what's wrong with 16 ga

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I have an old Stevens single shot in 16. Bought it used, refinished the wood, shoot doves with it now and then. LGS has a Ithaca Featherlight in 16 that's tempting at $299, but has an aftermarket recoil pad. If it goes to $250, I might get it anyway. I agree that the 3" 20 gage made the 2 3/4" 16 redundant.
 
I really like my 16 ga Model 12 and prefer shooting it over my 12 ga Maverick 88. I don't know why 16 ga became so unpopular over the decades. I can still find 16 ga at all my local gun shops, Walmart and Academy, just don't see any where near the selection of 12 ga at those same places.
 
Reasons for the 16 decline is touched on above inappropriately sized frames on some guns and the fact the 16 is in the shadow of the12ga for all round practicality and the 20 magnum nipping at its heels dont help.
It is a niche GA in this day and age but those who have used 16s know they have a place and in some cases i feel are superior to the ubiquitous 20ga, a clear point of reference in this aspect of the 16ga is the Ithaca model 37. I had a ithaca model 37 featherweight in 20ga 26 inch barrel mod choke very nice shotgun, but it felt less alive in the hands compared to the 16ga my budy had, to 20 ga felt pokey the little extra mass in the 16ga in my case helped with handling i felt.
I had a 16ga belgian FN browning A5 the 2. 58ths chambered model hard to find ammo for and 70mm was too much as was the compromise 67mm cases it was 65mm only or 2.5 inch but reloads or suitable ammo and this gun i adored how it handled the above comparison of it and the 12s and latter 20 is perfect analysis on the 16ga browning A5s.
I will have another A5 16 only this time i wont ever part with it.
 
I have two 16's, a Model 12 with a 28" solid rib/full choke and an old Lefever Nitro Special that I had cut down to a 20" coach gun because the end of one of the 28" barrels was pitted almost through about 4" from the muzzles.

My first squirrels and doves were taken with the Model 12 many moons ago, and I shoot trap with the gun every once in a while just for nostalgia's sake.
I can find Federal game loads at my LGS and occasionally at Wal Mart...they are a bit pricier than the 12 and 20, but they're less expensive than the .410 3" I need for an 1100...those things run 15 bucks a box and more...:what:
Riomouse911 I bought a case of Herters 3" 410 # 6 a few days ago from Cabela's. $8.84 a box sure beats Remingtons prices.They pattern well in my little BPS.
 
I have several 16ga shotguns, the latest is a rem model 31. I have picked quite a few boxes of 16ga shells at yard sale, flea markets and small gun shows and at very good prices( 2.00-3.00 a box). eastbank.
 
The best squirrel gun I have is my wife's dad's 16 ga. Iver Johnson circa WW2 single shot. No serial number and most of the bluing and case hardening long gone. It reaches way out and up in the trees. I have a Weatherby and Mossberg shotgun, but this old gal is light and goes into the woods with me often.
Have basically the same gun, also. "Champion" on the buttplate. Actually had it refinished years ago. Total waste of money, I know. But wouldn't take anything for Granddaddy's old gun.
 
Riomouse911 I bought a case of Herters 3" 410 # 6 a few days ago from Cabela's. $8.84 a box sure beats Remingtons prices.They pattern well in my little BPS.
I have seen those advertised, those are Cabela's house brand, right? I'm glad someone has tried them and they work well, even with shipping it looks to be less than buying at local retail prices.

It looks like I need to jump on a few cases before this state's stupid "mail order ammo ban" kicks into effect January 1 and decreases crime 10-fold :cool:
 
There's nothing WRONG with it, as far as I'm concerned- except the price, availability, and selection of ammo. It seems they are more favored by the quail/pheasant type crowd. I know i can take my mossberg 930 12 gauge, and get the ammo required to hunt dove, deer, turkey, bear, small game, waterfowl, home defense, etc. at pretty much any place that sells ammo- and even have several choices for each task listed. Not so much for the 16. The only 16 we have is a NEF crack barrel that belonged to the wife's late father. I bought a box of #6 for it, to test it and because its my policy not to have a gun that I don't at least have a few rounds for. Anyhow, it kicked like a horse. So whoever gets it next will end up with the gun and 23 shells.
 
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Have basically the same gun, also. "Champion" on the buttplate. Actually had it refinished years ago. Total waste of money, I know. But wouldn't take anything for Granddaddy's old gu
....... Same here except it was my dad's..... The old Iver Johnson "Champion" models of single shot break-open shotguns. The first shotgun he ever had (it's a 16 ga.) and he got it new from a local Western Auto store circa 1940-41.. It was "loaned" to an older cousin in the latter 1950's until 1967 when I got it. In 1978 a local gunsmith re-blued the barrel assembly and gave the receiver a beautiful case-hardening and did some other minor things to it. It's full choke ( called "Choke Bore" on the barrel markings). This was dad's pheasant gun once upon a time and I had always heard that 16 ga. stuff worked well on pheasants while being good to your shoulder at the same time. I've also heard that growing up from several other old time pheasant hunters. I guess back then some of the 20 ga. shells weren't capable of what they are nowadays. Now that I'm retired I plan to try to find some 16 ga. target loads if possible and see if this old 16 ga. could break some clay birds just for kicks. Hasn't been fired since 2012 and since 1998 before that according to my log book so it 's due to go out for a little "exercise". It should be fun to play with what is now a "niche gauge" shotgun.View attachment 761179View attachment 761179 IMG_1853.JPG IMG_1852.JPG IMG_1850.JPG IMG_1854.JPG IMG_1846.JPG
 
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Personally I love 16 ga, but why is it so uncommon? It is right between 12 and 20 ga with an optional load of 1 oz. of shot, seems like it would be more versatile then 20 but not overpowered in some applications like a 12 can be. So why is it on the brink of becoming an odd ball gauge?
Same problem with .40SW, think it'll be an oddball in 15 years?
 
Availability of ammo is limited and it is expensive too compared to 12s 20ga, if you are seriously going to run a 16ga high volume shooting crows dove varmints you are at a loss if you do not gear up and reload, the 16ga in stouter style guns is a true performer, it offers potential performance far outside the commercial offerings and it falls inside the category of practical from an economical point of view.
Ammo developed in a sturdier gun not a wall hanger that flipped off the hooks could be real performers in any type of shot steel TSS ITX Bismuth HW Nice whatever you chose. The suitable constructed 16gas give up nothing to the standard 12ga anybody could measure in real terms.
There is a certain satisfaction i find in doing the deed with a gun like the 16GA Knocking a goose out with my old A5 16ga is one goose i remember fondly compared to oh so many others taken with std 12gas regardless of the gun make or model.
 
This thread has become very interesting. So much so that when I was at a local Wal-Mart this afternoon I made a detour through the sporting goods section and was shocked to see that they actually had 4 or 5 boxes of 16 ga. shells right there on the shelf. Can't recall the last time I've seen any in someplace like a Wal-Mart, but then again, I haven't looked for any in years. My previous post stated something about finding some 16 ga. shells if possible and that's what I also did in some G.I. ammo cans that I have right here and forgot about. So now I have at least 75 rounds of various 16 ga. game loads and the local Wal-Mart has a few boxes in stock if I need more ( but they're expensive; even for Wal-Mart, 12 ga. game loads are much cheaper ). Gonna take the old Iver Johnson out and pattern test it one of these days. Did that back in the mid 1990's with some # 6 shot and IIRC it did O.K. but now I need a "refresher course" in shotgun patterns from the old "16".
 
the last box of 16ga shells I bought was at a local flea market, were a box of Remington green-yellow express 3-1/4 dr. eq. 1-1/8 oz # 5 shot for 4.00. and they just happen to be my favorit rabbit load, kills them dead and don,t fill them with shot in my md 12. as the rabbits have been on the decline around the last several years that box should last several years. eastbank.
 
If you want to buy a "new to you" 16 ga., check GunsInternational and Gunbroker.
I thought I'd find a bargain.
Boy, was I wrong ! :eek:


Several days ago Remington 1100 16ga 26" IC plain barrel was listed for sale at Guns International. It did not last the day. Anyone know what #100904196 sold for?
 
the last box of 16ga shells I bought was at a local flea market, were a box of Remington green-yellow express 3-1/4 dr. eq. 1-1/8 oz # 5 shot for 4.00. and they just happen to be my favorit rabbit load, kills them dead and don,t fill them with shot in my md 12. as the rabbits have been on the decline around the last several years that box should last several years. eastbank.

If you watch Cabela's you might find a deal on Italian loaded Herter's line for <$60 per 250 cartridges.:)
 
Remington did the 16ga in the black synthetic sportsman model a few years ago, do they still do them in this model now? They would be a nice choice if you wanted to get a modern versatile 16ga shotgun at reasonable price.
 
I'm starting to think there may be somewhat of a resurgence in 16 ga. interest. Today I was at Dick's Sporting Goods and wandered through the sporting goods dept.. They had boxes of Rio 16 ga. game loads ( # 6 shot ? can't recall ) for $7.97 IIRC. Quite a few boxes; more than I would have expected to see in 16 ga.. Looks like I'm not the only one getting dad's or grandpa's old 16 ga. out and "rediscovering" it. Pretty surprising because I can't recall how many years its been since I saw 16 ga. stuff out on display in as many different places. I bet that during the last great "ammo panic" they were concentrating on big selling shotgun stuff that was in high demand; like 12 & 20 ga.. All I know is that a few short years ago NOBODY had any 16 ga. in stock; at least around here. I'm not a big user of 16 ga. ( my sporting clays gun is a 12) but it's nice to just see it around again.
 
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I have an old Stevens single shot in 16. Bought it used, refinished the wood, shoot doves with it now and then. LGS has a Ithaca Featherlight in 16 that's tempting at $299, but has an aftermarket recoil pad. If it goes to $250, I might get it anyway. I agree that the 3" 20 gage made the 2 3/4" 16 redundant.

Ithaca 37 is superior choice to Remington 870, or Model 12. The old guns with standard receiver and plain fixed choke barrel out handle both 870 and Winchester Model 12 and unlike for Model 12 parts are available through Ithaca of Upper Sadusky Ohio. Walmart relies on high turnover so anything that doen't move doesn't stay in the lineup. The fact that 16ga ammo is available at most Walmarts tells the story of the 16ga. The big advantage to 16ga over 12 ga is that standard ammo is loaded to reasonable ballistic level with no loco lead loads exiting muzzle at 1350fps. Unlike the 16ga the 20ga is simply less than the 12ga because quality of pattern density of 3" shell will be lower and standard 2&3/4" load will have fewer pellets in paper circle when shot from same choke constriction as 16ga or 12ga.
 
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the 16 has a shorter and wider shot column the the 20 so that is an advantage over the 20....... on paper. its like the 30-06 v 270 win, looks good on paper but in the real world not so much. still love my 16s.
 
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