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[Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>]

> Thank you James, this is exactly the kind of information on ammunition
> that I need.

I agree with the assertion that a 20-gauge can kick harder than a 
12-gauge shotgun. I have a 20-gauge long-barrel full choke that kicks 
harder than my 12-gauge open choke with short barrel, which is 
designed for short-range personal defense. The 12-gauge also has an 
energy-absorption butt piece. The point is that gauges are not the 
primary factor in how hard a shotgun kicks. The choke, the load, the 
barrel length, the butt design, are all factors.

What has been alluded to but not fully stated is the issue of BB 
numbers in a shotgun shell. The 12-gauge shell contains more BBs than 
a smaller gauge, so at any given range you have a tighter pattern of 
BBs, making the odds of a hit better. Number four, or larger shot, 
which carries a smaller number, is usually adequate to kill or stop 
most critters but if several BBs hit and especially if one hits the 
head, the odds are greater of a stop. So the logic is to use the bigger gauge.

Bev, I think you also asked about slugs and that didn't get a 
response. Shotgun slugs make sense if you need strong stopping power 
but need to shorten the range for safety reasons. But slugs are a 
single piece of metal and unless you are highly expert you will miss 
more shots than not at targets the size of coons. If you need 
seriously strong stopping power you can use buckshot but with only 
about twenty or thirty BBs, it's easier to miss the shot than with 
number fours.

There is no gun or shell that is ideal for everything. What is ideal 
for hawks is inadequate for coyotes. So you have to decide what your 
primary target is and know that the chosen gun and load are a 
compromise for other targets. For an all-around homestead weapon I 
think a 12-gauge is best. The choke depends on your homestead layout. 
If you will mostly shoot from the house out to the chicken area, then 
measure that distance and find out which choke is appropriate, then 
buy a gun with that choke. Then practice and with paper targets 
determine the shot pattern. Then practice shooting safely in a hurry.