The latest upsurge in sales of small-bore shotguns is reminiscent of others in the past three decades. But this time, it feels different.
For many years, the 16- and 28-gauge shotguns, along with the .410 bore, were relegated to the “Eh, yeah, some people shoot them” category. Most gun manufacturers had a 20-gauge in the lineup for hunters, and some had the others for hunting or clays competitors. The 16-gauge was the outlier, the nostalgic connection to the do-all shotgun before the 12-gauge captivated hunters and sporting shooters.
The popularity and practicality of the 12-gauge overwhelmed the others. Ammunition manufacturers produced tons upon tons of 12-gauge shells. They were churned out for upland, waterfowl and turkey hunters, sporting clays shooters, and for the military, law enforcement and self-defense crew. Anyone using…READ MORE
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