Remington 870 wing master in 16guage?

now keep in mind that I hunt SOLELY with a 16ga.

1. The shells are a little more expensive and not all stores carry them. I have been able to find plenty. WalMart, Dick's, numerous small chains around where I live, etc all carry 16ga shells. Typically there will not be as much variety though.

You can also order online.

2. Depending on which gun model you have, the 16 will be lighter than a 12. My gun of choice is an Ithaca 37 and the frames are gauge specific. The older ones are wonderfully light and easy to carry.

3. The 16 does recoil a bit less than a 12. I do not think a 12 recoils bad though.

4. 1 oz of shot at x fps is still 1 oz of shot at x fps regardless of gauge, but the 16ga has had some dimensional advantages through the years, but modern loading techniques does negate some of that. the advantage was in the height to width ratio of the shot column.

5. if you use Federal ammo, you get to use cool purple shells...........

6. there are situations where a 12 has advantages in payload and shot selection. I would not want to shoot trap with a 16 unless I bought a reloading tool, and that would take a lot of shooting to recoup the expenditure.

there are also situations, such as waterfowl hunting where 12ga ammo has a price advantage simply due to the advantages of scale in production. we just have to face it, in today's shooting world many more 12s and 20s are made than 16ga shells.

But if you simply shoot a box or 2 a year during hunting season (if that many) the price difference is negligible.

I use mine for rabbit, birds and squirrels.

As far as HD, there is definitely going to be more and different ammo available for the 12ga. The availability of shorter barrels so you don't have to cut your hunting barrel (longer barrel being more difficult to maneuver in the house) is better, much better in a 12.

Maybe one of the folks that know about 870's can jump in and talk about the basic platform, whether it is a 16 on a 12 frame.

The 870 in 16 is on a 12 gauge sized receiver, so there is no weight savings.

^ not the original run, I had an early 70's vintage and it was a small frame.

I'm nostalgic about the 16-gauge because it was my first gun and belonged to my grandfather. I know that there's nothing it will do that a 3" 20-gauge won't do but I still have a soft spot for it and will always love it.

The old shotty I got passed down isn't in good working order anymore, but I'd love to find another.

Enjoy that 870 of your grandfathers. It's a good round and a fine gun.

If the 16 was built on the 20 frame, then you have a great gun for hunting - the old adage, "carries like a 20 and hits like a 12" came from that design. What hampered its continued success here was that the 3" 20 came out and skeet dropped it as one of its gauges in competition.

There are many folks, however, that if all they do is hunt in the uplands would be very happy with a 16 for large birds and a 28 for small ones

The sweet 16 has largely been supplanted by a more advanced 20 gauge. Just as the 3 1/2" magnum 12 gauge has largely taken over the market formerly served by the 10 gauge, the 20 gauge does nearly everything the 16 can while also being significantly smaller, lighter and easier to find ammunition for.

The three inch 20 gauge is a great gun for someone else, it is a magnum and it kicks like a magnum.

The 16 is one of the best all around gauges there is if the gun makers and ammo company's did not push the three inch 20 so hard the 16 would be the goto gun for every one.

Once you hunt with a Ithaca Model 37 in 16 gauge there is no turning back, it is the ideal upland game gun.

I have a friend who had a 16 SxS custom made with 3" chambers. He is currently working with a few folks to develop the ammo for it. That would give him, IHO, the ability to shoot loads ranging from light 20 to heavy 12 - in a 6.5# gun.........Be interesting to see where that goes

Dick's Sporting Goods, Gander Mountain and WalMart will carry nbr 6 in 16ga, as well as others. Depending on the size of the squirrels, you might find nbr 5's to work a little better. We have big Fox squirrels here and I have even went to nbr 4's, but 5's are the best compromise. I bought some 5's from Midway when they had a sale.

These are 2 of my Ithaca 37 16ga. guns. They do the job quite well.

you have a very nice pair of shotguns! I own a 1950's vintage 870 16ga. it is build on a 12 ga. frame(a 12ga. barrel will slide into the receiver). i have a 24 inch cylinder choked deer barrel and a 28" mod choke barrel. with the deer barrel it my home defense gun loaded with high brass #6 and #1 buck. brenneke slugs will group 5" at 50yrds.

not the original run, I had an early 70's vintage and it was a small frame.

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Sorry, that is incorrect. If you have a Remington 16 on anything but a 12 gauged size frame you have a real collectors item, because they never made anything different. Someone may have done a custom job, but I doubt it. I have been shooting, selling, and working on them since the 60s. And I have all the parts lists and owner's brochures - that proceeded manuals with all the safety messages. The 12 and 16 use the same trigger plate assembly.

Sweet 16

I was given a Savage Fox double barrel 16 ga about 8 years ago.
I knew very little about that gauge. But after some hunting, Birds, bunnies and squirrels it has proven to be a real delight to shoot. I have had ammo given to me by people who bought it mistaking it for 12ga. lol!
I find the shells on sale cheaper than 12ga, simply because the stores try to move them.
I like it, especially in a double barrel. It handles well, doesnt kick real hard and is just plain fun to hunt with. A knife, a handful of shells and the double, lets go hunting!

The LW 20 gauge Wingmaster were introduced in 1972. These guns are still built on what was originally the 28/410 sized receiver; introduced in 1969. Prior to that all 12, 16, and 20 gauge guns were built on the same sized receiver. The 16 has never had it's own individual receiver size.

Virginian said:

Sorry, that is incorrect. If you have a Remington 16 on anything but a 12 gauged size frame you have a real collectors item, because they never made anything different. Someone may have done a custom job, but I doubt it. I have been shooting, selling, and working on them since the 60s. And I have all the parts lists and owner's brochures - that proceeded manuals with all the safety messages. The 12 and 16 use the same trigger plate assembly.

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Ok I defer to your knowledge, my 16 Wingmaster weighed 6-1/2lbs and I was told those made prior(up to 1980) were a smaller frame.

Last year the 16 gauge Wingmaster was cataloged was 2006. I think they went to all rubber buttpads on everything except some 1100s in the 90s, but I'm afraid I don't have enough initiative to look into it right now. I think they went to rubber recoil pads on all the 12s and 20s 870s when they went to all 3" chambers in the 80s. Before that only the Magnums got those.
Edit - No, I was wrong. At least by 1974 the Wingmasters all seem to have had recoil pads.

I just looked. 1968 Catalog states "Recoil pad now standard on all Model 870 Shotguns", so it may well be a '69.

Love a 16 and I am happy to see shells in the stores for them again. I have a Remmy model 11.

any idea? Behind the buttstock when you take it off

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I assume you are referring to the nut which is supposed to stay attached to the receiver.