16 Gauge is NOT dead yet....!

C

cobra81

New member
I bought my first 16 gauge!! Found a deal too good to pass up on a Remington 1100 Classic Field 16 gauge. Must be last year's model, because I don't see it in the 2007 catalog lineup. Found it at Gander Mountain. Located some shells (took a little work!) and then tried some skeet with it. I think I'm going to like this gun! Mild recoil compared to my 12, and it swings great.

Any recommendations on a shell-catcher for the 1100? Those little 16 gauge hulls are a bit precious, and I didn't like having to chase them down all over the skeet range!
 
I love my 16ga. granted it is an old stevens arms model 1893. But it is the sweetest shooting shotgun I have ever used. Jroth thanks for the link. I didn't even know such a site existed.
 
i LOVE my 16ga guns. they are a dream come true for pheasants and upland. lighter and hit just as hard as a 12 and a hell of a lot harder than a 20. the only place they take a back seat to a 12 is waterfowl and i dont hunt the sky carp anymore.
 
My first shotgun was a singlr shot 16 gage. Still love that shell. I've been looking to get a Browning A5 in 16 gage forever!! The sweetsixteen will make a comeback!!!
BILLDAVE
 
I like the 16ga, it is a great gun between the too light 20 and sometimes too heavy 12ga for me. I have a nice side by side and ou each in 16ga.... The OU works very well for pheasant and quail.
 
16's

I've got four Winchester Model 12's in 16ga with consecutive s/n's. I was contemplating selling 'em but I think I'll hang on to 'em a little while longer :D
 
Unknown sourse

This may be an old wives tale or maybe something true in the days before plastic wads. Anyway, years ago I heard that the diameter of the 16 ga. compared to the normal shot column length was ideal for the resulting pattern density. I have no idea if it's true. I do remember killing almost everything running or flying in the late 50's with an exposed hammer 16 ga. double. It was stolen in 1964 and I still miss it ...........
 
When it comes to 16 gauge anything, i will grab it. with what i do in my shop i tend to buy the worst of the worst and restore it no matter what it takes.
My last build was a 5100 SxS 16, the barrels were broken loose and one tube was blown out, some of the internals were missing and it had no wood. i got it for $20.00.
3 months later it's back to better than factory with wood from blanks from Fajen from the 70's extra fancy oh-my god walnut.(what i said when i found it).New 28 inch tubes and recolor cased receiver.
I had the time and the ability but it was a one of a kind rebuild.
 
New to an old thread. Big 5 almost always has 16 ga. Rem field shot available, can almost always find 16 when needed without looking too hard...and not just the obscure shops some detractors claim--though it's true not often a full array of use-loads. I have not tried Wallyworld lately but it seems I found some 16 shells there not too long ago. Other people's experience about avalability?

The (capable) Rodney Dangerfield of the shotgun world. Absolutely a great gauge and the guns that shoot it.
 
My first semi was a Browning Sweet Sixteen. What a pheasant and duck gun that was. I sold it when duck hunting went to steel shot. I wish I had a do-over on that one.
 
My first shotgun was a single shot Sears 16ga. Was the perfect gun to learn off of for me...sure had a nice swing and could definitely make the clays turn to powder.
 
Sears Too!

Still have a J.C. Higgins 16ga Bolt tube feed 26" Mod choke. Size of a 12 gauge but feels and swings like a twenty gauge! Oh yeah paid $50.00 for it about ten years ago!
:D
Now I need a Conneticutt Round frame in 16 Are those good looking!
 
What would I ever do without my 16 gauge Remington Sportsman 48, the best semi auto shot gun I have.

This was my grandfathers and I use it for pheasant and rabbit. I never have a problem finding shells for it though.
 
Love the sixteens. Would rather use a sixteen for small game over twelve anyday. Wish more people used them, maybe ammo would be more available. Have found if buying anything other than target/field loads, price is crazy. Example: I wanted some #6 Rem. Expresses. Gunshop ordered me 6 boxes(min. quantity he would order), $17.95/box:eek:. Needless to say, if I can get shot I`ll start rolling my own.
 
Any 1 oz shell - in 12ga or 16ga - performs the same balistically...

I'm not saying the 16ga is a waste / but the reality today, is you can make a 12ga behave exactly like a 16ga ( or a 20 ga for that matter with 7/8 oz of shot ). A 12ga shotgun with screw in chokes / and a variety of loads in 1 oz or 7/8 oz is a very versatile gague ....

With Skeet and Sporting Clays competitions in 12, 20, 28ga and .410 / the 16ga got left out a long time ago. Personally, while I reload all 4 gagues - my personal 12ga load is 1 oz of 8's for Trap, Skeet and sporting clays at around 1225 fps - soft shooting, good solid load.
 
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