16ga shotguns

[copdills]

Anyone still shooting 16ga shotguns or has everyone moved on , I guess a better question is would it be worth investing in a 16ga shotgun and buying a press to reload for it

thanks copdills

[megasupermagnum]

That depends. I don't worry about the gauge, so much as I choose the gun I like. I happen to find a Remington 11-48 in 16 gauge a phenomenal light weight shotgun. A 16 gauge Mossberg 500 would be pointless. A 16 gauge Ithaca 37 is another good one. A Remington 1100 in 16 gauge is a tank. In a SXS, again some 16's are great, some are not. I would not bother with a Fox model B, but the true original Fox in 16 is one of the best of all time.

[MOA]

There are more inexpensive shotgun gauges to shoot. 12 and 20 would be more efficient and economical. A sixteen is a true upland game shotgun and as I'm sure you have discovered much more off the shelf choices of shot and power than the16. If you already have 12 and 20 gauge shotguns and want a 16 then go for it . I love the gauge. Have a few myself. You must understand that some components will be a more search intensive endeavor that most other gauges but very rewarding too.

That's a 16 gauge SxS in the bottom left hand corner of this post dialog box.

[Hamish]

I will second what MOA said pretty much word for word. Find a 16ga Model 12, or a 311, or a Model 37,,,,,,

[Walks]

I've been shooting My Grandfather's M97 in 16ga for almost 60yrs.
Love it. Use a Mec 600 and Super-Sizer.

[rking22]

Yes I still shoot 16s, but in the same mindset as Mega described. A M12 in 16 is very very nice, same with an earlyish M37. I have a Higgins 16 ha SxS that I love, had a Stevens 311 that weighed more than the 12 ga version. A 16 is going to be harder to feed than a 20 and only marginally “better”. The 16 is easier to get to pattern 1oz and 1 1/8oz loads than the typical 20. It really is “a 12 that carries like a 20” unless the specific gun is just built on a 12 ga frame and heavy barrel. That saying came from M12 and Parker doubles tgat put the 16 in a 20 gage frame designed to throw 1 oz upland loads efficiently.
Definitely a reloaders gun, especially older 2 9/16 inch guns like my M12!

[Eddie Southgate]

I love mine . Find an Ithaca 37 or m12 Winchester new enough to have 2 3/4" chambers . Most shells you will find will be either 6, 7.5, or 8 , lighter or heavier gonna be hard to find but easy enough to load . Of course that's if you can find components currently .

I got a Remington Sportsman w 28" and the short Poly Choke and a 1913 made Winchester m1912 with a 28" Full choke. Got to buy 2" shells for the Winchester or load 2 9/16" for it . I do both .

Most 16ga doubles are built on the same frame as a 12ga and are heavy . There are those that were built on their own smaller frame as well as some Parkers built on 20ga frames . They are true joy in steel but hard to find and harder to pay for.

[MOA]

Be careful of the 16 gauge bug. It's a true affliction.

[Shawlerbrook]

The 16 ga. is alive and well here. A Browning Sweet 16, an Ithaca M37 and a Savage Fox Model B. I think the 16 is one of the most under appreciated rounds.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Wow...I love that Damascus side hammer, MOA!

DG

[Ohio Rusty]

A lady at work gave me 25 16 gauge slugs and 3 boxes of 16 gauge shot reloads that belonged to her husband. I don't own a 16 gauge. I thought I might find a super cheap single shot 16 somewhere to play with this ammo. I'll never use the deer slugs as I hunt with a .44 mag now.
Ohio Rusty ><>

[alamogunr]

The first gun I ever bought with my own money from delivering papers was back in about 1956 or 57. It was an Ithaca Model 37, 16 Ga. I think I paid $55 for it. I don't remember how I let it get away from me but I've regretted it ever since.

[MOA]

Wow...I love that Damascus side hammer, MOA!

DG

Thanks DG. My first shotgun was a 16 for deer hunting in New England in 1964. I have learned though that if you want to truly have a lightweight field gun it MUST be built on a frame suitable for that gauge and all the inherent features that make it the true field gun it is. I pretty much only look at European 16 gauge guns because they are the only ones that use the proper size frame for this gauge.

[richhodg66]

I have several 16 gauges and I shoot it a lot. In fact, I was reflecting on this with my son, if you were to take the ONE gun I shot the most rounds through, it would be my little Stevens 5100 16 gauge.

I have a MEC 600 Jr., I need to get it set up, I have lots of wads, shot and empty hulls now.

[copdills]

Thanks Guys for the thoughts and information,

[too many things]

DONT get into 16s just telling you from my side ,, started 10 yrs back with a gifted gun now have 7 , but you need to reload,

[sharps4590]

It's the only gauge I own. An Ithaca Flues or NID is a joy, I have the Flues. The rest are drillings or combination guns. I load both 2 3/4 and 2 1/2, brass hulls, paper hulls and plastic, black powder and smokeless.

As was said they need to be built on heir own frame size. Built on 12 bore frames, they're a club as far as I'm concerned.

[Gregorious]

My first 16 ga. was a Winchester Model 37, which I bought over 10 years ago. My most recent one is also a Model 37, but an Ithaca from the 1950's with a 27" Poly-Choke barrel. A local gun store
http://www.shootingstarsfirearms.com/

likes 16ga. shotguns and always has a great assortment of factory ammunition.

The older shotguns like the Winchester Model 12 and the Ithaca Model 37 are sized to the shell and are lighter and trimmer than a 12ga. but hit hard. An ideal hunting gun.

[Eddie Southgate]

Be careful of the 16 gauge bug. It's a true affliction.

How long have you been shooting that 520A ? Monkey Ward ?

[Treetop]

I own, shoot, and reload for two delightful Browning Sweet Sixteen A5s. Down here in central Texas, this is late season dove and 5 stand shooting season (too hot to shoot skeet or 5 stand in the summer).

My problem is that I'm running low on 16 gauge wads and Ballistic Products is out of all of their 16 gauge wads! Does anyone know of another distributer that may still have some 16 gauge inventory? Thanks, Treetop