Any 16 gauge tips and tricks I need to know?

[Kev18]

Anything is appreciated. I'm just looking for a little knowledge on the shell itself and reloading it. I bought a 16 gauge winchester 1897, takedown deluxe that il probably end up reloading for.
https://i.imgur.com/eyNMAh7.jpg

[skeettx]

In the COLD, lubricate with lighter fluid.

Insure your thumb is out of the way of the breech block when it comes back.

Use Remington ammo or other shorter shells.

http://www.rstshells.com/store/m/3-16-Gauge.aspx

Good luck and enjoy your new treasure.

Look into www.16ga.com and click on the coffee cup.

Mike

good reading
https://forums.sassnet.com/index.php?/topic/230738-1897-chamber-length/

[Texas by God]

You seem to be ignoring all the help you asked for in the gunsmith forum. Just saying. Hope you got it "tooken down"

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Kev18]

You seem to be ignoring all the help you asked for in the gunsmith forum. Just saying. Hope you got it "tooken down"

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

Im not ignoring anything. And I tried and followed all the instructions. It just wants to stay together...

[Sam Casey]

Cool old shotgun, but does not do justice to potential of 16ga. My “tip” would be to trade into a Win M12 16 if you like a pump gun or better yet, find a nice used Citori 16. Your 16ga 2 1/2” reloads will be problematic at some point when they fail to cycle for your second shot out of that old timer at a fast moving grouse.

[Tenbender]

I have a beauty of a M12 16ga for sale. Been reblued but the wood is like new. Built in 1937.

[Kev18]

Cool old shotgun, but does not do justice to potential of 16ga. My “tip” would be to trade into a Win M12 16 if you like a pump gun or better yet, find a nice used Citori 16. Your 16ga 2 1/2” reloads will be problematic at some point when they fail to cycle for your second shot out of that old timer at a fast moving grouse.

Didnt really care about the gauge itself. Iv'e wanted an 1897 for awhile. Fills a spot in my collection I guess. And I like odd ball calibers so its nice:)

[stubshaft]

Be sure to release the trigger when sliding the fore end forward. It will slam fire just like the model 12 which was patterned from it. The gn is in good shape and should have no problems with pressure. Check the chambers to see if they are 2 1/2" or 2 3/4".

[Kev18]

Be sure to release the trigger when sliding the fore end forward. It will slam fire just like the model 12 which was patterned from it. The gn is in good shape and should have no problems with pressure. Check the chambers to see if they are 2 1/2" or 2 3/4".

I shot 2 3/4 just fine. I would have noticed if the Chambers would be smaller. And every 16 shell ive seen has been 2 3/4

[6pt-sika]

Never owned an 1897 in 16 gauge or any other for that matter . I did however have a decent Model 12 16 of 1930's vintage , old gun had a solid rib on top and 28" full choke barrel . Busted a lot of trap birds from 27 yards with that one for fun . Also had an older Browning A-5 standerd weight 16 gauge as well as a pair of Citori's in 16 gauge . The Citori's were a 28" Lightening and a 24" Upland Special and I shot them very well when I owned them . At the present I have three Parker 16's a couple pre war European 16's and a trio of European drillings with 16 gauge shotgun barrels . I like the 16 gauge almost as much as I like the 10 gauge 2 7/8" round . I had two other Parker 16's that I traded away years ago one was a Trogan grade which I do not miss the other however was a VH grade with 30" barrels choked F&F with a straight grip stock and yeah I'd like that VH 30" gun back . The three Parkers I have now are a GH that had the barrels trimmed an inch years ago on a 1 frame , a VH 28" I got from Wild West Guns in Anchorage that ones M&F on a 1 frame as well and finally the third I have now is a VH 0 frame 26" IC&M .

Now FWIW I've always shot 2 3/4" stuff in ALL the 16's I've had in my possession and never had any trouble , but that's not to say someone else might not in their gun . I'm about 200% sure the chambers in the Model 12 and A-5 I owned were both 2 9/16" and I'm pretty sure the chambers in most all the Parkers I own or have owned is 2 5/8" . My Parker GH 16 is Damascus and yes I shoot smokeless loads in it both my low pressure handloads and the REM/WIN promotional dove/quail/rabbit loads . And again I've never had an issue but that's not to say the next time I won't .

[smokinfeathers]

I shoot 16 more than any, killed my last turkey with 1897 16ga n have a auto 5 rem 1148 rem 1100 n a Ithaca 37, you can get 2.5” shells for the older guns but have to order them most of the time. With the 1897 I tend to use lighter loads as I don’t want to stress the old gun

[6pt-sika]

I shoot 16 more than any.

I suspect I shoot 16’s and Short 10’s about the same amount . Nothing against the 12 , 20 and 410 as I like them . But it seems I spend more time and effort on the Short 10’s , 16’s and 28’s . Kinda glad I never picked up a Parker 8 gauge as that would be one more thing to take up time LOL’s !

[megasupermagnum]

Everything i'm seeing shows the model 97 didn't go to 2 3/4" 16 gauge chambers until 1931. You can fit a 2 3/4" shell in a 2 1/2" chamber, it wouldn't hurt to at least look up your year.

As for reloading 16 gauge, the big problem is finding hulls. You can buy Cheddite or Fiocchi hulls, I don't like either. I like both the Remington and Federal hulls. I went with Federal, just because they were cheaper.

Other than that, it's just like loading 12 gauge. There are a handful of different wads available, and 16 gauge works well with any shot size and powder that works in 12 gauge. The one exception being that 00 and bigger buckshot doesn't fit well. For your purposes, pick a good 1 ounce load and enjoy.

[6pt-sika]

As far as I’m concerned there are exactly three 16 gauge wads that I’ll use the been around awhile Remington SP-16 , the Claybuster knockoff of the WAA16 and the Claybuster knockoff of the WAA16 with an added bump in the bottom to make it a 7/8 ounce wad . I use all three wads and if I could lay my hands on a case of the old Remington R-16 wads that I was pretty sure UV light hadn’t compromised I’d use them as well . There of course are other 16 wads available to a lesser degree most of which you have to go thru BPI and I’d just as soon not have to do that .

[megasupermagnum]

Downrange makes a much better wad than Claybuster for the lighter loads, the DR16.

Most of the wads sold by Ballistic Products are made by Gulandi, and are not exclusive to BPI. You can get them from other sources, one of the best being Precision Reloading.

The Claybuster WAA16 wad is my current favorite, which I use for 1 1/8 oz and 1 1/4 oz loads.

[6pt-sika]

Downrange makes a much better wad than Claybuster for the lighter loads, the DR16.



Of the two versions of the Claybuster I don't use the 7/8 ounce wad for 7/8 ounce . With Remington promotional hulls and Federal hulls the regular CB WAA16 makes a nice flat crimp with 1 ounce . But to get a nice flat crimp in the WIN hulls with 1 ounce it does a better job in the slightly displaced CB WAA16 7/8 wad .

[Kev18]

Everything i'm seeing shows the model 97 didn't go to 2 3/4" 16 gauge chambers until 1931. You can fit a 2 3/4" shell in a 2 1/2" chamber, it wouldn't hurt to at least look up your year.

As for reloading 16 gauge, the big problem is finding hulls. You can buy Cheddite or Fiocchi hulls, I don't like either. I like both the Remington and Federal hulls. I went with Federal, just because they were cheaper.

Other than that, it's just like loading 12 gauge. There are a handful of different wads available, and 16 gauge works well with any shot size and powder that works in 12 gauge. The one exception being that 00 and bigger buckshot doesn't fit well. For your purposes, pick a good 1 ounce load and enjoy.

Il need to measure my chambers... 2 3/4 worked well.

I shot 2 3/4 with a side x side that had 2 1/2 chambers. Paid it 100$. Damn did that thing beat up my shoulder!

[BigEyeBob]

I bought a nice sxs Charles Boswell 16g proofed for 1 oz loads .Unfortunately 16g is not very popular in Australia .Winchester 1 1/8oz cartridges are available but too heavy for my gun .Eley and B&P European are available in 29gram (1oz) but I have to wait long times to get them .I bought one packet of the winchester cartridges and cut them down .Bought one bag of claybuster 1oz wads (waa16 equivalent ) but they are a sloppy fit in the cases .I also bought 50 brass cases (magtec ) ,made my own wad cutters and cut wads from synthetic fiber and card to reload them .Roll crimp from precision reloading .With Hodgson ,Winchester ,and Alliant powders being not imported any longer its going to be very difficult to reload .I have been using Winchester ,296 ,760 for years in rifle and pistol .Hodgon 800x for all my vintage shotshells .Reloading components from US is now just about impossible to get shipped . Even empty shot shells ,wads and cards cant be shipped OS from US .So its going to be a hard slog to get my gun shooting .

[rking22]

Don’t know about a 97, but if a M12 isn’t marked “16 gage 2 3/4 “ it is short. Unless someone legenthened the chamber. M12 pre 1936 is a short chamber. That said, the modern plastic cases being thinner than paper are not a problem in 2 9/16 chambers. But, in a M12, the ejection port is the limiting factor. Mine is 1914 vintage, put a federal factory in it and I have to pull the barrel to get the empty out. Should not be a problem on a 97, but pretty sure it will be 2 9/16 chamber. I shoot factory Rem game loads for hulls in my M12 with no issues. They are shorter than Federals. But they aren’t purple:(

[OldBearHair]

Bought a used Model 12 16 gauge in the year 1960. It has screw on Weaver choke tubes. Reloaded for it a while and really liked # 4 buckshot for fairly close targets and it would spread out to a large pattern quickly. That was, as best as memory serves, using a regular full choke tube. Later on acquired an extra full choke tube, but never tried the buckshot in it. Once shot at a doe way too far with single ought.
buckshot. The deer just ran off. I heard the shot hit. Checked the ground for cut hair and blood, tracked the deer tracks a long time and never found evidence of penetration , no blood trail. learned a lesson there. I was young and dumb at 25.LOL
I have one of the old travel trunk sized box full of wads for sixteen gauge and a Lee Loader with a small box full of the plastic thingys for .410 28 20 16 and 12 gauge loading. Have not used the loader since 1980s. Goin to git round to it one day.

[OldBearHair]

Before the model 12 16 gauge in post 20 came along my Brother-in-law gave me a 16 gauge single shot shotgun. Man that thing could kick. Got around to soaking the barrel with Hoppes overnight. Next day dropped the cord with a sinker on the end in the barrel and pulled a tight cotton cloth folded just right out the end of the barrel. What came out first was a round lead piece with a solid ring in the center with finger like extruded lead on front and back of it... Shot pretty good after that.

[John Boy]

Words of advice: If you reload the hulls, Fiocci are the only new hulls sold (Precision Reloading) And if you reload them, don't buy the Lee Precision 16G LOAD-ALL II because the new hulls are too long and will not fit in the press
250172

You need the MEC 600 Jr. Mark 5 Single Stage Shotshell Press 16 Gauge 2-3/4" and the cost is $228.00
https://media.mwstatic.com/product-images/src/Primary/392/392796.jpg?imwidth=2200

[15meter]

Il need to measure my chambers... 2 3/4 worked well.

I shot 2 3/4 with a side x side that had 2 1/2 chambers. Paid it 100$. Damn did that thing beat up my shoulder!

Do plastic hulls come out looking like bottleneck cases? When I was a kid I shot a 2 1/2" 410 with 3" shells.
They ejected with a distinct bottleneck shape. Didn't know there was a 2 1/2" version. It kicked pretty good for a 410.

Got my first pheasant with that gun with the wrong ammo.

[megasupermagnum]

Words of advice: If you reload the hulls, Fiocci are the only new hulls sold (Precision Reloading) And if you reload them, don't buy the Lee Precision 16G LOAD-ALL II because the new hulls are too long and will not fit in the press
250172

You need the MEC 600 Jr. Mark 5 Single Stage Shotshell Press 16 Gauge 2-3/4" and the cost is $228.00
https://media.mwstatic.com/product-images/src/Primary/392/392796.jpg?imwidth=2200

None of that is correct. You can buy both Cheddite and Rio hulls brand new from Ballistic Products. I loaded with the Fiocchi 2 3/4" hulls from BPI until I got a good supply of Federal hulls. They load just fine on the Lee load all II. Do not get the MEC 600 JR, it is an inferior machine.

[6pt-sika]

I have no less then three 16 gauge loaders at the moment !

A 600 JR for loading buckshot and slugs , a 650 I bought new to load birdshot loads and more recently a new 9000 I got off Ebay for a good price ! So now the 650 doesn't do much anylonger .

[sharps4590]

megasupermagnum and rking22 are both correct regards the date Winchester changed to 2 3/4 for the 16. Yes, 2 3/4 shells will fire but the star crimp is still being forced into the bore and that has to raise pressures. As was mentioned there is always the possibility the chamber was lengthened but you can't know that until it is checked.

I don't shoot a lot of shotgun and all I have is 16 bore, consequently I don't need an expensive loader. Every hull I've loaded has worked just fine in my cheapy Lee Load All. Mostly I shoot 2 1/2 shells because all but one of my 16's is German and old. I cut back 2 3/4 hulls to correct 2 1/2 length and have been doing that for 30 years or more. I load the 2 1/2 in. shells on the same Lee and it works just fine. All I have to do for them is remove the shell after the shot charge is dumped, insert the over shot card and roll crimp it. If a fella was shooting trap or skeet with his 16, the way I load them would probably drive a fella nuts but, I don't shoot 5 boxes a year so it's fine for me.

[skeettx]

I load most of my 16s on a Texan M-II press, it really spits them out :)
Mike

[Kev18]

I'd need to look into presses. I have a Lee supplier close to me. So il probably get a cheap press there most likely. I have a ponsness and Warren for 12 gauge.

[megasupermagnum]

I'd need to look into presses. I have a Lee supplier close to me. So il probably get a cheap press there most likely. I have a ponsness and Warren for 12 gauge.

If you already have the PW, I'd highly recommend the 16 gauge tooling kit. The tooling costs as much as a used MEC, but is a top of the line machine, as I'm sure you know. The Lee does work well enough though. I loaded 16 on the Lee before I bought a PW. Even now that I have the PW, I still haven't seen any reason to buy the 16 gauge kit when the Lee works.

[John Boy]

You can buy both Cheddite and Rio hulls brand new from Ballistic Products.
* Cheddite - "Check for Availability"
* Rio - There now back in stock