Is the 12 gauge dead?

Is the 12 gauge dead?

From A Break in the Action by Ryan Doughty

June 12, 2026 · 53 min · Season 7 · Episode 8

About this episode

The episode discusses the relevance of the 12 gauge shotgun in modern hunting compared to sub-gauges.

For more than a century, the 12 gauge has been the default answer in the shotgun world. It was the gauge that did everything—quail, pheasants, waterfowl, rabbits, and just about anything else a hunter might pursue. But today, sub-gauges are more popular than ever. Twenty gauges, twenty-eights, and even .410s have developed devoted followings, leaving some hunters to wonder: has the 12 gauge become more gun than most of us actually need? Joining me to explore that question is Gregg Elliott of ...

People in this episode

Host: Ryan Doughty

Guest: Gregg Elliott

Topics covered

  • shotguns
  • hunting
  • firearms
  • sub-gauges
  • 12 gauge

Keywords

  • 12 gauge
  • shotgun
  • hunting
  • sub-gauges
  • firearms

Mentioned in this episode

Products: 12 gauge, twenty gauges, twenty-eights, .410s

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