SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/hunt-20-gauge-in-12

What can happen if a 20-gauge shell is loaded into a 12-gauge shotgun?

It can slide down the barrel and become an obstruction.

  1. It fires normally with less recoil
  2. It can lodge in the barrel as an obstruction ✔
  3. The gun simply will not close

Why: A smaller shell can drop past the chamber and stick in the barrel. If a proper 12-gauge shell is then fired behind it, the barrel can burst. Check every shell you load, and never mix gauges in your pockets.

Huh, didn't know that: Hunter education says the only ammunition you carry should match the gauge or caliber you are shooting.

The dad joke
Why did the 20-gauge shell feel small? It was always measured against a 12.
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Sources

  1. NSSF, Rules of Firearms Safety https://www.nssf.org/safety/rules-firearms-safety/

Test yourself in the game

Hunting SafetyWhat is a shotgun shell that fires one single projectile called?Hunting SafetyAccording to the NSSF, how far can shotgun pellets travel?Hunting SafetyYou slip and fall while carrying your shotgun. What should you check before shooting again?

That's stuff everyone should know.