Is anybody still shooting a 16 Ga. ?

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Mon May 19, 2014 5:38 am

Just wondering, do you reload for it too?

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Mon May 19, 2014 5:44 am

I use a 16ga and I'm a member of 16 Gauge Society. I don't reload and my only 16 now is a Stevens 94 with 32" barrel.
The 16 Gauge Society has a reloading forum..

BrentD · Post by **BrentD** » Mon May 19, 2014 6:35 am

I certainly do. It is one of my favorite guns. I reload it with varying amounts of blackpowder, fiber wads and lead.

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Mon May 19, 2014 6:48 am

Yes. I have 3: a Hammer Drilling in 16x16/9.3x72R, a Damascus Hammer Double and a Western Auto Bolt gun.

I shoot the Drilling & the Western Auto with shells made by Poly Wad since they are one of the few purveyors of 2-1/2" low pressure shells.

I have the tools to reload, particularly in Brass Hulls, but I still have a pile of OEM handy.

Oh, and I am(?)/have also been a member of the 16ga Society... just haven't done much with it in the past 3-4 years.

Larkbill · Post by **Larkbill** » Mon May 19, 2014 6:52 am

I have an A5 (unfortunately with one of those C-Lect chokes with compensator that were so popular in the 50's) and one of the Brazilian SXS's along with a MEC loader. I've shot quite a bit of skeet with both and usually take one or the other for pheasants as I have an awesome stash of suitable hunting shells. Also had some bismuth shells for a while and used the SXS for early season wood duck hunting:

cshold · Post by **cshold** » Mon May 19, 2014 7:24 am

I do.

RIHMFIRE · Post by **RIHMFIRE** » Mon May 19, 2014 7:25 am

I have a SXS 16 but dont shoot it much...and i dont reload for it either...
right now it is not cost effective to reload for 12, 16, or 20....besides
ya cant find any powder..and shot is $45 per 25/lb bag...

cshold · Post by **cshold** » Mon May 19, 2014 7:25 am

BrentD wrote:I certainly do. It is one of my favorite guns. I reload it with varying amounts of blackpowder, fiber wads and lead.

Nice

vancelw · Post by **vancelw** » Mon May 19, 2014 7:28 am

I only have my grandfather's old 16 ga Columbia single shot (don't shoot it anymore...I'm too old to be invincible) and a recently acquired 16 ga Rem 870 Wingmaster that I bought to match my 12 ga, both circa 1965. I've had doubles and Model 12s. I love a 16. I have managed to stockpile ~50 boxes of shells, so unless I take up skeet or trap, I won't need to learn to reload shotguns for a while.

Come to think of it, I have 3 boxes of clays and a thrower in the shop I've never used.....Better fix that

If you decide to reload the 16, holler I think I have a bag of wads I'll send you.

MrMurphy · Post by **MrMurphy** » Mon May 19, 2014 7:45 am

I know in the last 10 years manufacturers have come back out with more 16's in response to demand, so there 'are' 16 ga shooters out there. Maybe not as many as once, but they do exist.

Bill in Oregon · Post by **Bill in Oregon** » Mon May 19, 2014 8:49 am

Another 16 Ga. Society member. I have two: my father's old Winchester M37 single-shot that he bought new for $9 about 1939, and a Model 97 made in about 1908. Just got a MEC loader set up to load 2 1/2-inch shells for the 97.
Brent, that's a lovely double, and so is your hunting partner.

Pete44ru · Post by **Pete44ru** » Mon May 19, 2014 9:00 am

.

My fave was a SxS - an L.C.Smith featherweight 16 ("FW" serial number prefix), that looked/handled like a 20ga due to the scaled-down frame.

I never reloaded for it, because it came with a huge brown paper shopping bag chock full of 2-9/16" paper cartridges (the gun was short-chambered, pre-1926) - which was more than enough to last for years of hunting.

Since I prefer my guns to be as light as possible as I age, I recently replaced it with an even lighter SxS - a 28ga Ithaca Flues Model 1-S (special), which requires low-powered RST ammo due to it's internally-skeletonized lightweight frame & it's age (DOB=1911).

.

.

BrentD · Post by **BrentD** » Mon May 19, 2014 9:40 am

That's a very nice Smith there. Very nice.

Post by **Old Savage** » Mon May 19, 2014 11:40 am

Stevens 311

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Mon May 19, 2014 12:02 pm

Old Shatterhand, our friend from Sweden is also a member of The 16 Gauge Society.

roundup · Post by **roundup** » Mon May 19, 2014 2:55 pm

I'm also a member of the 16 Gauge Society. I have an Ithaca Mdl. 37 pump. It was full choke with a 28" barrel
which was too tight for most uses so I had it opened up to modified. For the last few years it has been my primary upland bird gun. Mostly used for Ruffed & Blue grouse plus occasionally for Chukars and Huns (the birds). I do reload for it. I use a Lee outfit...works for me. Use 6 and 7 1/2 shot. Use it also for informal trap shoots.

Some years back I hunted mostly waterfowl and pheasants using a Remington 870 3" Mag. I had to send it to a Remington registered repair person. In the meantime I purchased the Ithaca and used it one season for everything., from geese to quail. I find the 16 gauge to be a great shotgun.

BrentD · Post by **BrentD** » Mon May 19, 2014 2:57 pm

The old adage, "hits like a 12, carries like a 20" doesn't seem all that far fetched to me. I sure like what mine does on pheasants.

Bill in Oregon · Post by **Bill in Oregon** » Mon May 19, 2014 3:09 pm

Jack O'Connor called the 16 the "queen of the uplands." I can't disagree.

Marlin32 · Post by **Marlin32** » Mon May 19, 2014 4:47 pm

2 sxs's an old Parker Trojan with 2.5" chambers, a Win 24
2 Sweet 16's
and a Citori 16ga
Load with MEC jr. and handload roll crimp.
Mostly load short hulls, use them in all above. Same load as a 2.75 but in a roll crimped short hull

cshold · Post by **cshold** » Mon May 19, 2014 7:26 pm

BrentD wrote:The old adage, "hits like a 12, carries like a 20" doesn't seem all that far fetched to me. I sure like what mine does on pheasants.

A lot of truth in that statement.
I love my little 5.13 lb. Parker VH 16 GA.

BrentD · Post by **BrentD** » Mon May 19, 2014 7:37 pm

I'm not a big fan of Parkers, but that one could change my mind I think.

jjames · Post by **jjames** » Mon May 19, 2014 8:52 pm

Yes to both questions. 1958 Sweet Sixteen, a several year old 870 Wingmaster, and my dad's old Cresent Arms single shot. The later is the first shotgun I ever shot. I hunted with it for a few years until Dad passed down his JC Higgins 12 ga pump to me. To darn hard to find ammo so I reload

cshold · Post by **cshold** » Tue May 20, 2014 6:59 am

BrentD wrote:I'm not a big fan of Parkers, but that one could change my mind I think.

Be careful Brent,
Parker girls are addictive.

6pt-sika · Post by **6pt-sika** » Tue May 20, 2014 1:38 pm

BrentD wrote:I'm not a big fan of Parkers

Obviousely you were dropped on your head as a child

6pt-sika · Post by **6pt-sika** » Tue May 20, 2014 1:46 pm

There are only four REAL gauges the 8 gauge , the 10 gauge , the 16 gauge and the 28 gauge . Everything else pales in comparison !

AH Fox A grade 16 gauge circa 1930 and a Parker GH 16 gauge damascus circa 1910 .

Also have an old pre 1942 H&R 16 gauge single barrel , a Remington Model 48 16 gauge with a Cutts on the barrel , a Kettner side by side pre war 16 gauge . A Kettner 16,16 10.75x65R Collath drilling , a Kerner 16-16-7x57R drilling a guild 16-16-8x57R drilling .

And yes I reload for them !

Last years dove shoot from the second saturday .

Used the AH Fox 16 and a Browning Superposed 20 .

A late december dove hunt from a couple years ago . My 1881 W&C Scott 10 gauge and the Kettner 16 gauge .

6pt-sika · Post by **6pt-sika** » Tue May 20, 2014 1:50 pm

BrentD wrote:That's a very nice Smith there. Very nice.

Reread he has a Ithaca Flues pictured not a Smith .

FWIW , Smith's have sideplates/locks . Depending on who you're lsitening to some say sidelock and some say sideplate . I don't give an F which it is I enjoy the three I have .

BrentD · Post by **BrentD** » Tue May 20, 2014 1:52 pm

6pt-sika wrote:
BrentD wrote:I'm not a big fan of Parkers
Obviousely you were dropped on your head as a child

No, not really. I ran into light, beautifully balanced and configured english double guns first and everything else looks so downhill from there.

For some reason, I have a strong preference for English double shotguns and American singleshot rifles. Just what works for me.

BrentD · Post by **BrentD** » Tue May 20, 2014 1:53 pm

6pt-sika wrote:
BrentD wrote:That's a very nice Smith there. Very nice.
Reread he has a Ithaca Flues pictured not a Smith .

well, not surprised that I got it wrong. What I would really like to see are a few LeFevers. That is the one American shotgun maker that intrigues me the most. And I could use a good 20 gauge (esp. with hammers).

6pt-sika · Post by **6pt-sika** » Tue May 20, 2014 1:59 pm

For those who never really liked Parkers !

Top is a Parker VHE 12 gauge , next down is a Utica Fox Sterlingworth 12 gauge next down is a Parker VH 12 gauge and the one on the bottom is an Ithaca Minier 12 gauge .

Sorry they're not 16's but folks that say they never really cared for Parkers bring out the worst in me

BrentD · Post by **BrentD** » Tue May 20, 2014 2:07 pm

If that's all it takes to get a good gunshow going - so be it: Parkers are big, overbuilt, heavy, clunkers

That should keep you going for a while:

http://www.public.iastate.edu/~jessie/P ... CN0235.JPG

Dang, I hate this 1000 pixel limitation....

6pt-sika · Post by **6pt-sika** » Tue May 20, 2014 3:11 pm

BrentD wrote:If that's all it takes to get a good gunshow going - so be it: Parkers are big, overbuilt, heavy, clunkers

Obviousely you've never shot a nice little 16 , 20 , 28 or 410 Parker .

Or for that matter a lighter framed Parker 10 gauge !

BrentD · Post by **BrentD** » Tue May 20, 2014 3:16 pm

6pt-sika wrote:
BrentD wrote:If that's all it takes to get a good gunshow going - so be it: Parkers are big, overbuilt, heavy, clunkers

Obviously, you've never shot a nice little 16 , 20 , 28 or 410 Parker .

Or for that matter a lighter framed Parker 10 gauge !

Oh, you might be surprised. Have you shot an Evans, for example? Or a nice mid to upper level Greener, or even a Cashmore meat gun?

We all have our favorites and our fancies.

anyone have a nice Darne 20 gauge or a Greener hammer gun in the same?

6pt-sika · Post by **6pt-sika** » Tue May 20, 2014 3:23 pm

BrentD wrote:
6pt-sika wrote:
BrentD wrote:I'm not a big fan of Parkers
Obviousely you were dropped on your head as a child
No, not really. I ran into light, beautifully balanced and configured english double guns first and everything else looks so downhill from there.

For some reason, I have a strong preference for English double shotguns and American singleshot rifles. Just what works for me.

The first double I ever owned and still do for that matter is a WW Greener 12 gauge boxlock with the somewhat more rare tang safety . This is a midgrade gun with the Miller b...a...s...t...a...r...d single trigger .

Also happen to have three W&C Scott guns . My grandfathers old circa 1881 10 gauge with back action locks . A 12 gauge with actual sideloacks and a petite little 20 gauge again with back action locks . The 12 and 20 were made around 1890 . Sad to say there was a 16 gauge with the 12 and 20 before we bought them 30+ years ago but the 16 was sold before we knew about them .

Oh the last english gun I have is a rather well used Westley Richards boxlock 12 gauge . Again a midgrade gun for a WR boxlock .

So then I as well have had and still have english guns , however other then my grandfathers old 10 gauge I prefer the Parker/Fox/LC Smith over the english stuff . I even stooped so low as to have a pair of Pre War Darne's in 12 and 20 gauge . While being light and lively little guns the 20 gauge however weighed about 5 1/2 pounds and would beat the veritable life out of you on a skeet or sporting clays course . Those two have since gone down the road , and with my current attitude towards the frech it's just as well .

BrentD · Post by **BrentD** » Tue May 20, 2014 3:26 pm

Well, to each his own then. I won't be driving Parker prices up for you.

don't hate on the French too much. We'd be brits w/o 'em

6pt-sika · Post by **6pt-sika** » Tue May 20, 2014 3:29 pm

BrentD wrote:
6pt-sika wrote:
BrentD wrote:That's a very nice Smith there. Very nice.
Reread he has a Ithaca Flues pictured not a Smith .
well, not surprised that I got it wrong. What I would really like to see are a few LeFevers. That is the one American shotgun maker that intrigues me the most. And I could use a good 20 gauge (esp. with hammers).

We had a very nice Lefever F grade live pigeon gun in the shop for sale about a year and a half ago . Nice english straight grip stock and actually for a gun that age very little drop . Sold it to a friend . He's used it in a couple live pigeon shoots recently .

That was the ONLY Lefever live pigeon gun I've ever had in my hands . Kinda wish I'd bought it now

6pt-sika · Post by **6pt-sika** » Tue May 20, 2014 3:32 pm

BrentD wrote:Well, to each his own then. I won't be driving Parker prices up for you.

don't hate on the French too much. We'd be brits w/o 'em

Quite frankly with the present state of affairs in this country it may not be to many years before I become formerly of Virginia blah blah and now of the Philippines !

Of course I need to decide on a trustworthy friend to leave most of my fire power with

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Tue May 20, 2014 4:17 pm

I never "started"... so I'm not "still"!

cshold · Post by **cshold** » Wed May 21, 2014 5:10 am

6pt-sika wrote:
BrentD wrote:If that's all it takes to get a good gunshow going - so be it: Parkers are big, overbuilt, heavy, clunkers

Obviousely you've never shot a nice little 16 , 20 , 28 or 410 Parker .

Or for that matter a lighter framed Parker 10 gauge !

+1

6pt-sitka is it okay to high Jack your awesome pictures and post
them in the SxS Facebook group

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Wed May 21, 2014 5:46 am

Being as this thread has become a Parkers v the rest, I'd just like to say that when I worked for Westley Richards I handled and shot some of the finest British shotguns ever made but my favorite shotgun was always "The Parker".
It broke my heart to cut down and resleeve beautiful Damascus barreled Parkers that had been sent over by their American owners.

cshold · Post by **cshold** » Wed May 21, 2014 6:53 am

game keeper wrote:Being as this thread has become a Parkers v the rest, I'd just like to say that when I worked for Westley Richards I handled and shot some of the finest British shotguns ever made but my favorite shotgun was always "The Parker".
It broke my heart to cut down and resleeve beautiful Damascus barreled Parkers that had been sent over by their American owners.

Wow! I can only imagine the pain in having to do that

The dreaded exploding Damascus barrel disease.

piller · Post by **piller** » Wed May 21, 2014 7:06 am

I only shot a 16 gauge once. My Uncle Jim had a Browning Sweet 16 Auto 5, and it kicked like a mule. I value my shoulder enough that I will stick with 12 gauge or 20 gauge. One shooting session, 5 shots, of 3 1/2 inch magnum 12 gauge, felt almost as painful as 1 shot from that 16 gauge 2 3/4 did.

6pt-sika · Post by **6pt-sika** » Wed May 21, 2014 7:36 am

game keeper wrote:Being as this thread has become a Parkers v the rest, I'd just like to say that when I worked for Westley Richards I handled and shot some of the finest British shotguns ever made but my favorite shotgun was always "The Parker".
It broke my heart to cut down and resleeve beautiful Damascus barreled Parkers that had been sent over by their American owners.

I've got an LC Smith Field Grade 12 gauge that has sleaved Westley Richards barrels .

6pt-sika · Post by **6pt-sika** » Wed May 21, 2014 7:38 am

casastahle wrote:
6pt-sika wrote:
BrentD wrote:If that's all it takes to get a good gunshow going - so be it: Parkers are big, overbuilt, heavy, clunkers

Obviousely you've never shot a nice little 16 , 20 , 28 or 410 Parker .

Or for that matter a lighter framed Parker 10 gauge !
+1

6pt-sitka is it okay to high Jack your awesome pictures and post
them in the SxS Facebook group

Sure , not a problem .

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Wed May 21, 2014 7:44 am

6pt-sika wrote:
game keeper wrote:Being as this thread has become a Parkers v the rest, I'd just like to say that when I worked for Westley Richards I handled and shot some of the finest British shotguns ever made but my favorite shotgun was always "The Parker".
It broke my heart to cut down and resleeve beautiful Damascus barreled Parkers that had been sent over by their American owners.
I've got an LC Smith Field Grade 12 gauge that has sleaved Westley Richards barrels .

I do not remember resleeving an LC Smith but it was a long long time ago, if it looks good then I did it, if not, it must be someone else's work....

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Wed May 21, 2014 7:59 am

casastahle wrote:
game keeper wrote:Being as this thread has become a Parkers v the rest, I'd just like to say that when I worked for Westley Richards I handled and shot some of the finest British shotguns ever made but my favorite shotgun was always "The Parker".
It broke my heart to cut down and resleeve beautiful Damascus barreled Parkers that had been sent over by their American owners.
Wow! I can only imagine the pain in having to do that
The dreaded exploding Damascus barrel disease.

Back in the sixties that's all I read in American gun magazines, never never fire a shotgun with Damascus barrels unless using black powder shells.....

Bloodhound · Post by **Bloodhound** » Wed May 21, 2014 10:08 am

I shoot a 1948 Winchester Model 12 in 16ga and a 1947 LC Smith Field in 16ga. The Winchester is in pieces right now for a total re-finish...I am sending the metal to Simmons for a solid rib and re-blue and I am refinishing the wood. This project has been a long time in the works and I am getting closer to the completed product a 16ga upland gun.

I do re-load for the 16 on a PW 375C single stage. I don't shoot the 16 at clays much, they are hunting guns so I have no problem keeping up for my needs with a single stage press.

6pt-sika · Post by **6pt-sika** » Wed May 21, 2014 10:47 am

game keeper wrote:
6pt-sika wrote:
game keeper wrote:Being as this thread has become a Parkers v the rest, I'd just like to say that when I worked for Westley Richards I handled and shot some of the finest British shotguns ever made but my favorite shotgun was always "The Parker".
It broke my heart to cut down and resleeve beautiful Damascus barreled Parkers that had been sent over by their American owners.
I've got an LC Smith Field Grade 12 gauge that has sleaved Westley Richards barrels .
I do not remember resleeving an LC Smith but it was a long long time ago, if it looks good then I did it, if not, it must be someone else's work....

We bought the gun as it is now about 35 years ago and a dare say the fellow we got it from most likely had it done as much as 20 years before we got it . So i would say this gun was sleaved in the 40's to 60's .

The fellow who owned this Smith also owned the LC Smith 12 gauge Ideal I have and the Ithaca NID 10 gauge that I killed a deer with this past season. He was a local farmer who's family had some money back in the day and he seemed to be somewhat of a gun nut per say . As he had many guns when we bought the three shotguns . He also had a number of rifles , two of which I got and have since sent down the road . One was a 03 Springfield he had rebarreled with a Winchester Model 70 30-06 bull barrel . Gun shot wonderfully but at the time the 06 didn't intrest me , funny how some things never change ! We also got a HB Sako also in 06 with a McGowan stainless barrel . As you may expect that one didn't intrest me either , but at the time we got them for what I thought were excellent prices .

6pt-sika · Post by **6pt-sika** » Wed May 21, 2014 10:53 am

Gamekeeper , the LC Field Grade with the sleaved barrels is one heck of a shooter it's choked light IC or skeet . I've shot some excellent rounds in skeet with it both with mounted gun and with low gun . The gun however was broken at the wrist long before we bought it and "The Farmer" appears to have used popsicle sticks and copper wire to repair the break and then shellacqued over the whole mess . It certainly isn't a thing of beauty from the wrist back but it somehow seems to shoot nicely when I've had it in my hands .

6pt-sika · Post by **6pt-sika** » Wed May 21, 2014 10:58 am

Bloodhound wrote:I shoot a 1948 Winchester Model 12 in 16ga and a 1947 LC Smith Field in 16ga. The Winchester is in pieces right now for a total re-finish...I am sending the metal to Simmons for a solid rib and re-blue and I am refinishing the wood. This project has been a long time in the works and I am getting closer to the completed product a 16ga upland gun.

I do re-load for the 16 on a PW 375C single stage. I don't shoot the 16 at clays much, they are hunting guns so I have no problem keeping up for my needs with a single stage press.

About 25 years ago I picked up a rather nice Winchester Model 12 16 gauge circa 1938 . The gun was field grade with the tootsie roll forend had 28" full choke barrel with a solid rib . This was back when I shot ALOT of skeet and trap . It was great fun to go out on practice nights during the week with others and shoot a straight round on 16 yard trap and then shoot a straight round on skeet . With skeet it was pretty straight forward you either obliterated the bird or missed , there were ni chips and pieces with that gun .

Back then I was also a PW reloader person and had a 375 with two heads , one for 16 gauge and the other for 10 gauge . Wish I had that loader back now with set ups for 2 7/8" 10 gauge as well as 12 , 16 and 20 gauge dies .

6pt-sika · Post by **6pt-sika** » Wed May 21, 2014 11:01 am

piller wrote:I only shot a 16 gauge once. My Uncle Jim had a Browning Sweet 16 Auto 5, and it kicked like a mule. I value my shoulder enough that I will stick with 12 gauge or 20 gauge. One shooting session, 5 shots, of 3 1/2 inch magnum 12 gauge, felt almost as painful as 1 shot from that 16 gauge 2 3/4 did.

I had a Browning Standard A5 16 gauge for awhile with a polychoke on the end . I never thought it kicked that much . I sold and old departed friend a very very nice Sweet 16 that was made in the mid 60's about two years ago and he loved it .