Sixteen gauge is the only one of the common ones I have never owned. Back in the days when I shot skeet, I owned and loaded for 12, 20, 28, and .410. My observations were that it was real hard (for me) to break birds with the .410 but the 12, 20, and 28 all worked equally well. When I realized I was never going to be real good at it, I got rid of everything but the 12. As I got older and more recoil concious, I started loading it down. One ounce, then 7/8ths, finally 3/4ths ounce. Just for drill I even developed some 1/2 ounce loads in the 12 ga hull. Worked fine but a lot of trouble to make. When I moved here I figured out I wouldn't be shooting anymore trap or skeet so I sold my Citori and had no shotgun at all for awhile. Then thought I should get one for home protection and picked up a 12 ga Rem 870 with 21 inch barrel and choke tubes. A do it all gun. I've always wanted a short barrel double for ??? Yesterday I got one on AuctionArms, a 12 ga Stoeger.It will become my beside-the-bed gun. I may have to start loading 12 ga again just to get nice light loads for me and my nephew's kids to shoot some clay birds in the desert. I remember one day about 35 years ago I fired over 500 full power trap loads in one day and went bowling that night. No pain. Now such shenanigans would put me on the DL for a week or more. Isn't getting old fun????