More than half of all shotguns are chambered for 12 Gauge Ammo. The popularity of this shotshell is a result of its versatility. 12 gauge shells are appropriately sized for a variety of hunting activities, like bird hunting and deer hunting, defensive scenarios, and competitive shotgun shooting like trap or skeet. While it generally delivers light to moderate felt recoil, 12 Gauge Ammo is also available in hard-hitting magnum loads.![]()
The contents of the shell vary depending on the design. Some manufacturers load 12 Gauge Ammo with either lead or a lead-free material like steel or tungsten. It also depends on the type of shotshell you need, such as birdshot, slugs, buckshot, or a different self-defense projectile. For example, on paper, a 12ga target shell by Winchester Ammunition weighing 1 ounce and measuring in at 2.75-inches in length will deliver a muzzle velocity of 1,180 feet per second. While this is standard for this shell, a 12 gauge shell from Federal Premium Field & Range with a 1-ounce slug has a muzzle velocity of 1,375 ft/s.
If you're new to shotguns, you may not know how these two popular types of 12 Gauge Ammo differ. To start, buckshot was originally designed for deer hunting. Buckshot shotshells hold a varying number of large, round pellets. For example, one of the most common types of buckshot is 00 Buck (pronounced double-aught buck), and it holds 9 pellets. On the other hand, a slug is a single projectile, usually shaped like a traditional bullet but being much larger and weighing about 1 ounce. Buckshot works because the pellets spread, but it loses accuracy at range. Slugs are beneficial because they tend to remain accurate at longer distances and pack a larger punch, but sacrifice the spread.
The smaller the gauge of a rifle, the larger the shell it accepts. This also usually means that the shell is more powerful, has larger projectiles, and contains more propellant. Therefore, a 12 gauge shotgun is made for much larger game than 20 gauge, which is usually only used for target shooting and small bird and game hunting.
Find a variety of 12 Gauge Ammo in stock from top brands like Winchester 12-Gauge Ammo, Federal Premium 12 Gauge Ammo, Fiocchi 12 Gauge Ammo, Remington 12 Gauge Ammo and more on OpticsPlanet. We offer Free Shipping on most orders $49 or more. Buy a box of shotgun ammo or buy bulk ammo today!
Other categories you might be interested in are 9mm Luger Ammunition, 16 Gauge Ammo, 17 HMR Ammo, and 20 Gauge Ammo.