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?

Last edited by gwsmith; 12/03/13 11:51 PM.