting the light English 12 bores.I can shoot a 7/8 ounce load or a 1 ounce load.

My .02,

1 SxS guns are a niche market. A market that is not normally rooted in practicality.

2 The RGL aside most of the newly made 12 Ga SxS guns are too heavy to meet the desires of most of the above niche market. The RBL 12 ga. for example. This criticism does not extend to the RBL 12 on the 16 Ga. frame.

3 There are a lot of good used 12's on the market for a lot less money than anyone could possibly build and sell one.

4 O/U's dominate the clays games. SA's have the waterfowl market. Fire power over style power.