Grandpa

[Buck Neck It]

In the last years of his life, he wanted a fast, quick handling duck gun. He bought a Winchester M12, 16 gauge. I am looking at it now, the only way to thank him is to shoot some ducks.

[osteodoc08]

Put em down. Happy hunting!

[richhodg66]

Nice gun and good memories, I'm sure.

Question; is steel shot Ok in those old fixed choke guns? While out muzzle loader deer hunting on the public land I use, I noticed KDWP has made it illegal to use lead shot on that area even for doves and such (it is close to the lake and abig lagoon with lots of water fowl so maybe it's not such a harsh reg). I don't bird hunt much, but most of my shotguns are older and designed for lead.

[lightman]

Nice shotgun and good memories. Good Luck with the ducks.

[runfiverun]

Bismuth my friend Bismuth.

[JWT]

Most bismuth comes in shot sizes for duck. When I had my dog trained there was a quail hunt as his graduation. The club prohibited lead so I had to get bismuth for my 1937 LC Smith. #5 doesn't leave much of a quail for a dog to retrieve. I think silver would be cheaper too.

Nice memory you have with that gun.

[MaryB]

When I was 14 I got my dad's old 16 gauge Stevens single shot. I hunted with it until I was in my early 20's when I bought an 870 express. Dad asked me if I still had that old gun and I said yes, I would bring it up at Christmas for him to look at. It had been shortened then lengthened with a hunk of mismatched stock, and the bluing was about gone. I took it to a local gunsmith and had a new stock and forend made, had it totally reblued and wrapped it up for dad for Christmas. When he opened the box he cried because he didn't expect me to give it back to him. He carried it pheasant hunting up until he died and now I have it back again with even more memories! Did I spend to much restoring a $100 shotgun? You bet! Was it worth it? YES!

[Cowboy_Dan]

My grandpa also gave me a 16 before he passed. It's a Remington 11-48, and it's also the only shotgun I take out with me bird hunting, not only because it's my only shotgun.

[SSGOldfart]

My old fixed chocked 870'sand 1100's both do fine with steel shot???? You will want to pattern your 16ga with steel before you head to the blind. Your shells are going to be limited not too many 16ga steel shot shells on the market these days

[1989toddm]

When I was 14 I got my dad's old 16 gauge Stevens single shot. I hunted with it until I was in my early 20's when I bought an 870 express. Dad asked me if I still had that old gun and I said yes, I would bring it up at Christmas for him to look at. It had been shortened then lengthened with a hunk of mismatched stock, and the bluing was about gone. I took it to a local gunsmith and had a new stock and forend made, had it totally reblued and wrapped it up for dad for Christmas. When he opened the box he cried because he didn't expect me to give it back to him. He carried it pheasant hunting up until he died and now I have it back again with even more memories! Did I spend to much restoring a $100 shotgun? You bet! Was it worth it? YES!

Great story Mary! I enjoyed that.

[bdicki]

When I was 14 I got my dad's old 16 gauge Stevens single shot. I hunted with it until I was in my early 20's when I bought an 870 express. Dad asked me if I still had that old gun and I said yes, I would bring it up at Christmas for him to look at. It had been shortened then lengthened with a hunk of mismatched stock, and the bluing was about gone. I took it to a local gunsmith and had a new stock and forend made, had it totally reblued and wrapped it up for dad for Christmas. When he opened the box he cried because he didn't expect me to give it back to him. He carried it pheasant hunting up until he died and now I have it back again with even more memories! Did I spend to much restoring a $100 shotgun? You bet! Was it worth it? YES!

I did the same thing for my wife with her fathers Iver Johnson single shot. The gun was unsafe to shoot with cardboard in between the barrel and action to tighten it up. Spent way too much restoring a $50 shotgun. Gave it to her on her birthday. Her comment when she opened the box was oh boy just what I need another shotgun. Then after a few seconds she came out with I'm missing something here aren't I. Then she cried. We went out to take it for a walk in Vermont and she shot a grouse with it that next weekend. I did saved the butt plate with her fathers name carved into it from when he was a teenager.

[OnHoPr]

That's good stuff there MaryB & bdicki.

[butch2570]

Good on all of you.... A remembered smile from a loved one , you can't put a price on it.

[Menner]

Richhodg66
Those older shotguns will do just fine with steel as long as it is not a fixed true full choke ( if a dime won't drop through it, it is a true full)
.
The shotgun I use is and old Rem 1100 Magnum that came with a factory 30" Full I sent the barrel off and had it cut to 26"(handier in a Duck blind) and cut for true chokes I shoot steel through it every duck season remember the shot never touches the barrel
Tony

[BD]

When I was twelve my grandpa gave me his old Winchester Model 12 in 16 gauge, along with enough paper hulled #6 and #8 2-9/16" shells to keep me hunting until I was 16. When he died, I inherited his newer M-12 16 gauge which has a 2-3/4" chamber and a poly-choke. I still hunt with it. No steel though. I bought a Mossberg for ducks after the lead shot ban.

[richhodg66]

I onlyhave one 16 gauge, an Ithaca Deer Slayer. Neat old gun.

I have a few 20 gauge guns I'd liketo do some small game hunting with out there. They do make suitable 20 gauge steel shot loads in .20. I have a Savage Model 24 (.22 LR over 20 gauge) I'd like to use. Seems like ithas a cylinder bore so maybe steel shot would do fine.

[Handloader109]

Got my great uncle's 16 gauge, a really Remington model 11. I've killed a pile of dove with that old gun...think of him whenever I pick it up. Was one of those folks that served in WWI, and lived thru the depression. If he killed it he ate it......

[Rockydog]

Buck Neck It, Really nice old gun with a great story behind it. As mentioned by BD above some of the early Model 12, 16 gauge guns were 2 9/16" chambered. I own one made in 1917 so chambered. It will not eject most brands of 2 3/4 hulls out of the ejection port. You can grind the ejection port out with a die grinder but it's very evident when that has been done and ruins the collector value. I've elected to trim hulls and load roll crimped loads for mine. The crimper costs very little and you load the same components. Just add a cardboard top wad and roll crimp the hull mouth over the edge of the wad. I have not used it for ducks but I describe it as painting pheasants out of the sky. Very sweet shooting gun. Handles much faster than It's 12 gauge big brother. RD

[edler7]

Good stories and memories in this thread. I am the current caretaker of 4 generations of family shotguns. My great grandfathers Remington model 11, my grandfathers and dads 870 Wingmasters and my O/U.

The model 11 definitely has the most character, with a pocket knife checkered fore end, a hand cut scoop in the stock for better cheek weld and all choke honed out of the barrel with a dowel and emory cloth mounted in a drill. My great grandfather hunted ducks over live decoys with a buddy of his. At the end of the day, the difference between the two bag totals was made up at 10 cents/duck, with the guy with less ducks paying the other one. That's why he honed out his full choke barrel to probably blunderbuss choke. Then there was the hat with a decoy on the top and hinged wings that were attached to a chin strap. He made the wings flap by opening and closing his mouth. Wish I had known the man, but he passed away before I was born. Taking his gun out in the field once or twice a year is as close as I will ever get to going hunting with him.

[bdicki]

2 1/2 inch 16 ga shells.
http://www.rstshells.com/store/m/3-16-Gauge.aspx

[TXGunNut]

Sweet 16, sweet memories. My dad was partial to the 20ga, grew up hunting pheasant in NE with a Mossberg bolt gun. He thought shooting dove & quail with a 12ga was silly. I was thinking of him when I bought my 20ga, he's on my mind every time I take it to the range or field.