Josey,
Buy or load some Tungsten 18g/cc 9s in the 12 with 1 1/4 ounces of shot and the 12 will turn into a 45 to 50 yard plus gun easily. The load has 453 pellets and has more energy per pellet than a number 5 at that distance. The same load in number 5 lead has only 217 pellets. The load I am using is 1300 fps and because the pellets are so small they do not lose their velocity at longer ranges as larger lead pellets do. And because the Tungsten Super Shot loads are double shot-cupped and with buffer, I have never had any barrel scoring. The 2 3/4" 20 gauge loads of one ounce 9s more than double the amount of shot in a turkey target at forty yards as compared to a 3" 1 1/4 ounce lead load in the same 20. I have shot lots of targets in the last two years with it (and a few turkeys) and I would never go back to lead or even Hevi-shot (12g/cc). Just my 2 cents.
https://www.tungstensupershots.com/viewtopic.php?t=7
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQUmeHZvrIQ