16 ga. outlook

[tazman]

I have an old Remington 870 16 ga. Now that 16 ga. is making a come back are there any 870 16 ga. ventilated rib barrels out there? I would like to upgrade my barrel and reblue the reciever to make it look new. Maybe it would be cheaper to just buy a new one. Also, is there any talk of creating a 16 ga. three inch? I can't understand why the 16 ga. was ever put on the shelf, it is a fantastic upland gauge and has enough power to do a good job on ducks. The old 870 has always been my favorite for Grouse and early season Pheasants. I have since bought a Browning Citori super light 20 ga. for Grouse but it does not have the all around power of a 16 ga.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Call Remington at 800-243-9000 and ask tech support, but I believe the new barrels are interchangebale within gauge.

You can buy a new one, but your old one will do the job.

As for the 16, it's an excellent gauge for upland work that got caught in a squeeze play between the 12 and 20. An oz is nigh ideal in a 16, and ideal for most upland and forest game.

A few 3" 16s were made, but the idea never caught on and no repeaters are on the market now.