S&w 916-a?

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45Guy

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I saw one of these for a very good price at a local sporting goods store, and I am wondering if they are good shotguns?

I am interested in just using this as a hunting shotgun. I don't have the money for a 870, otherwise I would get one.

thanks for the info
 
I have one that Mom bought me in 1975 it has hundreds of rabbit,quail and squirrel close to a hundred fox, coyotes, dozens of pheasant and grouse even a deer or two Mine has never failed It was my go to gun back when life was simple and I lived to hunt and fish.
Mine is a 916 30" barrel full choke . it shows the wear of a teenager that live in the woods. Chips in the wood some pits in the blueing It was $108 dollars with a box of winchester #4 hi brass shell a couple days before christmas in 1975. I destroyed the first squirrel I shot with it. with remington express 3" shells #2 shot mine will kill a fox stone cold dead at 50 yards that gun and a 3 legged fox hound named charlie kept me in spending money for a couple winters
Roy:)
 
Do a search. There's plenty of information on this shotgun and most of it is negative. I had one years ago for a short time and experienced feeding problems that I could never resolve. If possible, I would try to get the seller to let me shoot it before I paid for it. Like plumberroy said, I gave less than $100.00 for the gun (new) and I guess it was worth what I paid for it.

I'd look for a used Mossberg 500 or Maverick.
 
While not all S&W Model 916's were defective, enough were that S&W's reputation was damaged, and at one point they even discussed buying them all back.

There are plenty of great Remington and Mossberg shotguns available.
I'd pass on the 916.
You might get a good one, but if not, you're stuck.
 
I have one that works. Many do not. S&W had nothing but trouble with the 916 which was a marketing disaster and ran everybody in Springfield, Ma completely nuts. If and when mine breaks, I will throw it away.

Loosecannon
 
Well, I put it on layaway as it was $104 including tax, and it's only use will be a little trap to get used to the gun, then use it for duck hunting. Does anyone know if it is rated for steel shot?
 
I had one set up for Armored Car duty. It had a nasty habit of loading either none or two into the chamber.:uhoh: Usually "none-rack-two....curse":mad:
 
916 steel shot

This model was discontinued before steel shot requirements so my guess is no. I urge you to switch your lay-a-way to another gun.

Loosecannon
 
Actually after I typed my last response I was thinking about it, and I think I am going to change it. No use hoping it "might" work, and I don't need to wound an animal, then have a gun that won't feed, so I have an injured animal to deal with. It's not worth the hassle or the inhumanity of just wounding my quarry.
 
I really must be lucky when it comes to guns this is another gun that "had troubles " that has preformed wonderful for me. The one I have has never failed Back in 80-82 I lived in Ok. I killed 6 rabbits a day nearly every day of season plus 5 or 6 quail a day and a couple of pheasant a week with this gun. (everyone I knew at that time was sick of rabbit and quail) before that when we lived in W.V. or Oh. Dad would make me stop shooting squirrel and rabbit because "we had enough" My 916 has easily harvested 5000 game animals without a ftf or missfire that wasn't bad ammo. I'm not doubting anyone that had trouble. My first handgun was a imported cheap single action 22 that was one of those not worth carrying home P.O.S. I think it was a F.I.E. I could knock a coon out of the top of the biggest oak tree around. I hunted with an older man that actually knew something about guns that just shook his every time I rolled a coon out of a tree with that p.o.s. revolver
guess I have been lucky
My old smith has around 100 fox kills. $100 for the gun $25 for charlie the three legged fox hound (R.I.P. charlie ole friend ) 100 fox @ $50 each if it never works again it don't owe me anything
Roy
 
Even if it did turn out to be a decent gun, it can't use steel shot, so I can't hunt with it & I don't need another strictly trap gun. I think I'll just spend my money on something I know will work, and that I know I can use steel shot in.
 
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