S&W 916A Shotgun

L

longhair

New member
Harley maybe you can help me out. As the subject said I've got a S&W 916A pump 12ga. it's either stainless or has some kind of marine-kote kinda thing. it has rifle sights,
and will hold a pretty tight pattern w/ 000 buck. i've looked in gun books etc, and i've never found it listed. it looks like it's made similar to a Mossberg 500. i was just wondering if you could give me any kind of info on this thing. i've got a friend that's been wanting it for years, but i just can't let go of it.

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fiat justitia
 
LONGHAIR:
According to my records, in 1985, S&W sold its shotgun operation to O.F. Mossberg & Sons Inc. Additionally S&W discontinued importation of all Howa products in 1984 mfg'd shotguns. Mossberg continued importation utilizing both lefover S&W parts in addition to fabricating their own. Thus the appearance of a Mossberg.

Your S&W 916A is listed as a hammerless. Solid frame shotgun, mfg'd in 12 & 20 ga, has a 5 shot tubular magazine. The barrels came in plain or vent rib, 20" cylinder (12 Ga only) 26" omproved cyl. 28" modified or full choke, and 30" full choke only. Wgt about 7 1/4 lbs. Plain pistol grip stock, fluted slide handle, Mfg'd from 1972-1981

Value: Blue Book of gun values 17th edition:

@100%=$175.00 Plain Barrel
@100%=$200.00 Vent Rib

HJN
 
Harley, i really appreciate the info. I reckon that explains the Mossberg look, and gives me an idea of the age and the barrel. it's really a nice shotgun. I'll tell you this, ain't nobody gonna get mine for $175.00. once again, thanks!!!

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fiat justitia



[This message has been edited by longhair (edited May 26, 1999).]
 
Harley, hate to tell you this, but the 916 was a low priced shotgun made by Noble for S&W, to sell to police at a price somewhat lower than the 870. It was in fact the Noble 60. Fjestad is not wrong often but has had this one screwed up for years.

In my 16 years in a shop, I ran across several of these. No comparison to the Howa guns, which I sold. The 916s sold for about $100 used. Parts available from Gun Parts. GLV

[This message has been edited by GLV (edited May 30, 1999).]
 
GLV
My records indicate that the Noble Model 60 is a hammerless slide action shotgun,made in 12 & 16 ga. Additionally it was mfg'd with an adjustable choke. Mfg Dates 1955-1966 with the S&W being mfg'd in 1972. This puts a long time span between the Mfg of each shotgun.

In Longhair's descripton, the shotgun does not have an adjustable choke. In addition, he states that it is a S&W model. It would seem to me that if Noble mfg'd it, Noble would have put their name on it. As did Mossberg and Howa. Not with-standing, that you mentioned Noble mfg'd it For S&W.

I am unable to locate the Crossover between Noble and S&W. How would one determine if S&W mfg'd it or if NOBLE mfg'd it?

Harley


[This message has been edited by Harley Nolden (edited May 31, 1999).]

[This message has been edited by Harley Nolden (edited May 31, 1999).]
 
GLV:
This is a real stumper:

Normally, Gun Parts will indicate "Other" guns in their parts listing of a firearm. I can find no indication that parts are interchangable between the Nobel 60 and S&W 916.

I am really interested in this change over, as I don't want to be putting out the wrong information.

HJN
 
GLV & LONGHAIR:
The research continues:

I will have to stand corrected, to some degree,on the Noble. I have located the change over between the S&W 916 and Noble 60. In my opinion; The similairity, in appearance of the Mossberg and the S&W, to include the years of Mfg of the Noble, S&W and the Mossberg somehow do not match.

I do appreciate the imput on this subject, it has enlightned me regarding the cross-over between Noble and S&W. Thanks

HJN
 
Harley, check the drawings of the Noble and the S&W 916 in Gun Parts. Next, All of the S&W 3000s, and follow on Howa Mossbergs, had Made In Japan, on them, and last, none of the 916s have made in Japan on them.

The Noble and 916s are both ' single action bar ' guns, the Howas are all twin action bar guns. The Howa gun was an advanced Remington 870, with all of the improvements Remington needed to make.

No single source will suffice when trying to idenify guns. The Blue Book is good, but not perfect. I have corrected Fjestad in the past, and he has bailed me out in the past. It works two ways. GLV

[This message has been edited by GLV (edited May 31, 1999).]
 
I remember the 916 and it just isn't the same gun as the Mossberg. I never made the Noble connection (I avoided Nobles if at all possible), but as I look at the pictures I tend to agree that there is one. The guns are not identical, but there is enough parts similarity to indicate that the same design and same production facilities were used.

Since Noble is listed as out of business in 1970, there is a possibility that S&W bought the Noble tooling and made the gun in house. Harley, is there any indication in any of your S&W sources that this might have been done? It would make good economic sense and still allow S&W to manufacture and stand behind the product.

Jim
 
As a point of reference, Nobel shotguns were listed in the catalog section of the 1972 Gun Digest. The copyright date was 1971. I'm afraid that I'm missing my 1973 and 1974 issues.

In the 1974 Shooter's Bible, it mentions that the S&W 1000 semi-auto shotgun was being made in Japan. (Howa, already?)

Make what you will of this....

BTW: This probably doesn't effect the 916A, but the 916T had a major safety recall during the production run: bursting barrels. :(
 
When I started out as a cop I got a S&W 916. A number of us did because they were relatively cheap ... they were also junk.
I don't remember one guy who had any luck with that gun.. everybody went to Remington 870 or Ithaca 37's.
If I remember right it commonly either didn't pick up a shell or jammed.
 
well, i guess that i've been lucky w/ mine.
never had any of the problems stated by TLH.
it's served me well over the years, and as far as i can see, for years to come. i know it ain't no fancy, dressed up, modern technological masterpiece, it's just an ol' regular everyday pump gun. When i was huntin'
it killed just as many rabbits and other assorted critters as anyone else did. TLH, sorry y'all had so many problems w/ them....

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fiat justitia
 
S&W 916T Recall (original post 1999)

Well this post goes back a ways, but I was searching for any information on my 916T when this original post came up. In the text of the thread there is a mention of the 916T being recalled due to bursting barrels and poor extraction/jamming. I bought mine 20 plus years ago. I can't remember exactly when, but it was new probably in or around 1980/81. It is a 30" ribbed barrel, 3" chamber, full choke. Simple but nice engraving of ducks on the reciever.

After all of this time, do you think S&W will still honor the recall? I will contact them either way but was wondering. And yes, mine jammed and had a hard time extracting shells.

Poossibly it furthers the discussion on who/where the 916A was made, but mine clearly says made in the USA.
 
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