Grabbed a 16 Gauge on impulse

[au_prospector]

Picked up a Pardner SBI on an impulse buy. Brand new clean for $80 I could not pass up. It's origin is a police confiscation. It looked like it needed a home and for some reason I felt its 28 inch full choke smooth bore barrel could send forster type slugs down range with some level of consistency. It was born in 2002.

So I went on a quest Friday to find slugs. Guess what? Didnt find any. Went home and bought some at Cabelas for local store pick up. So that is solved at $5.49 a box. Also found a box of Herter's #8 shot for $6.49 at the local Cabelas and now I feel lucky. The girl at the Cabelas check out thought the purple shells were cute, that's gotta be worth something eh?

Anyone use a pardner for slug work? All it has is a front brass bead so it will be interesting for an hour or two anyway. Will use the #8 to try and dust a clay or two. If it dont work out, I feel I will get my $80 back out of it.

Any suggestions on putting a better sight system on it or I stuck with the front bead and trying to replicate each shot with care?

Thanks!

 

[SlowFuse]

I can't comment on the single shot aspect, but I've used a 16 gauge rem model 11-48 for skeet and quail.

I've used rem game loads and like the way #6's shoot generally. Have shot skeet and birds with that load and have no complaints. Never used slugs but im sure performance would be similar to a 20 gauge slug.

If it were me id leave it as is. If you find it's not for you, sell it! 16 gauge isn't for everyone, i'd say mainly because of ammo availability.

 

[AStone]

My first shotgun as a kid was a 20. Liked it, but a bit underpowered.

My second in my teens was a sweet 16: Rem 870. Perfect.

My third in my 50's was a 12: Rem 870P. Too harsh for this smaller guy.

I think 16's are an ideal compromise between too little and too much.

Too bad they're so neglected.

 

[entropy]

Like AStone, my first shotgun was a 20; a bolt action Mossberg; second was a Stevens 311 in 16; should never have sold that one.; Third was a 311 in twelve, with a Tenite stock. OUCH!

Best pheasant gun I even shot was a Win. 97 in 16. My Dad sold it to my cousin, and been trying to buy it back ever since.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Love a sweet 16. I would love a 16 ga. Pardner to bridge the gap between my 20 ga. and 12 ga. single shot Pardners.

 

[Sovblocgunfan]

Like another poster above I have an 11-48 in 16 gauge and use it for skeet and dove. It is truly sized between 12 and 20 and is a treat to shoot.

And I have used a model 11 in 16 gauge in the past.

As long as I can find ammo, I will shoot my 16 gauge whenever possible.

 

[rsrocket1]

For clays, you don't need anything for aiming. You learn to naturally "point" the gun to where you're looking. I have a vent rib with a single bead on the front of my 1100 but honestly, I don't even line it up anymore and I don't thing I pay attention to either the rib or bead. The gun is an extension of my vision and where I rest my cheek.

For more recreational blasting you can get a fiber optic piece. That will let you line up the fiber optic rod a little better but unless you are doing 50-100 yard shots with the slug, you can simply line up the barrel and at 25 yards be within "minute of milk jug" without a problem.

 

[LoneGoose]

Every smoothbore that I have shot slugs required a "fine bead" sight picture. With just the top of the bead visible and centered on the flat, you should be able to hit pretty well out past 70 yards.

Wear an athletic mouthpiece - slugs through that gun will rattle your teeth

 

[AStone]

Ah. We done migrated from buckshot to slugs.

Now, we're playing a different game with different rules.

 

[SKILCZ]

What shot do you all use for 16 ga. on pheasants and chukars?

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I bought a H&R 16 new with birthday money when I was 12. It set me back 40 bucks at K-Mart. I haven't shot it in years, but I recall the recoil not being fun.

 

[Panzerschwein]

I bought a H&R 16 new with birthday money when I was 12. It set me back 40 bucks at K-Mart. I haven't shot it in years, but I recall the recoil not being fun.

Those were the good old days... it's a shame they don't make single shot shotguns anymore... at least made in the U.S.

 

[farm23]

I have a thing for the 16. I never tried a slug but have taken everything from deer to goose. Now day I carry a 16ga SxS made in 1902 with a backup made and 1929. It is a great ga. and would be more popular if it was part of the skeet game. Enjoy your new buy.

 

[kennedy]

love the 16, I shoot an Ithaca 37 pump mod choke 16 ga for trap. also reload it

 

[MagicD]

Lots of info here http://16ga.com/forum/index.php
I have two o/u and SXS...great pheasant guns..love em in the field,light with great balance.

 

[drcook]

What shot do you all use for 16 ga. on pheasants and chukars?

I use Fiocchi Golden Pheasant #5's as does my hunting partner. The only downside that I have found about hunting with my 16's (yes I have more than 1) is that I have to order #5's online. I can find plenty of other shot sizes locally, but no store stocks nbr 5's (at least not yet).

We do buy up old boxes of nbr 5's from flea markets, yard sales etc when we find them.

I am sure others have their favorite loads, but this is what I prefer.