Do they make new 16 gauge shotgun anymore?

I have some of everything and use a 12 for ducks and geese but for my bird hunting [quail,grouse & pheasant] I only use a SxS 16. They pattern better than any of my other guns, the only one that comes close is my 28. New ones are available but you can get a used one for less money. With skeet not having a 16 ga category the popularly of the 16 went into decline. I understand they are still popular in Europe and there was a 3" 16 years ago in Europe but I have never seen one [do have a SxS marked for 3" but only have 2 3/4 for it.

jmr40 said:

That is because of the shorter shot column. The same shot weight in a 20 has the pellets in a longer column inside the shell and more in contact with the barrel as they pass down the barrel, especially the longer 3" shells. The pellets in contact with the barrel are more likely to be deformed and fly erratically. Of course a 12 shoots even better patterns than a 16 for exactly the same reasons.

I can understand those wanting a 16 just to be different. But for most uses other than waterfowl somewhere between 7/8 oz and 1 1/8 oz of shot is the most useful. That can be accomplished with all 3 gauges and you'll always get the best patterns with a 12. The 20 will always be the lightest and easiest to carry. Most 16's, but not all, were built on 12 ga frames and were no lighter than a 12. While a 16 will certainly work, it has no clearly defined purpose.

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That's the truth.

When you hunt you want the best pattern you can get. The 12 is very versatile. If anyone doesn't believe that just look at a reloading manual sometime. There is data for everything from 7/8 oz all the way up to 1 1/4 oz, and that's just for 2 3/4 shells and lead. The 12 ga data is probably 3 times more than 20 and 16 combined. Of course we can't use lead anymore for waterfowl and some states have banned it outright, but still, the versatility is there.

When I hunted I loaded 1 oz for trap, 1 1/8 for chukars and huns and 1 1/4 for wild pheasants. Wild pheasants are some tough customers, almost like turkeys.

Most people don't believe the long shot string story but it's been photographed and it exists. Still, the 20 is a nice upland gun and I lusted for a Benelli M2 for a long time. Just couldn't justify the cost when I had a safe full of 12's that did it all.

Every male member of my mother family used 16 gauge shotguns including her Father and all of her brothers (she was one of 13). Here is the only one to survive. It was given to me by an Uncle (her brother) before he died some 40 years ago. It is my most cherished possession. A Model 12 Winchester.

Crawdad1 said:

Most if nor all of the older 16 gauges were built on 20 gauge frames or their own dedicated frame. Its only recently that they are put on a 12 gauge frame. That's where the old saying, "Carries like a 20 hits like a 12" comes from and refers to the 16 gauge.

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Must be why, back in 1972, the only time I ever shot a 16 gauge, I found it no easier on the shoulder than a 12. We were shooting my BIL's 12 ga K-mart pump, and a neighbor's 16 ga Remington pump. I fired 5 rounds out of each and they felt the same to me. I can remember wondering why in the world would anybody want a 16? One and only time I fired shotguns, until I bought my own just a few years ago.

Here's my latest 16ga.,



It has short chambers, it took all of 4 days to have a case of "shorter" 16ga. ammo "at my door" and I had a choice of "three" power levels and numerous shot sizes...

DM

Stevie-Ray said:

I fired 5 rounds out of each and they felt the same to me.

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Could be both shotguns were shooting equivalent loads, or the 12 gauge fit you better, or the 16 gauge was lighter than the twelve gauge, or any combination thereof.

Slightly off track, but

When I was looking for a turkey gun, I got a 10 gauge vs. a 12. They can throw about the same amount of shot, but because the 10 gauge is more “square” (diameter of the bore vs. shot column length of the shell), it throws better patterns and has more range.

Now, is it a deal breaker? Maybe, maybe not

At one time I had a 28 gauge for dove hunting. Light, handy. My success rate was more than 2x better than the average where we hunt, maybe because I understood the range limitations. But, the cost of the shells and lack of availability persuaded me to find it a new home.

Crawdad1 said:

"Carries like a 20 hits like a 12" comes from and refers to the 16 gauge.

I would have to say its the ammo manufacturers that did away with the 16 gauge in cost cutting measures.

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I am an 870 fancier, but...

My Dad had a Win Model 12 (about 1932 in 2-3/4") in 16 28" full choke that he "prettied up" in the late 60's, as was the vogue then.

I came home on leave from the USAF to Nebraska in 1972 and, lo and behold, the next day was opening day for pheasant season. He offered his precious Model 12 to me for a day with his Remington High Base (whatever that was) 7-1/2 shot loads. It was much lighter to carry than my 870 12 gauge 26" IC. Within the hunting party of 4, I killed 2 out of 2 pheasants total, and the last one was a lucky (?) shot at 60 paces.

The 16 gauge is nothing to ignore. The problem is getting good ammunition to make it function correctly. Comparing 16 gauge 2-3/4" ammunition to 2-3/4" ammunition in either 20 gauge or 12 gauge is very different. It just works. And the 20 gauge 3" ammo is not even the close with the same load vs the shot column.

It is too bad that the 16 gauge is not that popular, as someone noted that there is not a skeet category for it, and trap is almost always 12 gauge.

Have a good night all.

Jim

DDDWho said:

Every male member of my mother family used 16 gauge shotguns including her Father and all of her brothers (she was one of 13). Here is the only one to survive. It was given to me by an Uncle (her brother) before he died some 40 years ago. It is my most cherished possession. A Model 12 Winchester.

View attachment 785283

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That is a pretty model 12. What barrel length and choke?

jmr40 said:

Most 16's, but not all, were built on 12 ga frames and were no lighter than a 12.

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As jmr40 opined, when a 16 gauge is chambered on a 12 gauge frame, in a practical sense there is every reason why not to have it and no reason why to have it. Why saddle yourself with a gun that is as heavy as a 12 but not as ballistically as efficient, let alone the fact that specialized ammunition for it won't be found on the shelves of your local Wal Mart?
A 16 chambered on a dedicated frame or on a 20 gauge size frame starts to make some good sense for having one.

Mossberg made 190, and a few other series in 16. The second number tells you what gauge it is. Also JC. Higgins, and few others... Ammo is a little harder to get, depending on where you are.

Well its certainly not new, but I have a Stevens 620-A in 16ga that is a ton of fun for breaking clays. I would figure it will do for anything I could possibly need a shotgun for.

The slam fire function makes it a superior defensive firearm in my opinion. Its also takes down in two pieces that easily fit my "violin" case, which really helps transport a gun with a long barrel.

They come up for sale all the time for under $200 around here, and 16ga is plentiful at most Wal-Mart's near me.

DDDWho said:

Every male member of my mother family used 16 gauge shotguns including her Father and all of her brothers (she was one of 13). Here is the only one to survive. It was given to me by an Uncle (her brother) before he died some 40 years ago. It is my most cherished possession. A Model 12 Winchester.

View attachment 785283

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Brother that's a FINE Model 12 you've got their. 16 sure is sweet. I don't have one but someone around here must. Every so often roaming the fields I'll find one of those purple hulls on the ground. Makes me smile every time.