Why no more 16 gauge?

[DM~]

IF you took the time to look further, you would find out that it was offered more than once by more than one mfg., also, that quite a few different 16's were chambered so...

SO, YES it was tried (more than once) and YES "american" ammo makers made the ammo and sold shotguns to take the ammo... NOT just a spl. run or two!

Just as i posted in my first post...

DM

 

[WardenWolf]

A lot of what did these intermediate calibers in is improvements in recoil compensation. A modern 12 gauge can very well kick less than a 16 or 20 gauge from decades past. Improved alloys and lighter guns also contributed. As a result, there's very little need for anything in between 12 and 20.

You are also starting to see a decline in .410 as 28 gauge starts to make a comeback, for these same reasons. Both manufacturers and shooters are recognizing the severe limitations of .410, and that improvements in firearms technology have made obsolete its primary reason for existence: light weight and low recoil.

 

[monkyboy1975]

"You must not have looked very hard on the 16ga site, i found this quite fast"

Didn't look for the info over there; I clicked on the linked posted earlier, and only saw a picture of a couple of gents with shotguns.....wouldn't let me go any farther.

 

[chas08]

I did find this in an article by Chuck Hawks;

There has never been a 3 inch Magnum 16 gauge shell, although these are common for the 12 and 20 gauges. This disparity allows the 3" 20 gauge shell to carry the same payload as the 2 3/4 inch 16 gauge Magnum shell.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/16gauge.htm

 

[Grousefeather]

16 ga

I remember some of the old timers at the gun clubs I started at years ago. They always said how the 16 threw almost perfect patterns and thats why they were favored so much by grouse and woodcock hunters.

 

[DM~]

I did find this in an article by Chuck Hawks;

http://www.chuckhawks.com/16gauge.htm

I guess that shows how much he knows! lol

I've seen numerous other "errors" in his articles too...

DM

 

[Dave McCracken]

Grousefeather, that was the old "Square Load" concept.

Supposedly, something magical happens when the height of the shot column equals the bore diameter. This occurs with the 16 at 1 oz, and 3/4 oz with the 28 gauge.

Both seem to work better than they should. However....

Using the best modern components, that 1 oz in a 12 gauge does wonderful things when properly centered on the target. So does a 3/4 oz load in any gauge.

Short shot columns are very efficient, keeping more pellets in the pattern. In part, that is due to the rearmost pellets staying rounder at launch and thus capable of staying in the pattern. Combined with a good shot cup, progressive powders that ease acceleration a bit and other improvements, we can come up with a 7/8 oz load that puts as many pellets where it counts as a 1 1/8 oz load from Days Of Yore.

Still, while I've no 16s in the stable at present, if I find the right one.....

 

[mortablunt]

It was a bit of an unnecessary thing; you could get its performance in powerful 20Ga or weak 12Ga. Nobody built many 16 Ga guns, so it folded for economic reasons.