16 and 28 Gauge Guns

[Life During Wartime]

So I've been wondering about guns in these two fairly unpopular gauges. I can't think of any 16 gauge at all and as for the 28 gauge I can only think of the tristar viper g2 and that's only because of a somewhat recent review in American Rifleman. Guns of these gauges are rarely heard from and I am interested to find out more about them and maybe hear a little love for them that's out there somewhere

 

[243winxb]

The 28ga is used for skeet by many.

 

[jaguarxk120]

There is a great following for the 16 gauge, just go to www.16ga.com, they have forums and a listing of who loads for the 16.

The 28 gauge may be a skeet round but many hunters will use one, the guns are very light in weight and handle very well.
As far as who makes 28 gauge's, most if not all the better makers produce SxS's, O/U's all on their own frame. If you want a pump then there is Ithaca with their 28 on it's own frame, not a 20 gauge with a 28 barrel.

 

[tommy.duncan]

One of my shooting buddies hunts with an Ithaca 10 gauge. I shot a long time ago and I thought it blew my shoulder off!!

 

[drcook]

Ithaca markets their version of the 37 in 16ga. built on its own frame. Browning sells a BPS in 16ga that I was told is built on a 20ga frame, which I can neither confirm nor deny. I have no trouble at all getting ammo for the 16ga's

a bunch hang out here, even though it is not specifically for those 2 gauges

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewforum.php?f=59

then this is specifically a 16g forum

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewforum.php?f=208

here is the link straight to the forums

http://www.16ga.com/forum/

The 16ga gun is my favorite. Easy to carry. Works well. Lots of great older guns available.

 

[Armored farmer]

I really like my 28ga o/u Mossberg Silver Reserve for quail, doves and clays.
However, In all honesty....there is not much difference between a 28ga and a light loaded 20ga.
I have a reloader dedicated to 28ga. so price/ammo availability isn't much concern.

 

[rszwieg]

Guys I grew up with used 16 gauges. They were dad's or grandpa's gun. They became the son's or grandson's gun. They keep soldiering on until they wear out.

 

[another pake]

Years ago, (1968 I think) I bought a used Remington 870 in 16ga from a pawn shop outside the gate of Ft Campbell. Deer hunting on post was shotgun only and I didn't want to put slugs through my bird barrel. The gun was priced right at 100 bucks, so I used it for deer. Nice light little gun. Handled well. Got my deer too.

 

[Liberty1776]

I love 16's. That's why I have and hunt with 5 of them...semi-autos, pumps, doubles, drillings, etc. I know someday I will spend too much money on a nice O/U 16...

 

[Life During Wartime]

@liberty

cool! If I can ask, what are the makes and models. I have never seen a semi 16 before

 

[Life During Wartime]

I forgot all about the Ithaca! Thanks guys.

 

[Cokeman]

I have a 1927 16 gauge Winchester Model 12. It looks like this.

 

[Virginian]

I dare say NEW 28 gauges outsell 16s, and there are certainly more being made. The 16 lovers are always trying to rally new members to the cause, but ever since the advent of the 3" 20, and the fact that the 16 was left out of all gauge skeet competitions, the 16 has been languishing. Unless you pay the money, most 16s, especially repeaters, for a long time have been built on a 12 gauge sized receiver, and that negates many of a 16's attributes. The 28 has suffered some of the same issues relative to gun size, but is still currently available from a number of manufacturers, and of course it is still used in all gauge skeet. Just go to GunBroker and look up 28 gauge semi autos. The Franchi 28 semi is probably the absolute lightest good game gun you can buy.
When you get into the really good double guns, with receivers scaled to the gauge and well balanced, the fact is every gauge gun feels great, not just 16s or 28s. The 28 is a grand bird gun, and let's face it some people get a sense of one upmanship versus the guys with 20s, the same way the 20 guys felt about 16s and 12s. And the 28 performs quite well with the right loads for the game - usually better than many would expect.
I love the 28, but never had much use for the 16. I am sure there are lot's of 16 lovers who feel the same about the 28; it's all a matter of personal preference.

 

[rule303]

The 28ga makes a great upland gun, and is a good choice for recoil sensitive or new shooters. It patterns much better than the .410 without the weight of a 20. Like the others pointed out, it is probably skeet shooters that kept the 28ga going. While all the major manufacturers of ammo have several new 28ga options, most 16ga ammo is limited to a few field loads. As far as new shotguns, Browning is the only major player still making them, and you aren't likely to see one on the shelf at your LGS. The 16ga has one nice thing going for it- if you are in to vintage shotguns, you can usually pick up a nice Winchester model 12 or Ithaca 37 in 16ga for quite a bit less than the more popular gauges.

 

[PabloJ]

I would rather have quality European game gun in 24ga. Being cheap bastard I do not like to share my ammunition with anybody.

 

[RyanM]

I'm a pretty big advocate of the 28 gauge for young/new/etc shooters. 20 gauge (which kicks about as hard as a 12 gauge, if not harder, in practice) and .410 (which throws patterns the size of a dime) are cruel jokes more than viable shotguns, for a beginning shooter.

 

[JohnBT]

I still haven't shot any of this full box of skeet shells.



I like shooting paper shells and buy a few shells here and there at the gun show if the price is right. I don't recall seeing another full box of 28's since I bought these a few years ago.

 

[willymike]

I grew up shooting 16 ga shotguns, as well as 12s and 20s. The best of the 16s are those that are not built on 12 ga frames. They are lighter guns to carry than the 12s and are ideal for upland hunting. More potent than a 2 3/4" 20 ga, yet as portable.

A Browning Sweet 16 was about the most sought after of the 16 ga auto loaders. Many are still in use today, although shells are hard to find. My best friend is still taking pheasant, quail, dove, etc., after 51 years of continuous use. I doubt he has any desire to "upgrade" to anything else either.

I still have a 16 pump, but no longer use it much since that gun and the manufacturer has not been in business for many years (Noble Model 66). I got it as a Christmas present when I was about 12.

I'd have no reservations about using a 16 for any upland game. The main issue is finding available ammo on the local shelves.

 

[627PCFan]

I have a single shot 16ga Beretta from the 1960s with an aluminim receiver. Light and easy to carry, but kicks worse than a 10ga for me because of poor fit. That being said I like the gauge, its very well balanced. I really want a 16ga SXS, but havent seen anything thats really caught my eye in a long time. I might go for a Ithica pump in the next few years.

 

[mio]

I have an old savage 16ga auto that I use for grouse and love it. The best grouse gun I've used is a friends SxS 28ga. Just a cheap stoeger but carried well recoiled lightly and was enough gun for the job.

 

[Mp7]

Browning A5 semi in 16.

Just a great gun for huntin'.

The Fox Savage single trigger OxO
in 16ga was my favourite.

Handy, light, and you can shoot it all day.

 

[peacemaker45]

I had a 16 ga Wnchester 97 for a few years. I never hunted with it, but only ever used it for cowboy trap. That's trap shot with cowboy guns, as a side match to regular SASS matches. They stand you closer to the house and slow the birds down, so people have a chance with cut down scatterguns. When I'd show up with that 30" full choke 97, it was like taking candy from a baby.

My dad had a 16 ga Rem 1100 at one time, but wasn't pleased with it. He said it "carried like a twelve, but hit like a twenty," and traded it off.

 

[cat_IT_guy]

First gun I ever shot was a 16ga Savage single shot break action that my dad still has. I was 7. OUCH!! Ive shot it since, and as a niche gun, its fun, but its not the first gun I grab for anything. I shoot a 12ga Beretta A300 for ducks and deer and a 20ga Red Label for clays and upland birds. Its hard for me to justify the middle ground that the 16ga holds. That said, I'll never let that gun go - as a) my dad bought it when he was 16, b) I shot my first [shotgun] deer with it, and c) its still the first gun I ever shot.

 

[limpingbear]

I have my dads Remy 11/48 16 gauge. If the stock were a bit thicker at the shoulder I would shoot it more. It is the only gun I shoot that puts bruises on my shoulder still. It shoots nice when I work up the nerve to take it out and shoot it. With the chemo taking a toll, I find it nicer to take out a nice heavy 12 gauge and shoot lighter loads for less recoil.

 

[plumberroy]

For rabbits over dogs a H&R singleshot 28ga is my favorite gun Since my Male dog C.J. has passed on and my little red and white female, Retta is 11 and semi retired It doesn't see as much use .
Retta now keeps rabbits out of the garden and annonces I have arrived home from work
Roy