If a 20-gauge shell is placed in a 12-gauge shotgun, what is the danger?

• A. The shell could lodge in the barrel and cause serious personal injury.
• B. The shell will explode immediately.
• C. The shotgun will not fire at all.
• D. It will eject the shell without firing.

Answer: (A)

When ammunition doesn’t match the gun, the bore can be obstructed, creating a dangerous situation. A 12-gauge shotgun is designed to fire 12-gauge shells; a 20-gauge shell is smaller and can slip into the barrel or chamber and become wedged. If such a misfit is fired, the expanding gases have nowhere to go around the obstruction, causing a sudden, extreme pressure spike that can damage the barrel or cause serious injury. That risk is why this scenario is dangerous: the shell could lodge in the barrel and lead to severe harm. Always use the ammunition size specified for your gun.