12 Gauge
The standard defensive and field shotgun bore — buckshot, slugs, and 12ga setups.
About 12 Gauge
The 12 gauge is the standard shotgun bore for home defense, hunting, and clay sports. With buckshot it delivers devastating close-range power for defense; with slugs it becomes a short-range deer gun; with birdshot it's for clays and birds. That versatility, plus universal ammo availability, is why a 12-gauge pump like the Mossberg 500 or Remington 870 is a classic first long gun.
The main consideration is recoil — 12 gauge kicks hard, which can slow follow-up shots for smaller or recoil-sensitive shooters (a 20 gauge is a legitimate lighter-recoiling alternative for defense). For home defense, run quality buckshot, add a light, and pattern your specific gun at your actual defensive distance.
