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What does the '12' in a 12-gauge shotgun measure?

The number of bore-sized lead balls that weigh one pound.

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  1. The barrel length in inches
  2. The number of shells it holds
  3. Bore-sized lead balls per pound ✔

Why: Gauge is an old measure: how many lead balls the size of the bore it takes to make one pound. Twelve such balls weigh a pound for a 12 gauge, twenty smaller ones for a 20. Smaller number, bigger bore.

Huh, didn't know that: A 12 gauge has a larger bore than a 16 gauge, which is larger than a 20 gauge.

The dad joke
Why did the shotgun go to the gym? To lower its gauge.
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References

Answer: Bore-sized lead balls per pound. Gauge is an old measure: how many lead balls the size of the bore it takes to make one pound. Twelve such balls weigh a pound for a 12 gauge, twenty smaller ones for a 20. Smaller number, bigger bore.

  1. Massachusetts Hunter Education Lesson 2B Firearms Basics www.mass.gov/doc/lesson-2b-firearms-basics-0/download
    It is measured by the number of lead balls, equal to the diameter of the bore, it takes to weigh one pound.
    Checked 2026-10-08.
  2. CT DEEP Hunter Safety Exam Answer Key portal.ct.gov/-/media/DEEP/hunting_trapping/pdf_files/Hunter_Safety_Manual/ExamAnswerKey.pdf?la=en
    a. 20 gauge (3) b. 16 gauge (2) c. 12 gauge (1)
    Checked 2026-10-08.

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Test yourself in the game

Hunting SafetyWhich common shotgun is named by its actual bore measurement, not by gauge?Hunting SafetyYou slip and fall while carrying your shotgun. What should you check before shooting again?Hunting SafetyWhat can happen if a 20-gauge shell is loaded into a 12-gauge shotgun?

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