Let's discuss the market for 12-gauge guns.

[Cold Spring]

Originally Posted by Mike Franzen

Remember, anything a 20 gauge can do, a 12 gauge can do better.

Well said Mike. I shoot sporting quite often with 20 and 28g guns and in the hands of a good shot either will do very well against a 12g. I see that every week with my shooting gang; my friend Lou in particular almost always fields a 28g/32" Browning 725 and he places well against 12g competition guns.

But on an even keel, that's why one well respected club gives 5 and 10 bird (respective) handicaps to 20 and 28g guns at its mixed gauge sporting clays tournaments.

[Tennessee Dave]

50 years ago, as a youngster I traded a 28 ga. for a 16 ga. This was because I couldn't knock the squirrels out of the tallest hickory trees. Luckily both guns were only single shot Stevens. If being used for actual hunting, I believe the 12 ga. is king. Do any duck or goose hunters use small bore guns?

[Double Lab]

The 12 may be king but it is boring. 75% of my sporting clay/5 stand shooting is done with either a 20 or 28. The small frames feels lively in my hands and are just fun to shoot. And that's why I shoot. For fun. Even when I do shoot a 12 at targets they are loaded with 3/4oz loads. Kinda puts some fun back into the 12.

[Andy]

If you look at long term registered sporting clays or skeet shooters I believe over time the 12g always seems to come out on top- by a small percentage (except for .410) and you can take that with a grain of salt if you're a dude or dudette who just plain likes to shoot for fun or hunt. I have personal opinions of registered sporting clays shooters which will remain personal : )

I have one rule: shoot what you like to shoot and screw everyone else.

[Timothy Cicora]

IMHO. The driving factor is usually a spike in need. Again IMHO the 12ga guns were usually considered entry level guns in the sport.( we are not talking about specials or scarce models ) When SXS shooting became popular sellers capitalized . Every sport has a peak and I think the peak is over.

I'm not seeing the newer shooters going to older guns because they don't want the hassle of finding someone to fix it and they don't work on guns. They just want to shoot. They don't share the cool factor I have for shooting a vintage gun.

I've seen it happen with Cowboy action shooting craze, Chopper craze, Hot rod craze, Vintage sniper match craze. I'm sure you get the point.

[Phil Yearout]

I shoot 12's at trap because most all the trap guns are 12's, plus the ammo is easy to find and relatively cheap (note I said relatively!). I don't shoot sporting. If I'm going afield it's a 16, or on rare occasions a 20. I've never owned a 28 and have never had the hankering for one. I have two sxs 12's mostly just because but they rarely get out. I have a .410 sxs too; same deal.

[Ed Blake]

There’s always a market for nice/high grade guns, but if you want to see where the market is check the auction results. Inventory at the big dealers is to a large degree, consignment items. I laugh at the prices on some of that stuff. No one wants to take a discount and lose money; however, based on the time value of money if you don’t sell for substantially more than you paid, you’ve lost money. People selling small bore Parkers now are realizing nice gains, as evidenced by the realized price for that G-grade 28 G&D recently sold. Guns can be great investments, in hindsight, so just buy what you like and shoot it. If steel shot becomes a thing it’s because conservative voters did not get out and vote.

[John Allen]

When I first started out in the gun business many years ago, people were buying double guns to actually hunt with and most went for 12s. Now most buyers are not serious hunters or shooters but think of themselves as "collectors". I realize that all of the members of PGCA are shooters and hunters. But most of the gun buyers I see at shows are at best occasional shooters. They are after the scarcer small bore guns. It gets down to economics 101. The high supply of 12 gauges means a lower price.

[Craig Larter]

One thing I find interesting is people/families rarely throw away an old gun. Other old sporting equipment gets tossed after a new and improved hits the market, but not guns. So the supply decreases very slow and the supply of new keeps growing. The other factor is availability. Before the internet your market for guns was your local gun shop or local gun show. Today, you can see most of the Parkers for sale in the country by checking a few gun and auction sites. The supply of 12ga guns has overwhelmed demand.
So in today's market a 12ga BHE sells for the same price as a GHE 20ga. Send your 12ga BHE's my way please!!

[Double Lab]

Originally Posted by Craig Larter

One thing I find interesting is people/families rarely throw away an old gun. Other old sporting equipment gets tossed after a new and improved hits the market, but not guns. So the supply decreases very slow and the supply of new keeps growing. The other factor is availability. Before the internet your market for guns was your local gun shop or local gun show. Today, you can see most of the Parkers for sale in the country by checking a few gun and auction sites. The supply of 12ga guns has overwhelmed demand.
So in today's market a 12ga BHE sells for the same price as a GHE 20ga. Send your 12ga BHE's my way please!!

I've got the GHE 20 and it's a damascus. Never had a BHE within striking distance but if I did it would be yours.