Browning BPS 16 gauge

M

mpd61

New member
I'm interested in one of these for field work and possible light waterfowl. Anybody know if these are scaled to gauge? A friend of mine says they are, however, does Browning really make three or four different size receivers scaled to gauge?
:confused:
 
Offhand I don't think so, however I could be wrong. Mostly just glad to see another fan of the ol' 16ga. I learned to shoot shotguns off of one and ever since then I've been a fan.
 
No I don't believe they do, if you look on the Browning website there's only a 4oz difference between the sub gauges (10oz difference from the 12 to the 16). Seems like they make a 10 frame, a 12 frame, and a sub frame that all the smaller gauges are worked off of.
 
Just read an article on-line claims the 16 Gauge is built on the 20 gauge (or sub-gauge) frame. I'll bet this is will handle better than the recent Remington 870 16's! Thanks for the responses!
 
I don't have a 16ga BPS to measure - but I believe the 16, 28ga and the
.410 BPS hunter model are all built on the 20ga receiver.

You can certainly buy and shoot whatever gun you want / but for sake of our discussion - a 12ga BPS shooting a 1oz load - is balistically exactly the same as a typical 16ga load / or if you like the 20ga model ( you can shoot 1 oz loads in a 20ga ) and have balistically the same load as a 16 ga.

Both 12 and 20ga shells are significantly less expensive than 16ga shells - and more readily available - and these days with screw in chokes and the wide variety of shells available in 12 and 20ga especially - there is a lot of cross over.
 
Thanks BigJim!

I agree about 12/20 price availability. I did just buy a ton of 16 gauge field loads on sale same price as others at BassPro shops. I can still readily find
1&1/4 oz heavy #4's for waterfowl and turkey. I believe the same load coming out of a Magnum 3" 20 gauge load has a longer shot string and weaker on target pattern. In any event, I think most of us 16 freaks like the ability to do anything a 20 can do better, without lugging a 12 around all day.:)
 
I understand - weight is certainly a factor / but I often hunt with an 8 1/2 lb gun anyway - regardless of the gague ( 12, 20 or 28ga ) ....

but I have a Benelli 12ga semi-auto that is only 7.2 lbs even with a 30" barrel - and its certainly easy to carry all day ....
 
BPS

I hope this dosen't make cry :D, but I recently got real lucky and found a BPS Uplander 12 ga, LNIB for $250!! They're out there!! Good Luck.
 
The BPS is a nice shotgun. has a steel reciever it's a bottom ejection, and the 16ga is a good all around choice. in my opinion i don't think it really matters what size frame it's on.
 
and the 16ga is a good all around choice. in my opinion i don't think it really matters what size frame it's on.
Click to expand...

Well, it makes a big difference to me. If a 16 gauge is chambered in a 12 gauge frame, I have to ask, "What's the point?" Why would somebody want a shotgun that weighs and handles the same as a 12 gauge but is less versatile in terms of factory available shells that are harder to find and cost more to boot? Imo, the sixteen comes into its own only when it is based on a frame scaled to the gauge or smaller.
 
16 ga BPS

I didn't make myself clear on my reply. I meant that i didn't think it matters if the frame is a 16 or a 20 ga. not a 12 ga. that wouldn't make sense as gulwig stated.
 
"Built on a 20 ga reciever" means it will not be heavy/bulky like it would be if it were built on a 12 ga reciever. The 12 ga. Upland Special weighs 7 lbs 8 oz with a 22" bbl while the 16 ga. weighs only 6 lbs 12 oz with a longer 24" bbl. I'd call 3/4 of a pound a significant weight difference when you lug the thing around all day.

That 16 ga. Upland Special would've been the gun I bought (instead of in 12 ga) if I wasn't constantly dodging bear poop while out bird hunting (slug choices seem pretty dismal in 16 ga);)
 
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