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Shotgun Ammo

12 Gauge Ammo

In stock from $0.43 / round · 35 of 48 products available now

Clays, birds, buck and slug from one gun. The gauge names a bore diameter and nothing else, so shell length, payload and shot size are the real decision.

In stock today

Cost per round
$0.43 to $10.15
10 Brands
Barnes, Brenneke, Clever, Federal, Fiocchi, Hornady, Paraklese Technologies, Remington, Rio Ammunition, Winchester
Bullet weights
9, 300, 385, 432, 437, 438, 450, 492, 656, 710, 765 grain
Pack sizes
3, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 250, 500 rounds
Learn more about 12 Gauge

At a glance

Also known as
12 ga, 12 bore
Common shell lengths
2.75in, 3in and 3.5in
Common loads
1oz #8 target, #6 upland, 00 buckshot, rifled slug
Typical use
Clays, upland and waterfowl, home defense, deer
Before you buy
Check shell length against your chamber, and read shot size and velocity rather than the brand
Age to purchase
18+ (long-gun ammunition, attested at checkout)

12 gauge is the most versatile bore in shooting. The same shotgun will break clays with an ounce of #8, take pheasants with #6, handle a home with 00 buckshot and take a deer at a hundred yards with a slug, and the only thing that changes is the shell. That flexibility is also the complication: "12 gauge" describes a bore diameter and nothing else, and shell length, payload, shot size and velocity all vary enormously between boxes that look identical on a shelf. Read the end flap, not the brand.

What to know before buyingCommon questions

Before you buy

What to know about 12 Gauge

What people buy it for

  • Trap, skeet and sporting clays
  • Upland bird and waterfowl hunting
  • Home defense with buckshot
  • Deer hunting with slugs, particularly in shotgun-only zones
  • 3-Gun and practical shotgun competition
  • Turkey hunting with dense, tight-patterning loads

Shell length is a safety matter, not a preference

12 gauge shells come in 2¾ inch, 3 inch and 3½ inch. A gun chambered for 3 inch will fire 2¾ inch shells safely; a gun chambered for 2¾ inch must never be fired with 3 inch shells, because the crimp needs room to open and a longer shell in a shorter chamber raises pressure sharply. The chamber length is normally stamped on the barrel. Check it before you buy a case, and check it again on a borrowed or inherited gun.

Shot size numbering runs backwards

The smaller the number, the larger the pellet. #9 and #8 are small and dense: skeet and close clays. #7½ is the general target and close upland size. #6 through #4 are larger pellets for bigger birds. Then the buckshot scale starts over: #4 buck, #1 buck, 0 buck and 00 buck, with 00 the largest and the standard defensive load. Slugs are a single projectile. Confusing #4 birdshot with #4 buckshot is a genuine and consequential mistake.

Light target loads may not cycle a gas semi-auto

Gas-operated semi-automatic shotguns need a minimum amount of energy to work the action, and the lightest, slowest target loads sometimes do not produce it, particularly in a gun that is dirty or newly broken in. Inertia-driven guns are usually less fussy. If you are buying flats of light loads for a semi-auto, buy one flat first and prove it runs.

Steel shot, chokes and waterfowl

Non-toxic shot is federally required for hunting migratory waterfowl, so steel, bismuth or tungsten alloys rather than lead. Steel is much harder than lead and does not deform through a tight choke the way lead does. Older guns with fixed full chokes, and some fine older barrels, should not be fired with steel shot. Check the manufacturer's guidance before putting steel through a gun that predates it, and expect steel to pattern tighter than the same nominal lead choke.

Rifled slugs and sabot slugs are not interchangeable

Rifled slugs (with the angled fins on the outside) are made for smoothbore barrels and shoot acceptably through them. Sabot slugs are made for fully rifled slug barrels and are wasted, and inaccurate, in a smoothbore. Firing a rifled slug through a rifled barrel fouls it badly. Match the slug to the barrel you actually have.

Questions

Common questions

Can I shoot 2¾ inch shells in a 3 inch shotgun?

Yes, and most people do most of the time: a 3 inch chamber handles 2¾ inch shells safely, and a 3½ inch chamber handles all three. The reverse is dangerous: a 3 inch shell in a 2¾ inch chamber has nowhere for its crimp to unfold and pressure climbs sharply. The chamber length is stamped on the barrel; read it before you buy.

What shot size should I buy?

Remember that a smaller number means a bigger pellet. #9 and #8 for skeet and close clays, #7½ as the general target and close upland load, #6 and larger for bigger birds at longer range. Buckshot is a separate scale entirely, with 00 buck the standard defensive size. Slugs are one projectile for deer and large game. Hunting regulations often specify permitted shot sizes and materials. Check them for your state and species.

Why won't my semi-auto cycle light target loads?

Gas guns need a minimum energy to work the action, and the mildest promotional target loads sit right at the edge of it, especially in a shotgun that needs cleaning or has not been broken in. Check the shell's velocity and dram equivalent against what your manual says the gun requires, clean the gas system, and if you are buying flats for a semi-auto, prove one flat before committing to ten.

Do I need steel shot for duck hunting?

Non-toxic shot is federally required for hunting migratory waterfowl, and steel is the cheapest of the approved options; bismuth and tungsten alloys are the others. Before you use steel, confirm your shotgun and choke are rated for it: it is much harder than lead and older barrels and fixed tight chokes may not be safe with it. Steel also patterns tighter than lead through the same choke, so open up a notch.

How much does 12 Gauge cost per round?

12 Gauge runs from $0.43 to $10.15 per round in stock right now. Every price on the page carries its cost per round beside it, so the comparison is one glance rather than arithmetic.

Is it cheaper to buy 12 Gauge by the case?

Usually, yes. We stock 12 Gauge from 3 rounds up to 500, and the cost per round beside each price is what shows whether a particular case actually beats the box. It is not automatic: a discounted box sometimes wins.

Which brands of 12 Gauge do you stock?

Barnes, Brenneke, Clever, Federal, Fiocchi, Hornady, Paraklese Technologies, Remington, Rio Ammunition and Winchester are in stock in 12 Gauge today. Stock changes as the feed runs, so the list on the page is the current one.

What bullet weights does 12 Gauge come in?

The 12 Gauge in stock runs 9, 300, 385, 432, 437, 438, 450, 492, 656, 710, 765 grain. Weight changes how the round feels and where it prints more than most shooters expect, so it is worth matching what you already shoot.

Is 12 Gauge in stock?

35 of the 48 12 Gauge products we list are in stock right now. Out of stock items stay on the page rather than disappearing, so a link you saved still works and you can see what normally sits here.

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