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< 16ga. General Discussion ~ Is the New Sweet 16 the Turning Point |
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Posted:
Sat Feb 25, 2017 12:31 pm
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Joined: 19 Apr 2008
Posts: 477
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The new Browning Sweet 16 must be the hottest new shotgun of the year. It has been a hot topic on every discussion board for the past year. Each magazine I have seen has made it the gun of the year in their annual honors lists. Most of the mainstream sporting magazines have reviewed it with very high praise. I saw on another board that one guy went into a Scheel's and saw some on the rack. The salesman said eight came in and in less than a week only two were left. He bought one. All this for a 16 gauge. You know that fading to dead gauge you can't get ammo for.
Is this the turning point for the gauge? |
_________________ Many places remain undiscovered. Some because no one has ever been there. Others because no one has ever come back. |
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Posted:
Sat Feb 25, 2017 1:08 pm
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Member
Joined: 08 Nov 2005
Posts: 3439
Location: Illinois
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Browning also introduced shells to go along w/ the gun.16 ammo IS available from several makers-----getting the retail stores to order/carry in stock is a whole different ballgame. |
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Posted:
Sat Feb 25, 2017 1:26 pm
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Joined: 20 Jul 2011
Posts: 625
Location: Ohio..where ruffed grouse were
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Nope.....but, a turning point for the gauge might be a chain saw. |
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Posted:
Sat Feb 25, 2017 3:08 pm
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Joined: 01 Oct 2007
Posts: 963
Location: Minnesota
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I doubt it very much. Not enough selection of ammo, cause vendors cant stock it cause not enough buyers, and buys won't but 16 ga guns cause they can't find ammo, aka chicken and egg.
The 12 will always be #1, and I think the 20 #2, because of its versatility as a good first gun for youngsters as well as 3" mag in a light gun for birds for us oldsters.
I do my part ( all gauges) but there are not that many 16 ga guys around and most have gray or no hair. |
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Posted:
Sat Feb 25, 2017 10:46 pm
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Joined: 26 Apr 2010
Posts: 3181
Location: NCWa
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The turning point would be if the various competition organizations included the 16 gauge in the events. I don't see any of them going to six gun but the chances of adding the 16 are better than the 10, so there's always hope. |
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Posted:
Sun Feb 26, 2017 5:45 am
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Joined: 07 Sep 2014
Posts: 419
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16 Gauge popularity seems to run in spits and spurts. Right now it is on a high and I hope it stays there. There are at least 3 brands of ammo out there with a few shot sizes. I only buy 1 ounce 8s and that is an ok load for skeet or trap, though not one I would shot in competition. I see 6s around also. I prefer the Remingtons as they reload well, but also buy Estates when I can get them.
As I see the problem, the retailers don't bug the distributors for them, so the distributors don't bug the manufacturers and there is no pressure from the shooting organizations, that except for classic shoots do not consider the 16 to be a class, though I have seen some shot in the 12 gauge Skeet events.
So we need to keep asking our retails when they are going to have some and hope that they do the same to their distributors and we need to right to Remington, Winchester, Herters etc. and tell them we are out here in numbers and we need more ammo.
Right now I have 10 flats of never fired factory Remingtons and enough once fired empties for about 20 flats more, so with 30 flats and a progressive reloading press, I probably am ok at my age for all the 16s I might need. But, I am happy to write letters and try to help.
Bob
P.S. - I load 1 1/8 ounce 9s and would use my 16s in the 12 gauge skeet event if I needed to. |
_________________ Robert Kittine
Sag Harbor and Manhattan, New York
WA2YDV
16 Gauge O/U Browning 525 Sporting
16 Gauge SxS Rizzini Islide
16 Gauge Pump Browning BPS Upland
16 Gauge Semi-Auto Remington 1100 Sporting |
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Posted:
Sun Feb 26, 2017 6:35 pm
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Joined: 30 Sep 2015
Posts: 640
Location: NEW SALISBURY INDIANA
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another turning point could be walmart selling 3 kinds of 16 ga ammo |
_________________ 16ga 3-Win 37
16ga Ithaca 37 1946
16ga Western Auto Revelation
16ga Browning A-5 1929
16ga Marlin 90 1939
16ga browning citori lightning grade 3 2003
16ga Francisque Darne 1920 |
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Posted:
Mon Feb 27, 2017 7:31 am
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Joined: 06 Jan 2017
Posts: 88
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The Herters 16ga shells sold by Cabela's have made it easier to save a few bucks on factory ammo. So far, hulls seem to reload OK. Pretty thin however, so I don't expect real long hull life. |
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Posted:
Mon Feb 27, 2017 8:48 am
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Member
Joined: 02 Feb 2006
Posts: 602
Location: western pa
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So far I'm getting 6+ reloads out of the Herters hull. Remingtons rarely exceed 3. Then I trim them to 2 1/2" and roll crimp one more out of them. It's probably not worth the trouble but what the hell, I'm retired. |
_________________ Always get get a drink upstream of the herd-Will Rogers |
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Posted:
Tue Feb 28, 2017 6:17 pm
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Joined: 20 Mar 2016
Posts: 9
Location: Colorado
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All of this 16 ga activity is encouraging! When i first fell in love with the Queen of the uplands I had to load my shells for pheasants. Now I could if I so choose purchase GP's Browning or Federals all with premium shot! Viva La 16! I still load to get what I want but the options are growing! |
_________________ Belgium Sweet Sixteen
2 Citori's 16ga
870 16ga
A5 Sweet Sixteen |
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Posted:
Tue Feb 28, 2017 10:51 pm
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Joined: 04 Feb 2014
Posts: 28
Location: Atlanta, GA
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What could make it come back is correcting what I've always thought was why it went out to begin with... that manufacturers were going cheap and making them on 12 ga frames and there was not enough of a weight/handling difference to make you want a 16 instead of a 12. That whole "carries like a 20, hits like a 12" thing.
I also think the requirements for non-toxic shot has also hurt the 16, as most people still want to shoot the cheaper steel loads and there are very few for 16 ga. Of course, new guns will be able to shoot steel unlike all of our old ones.
I'm just glad I have a few options for shells that seem to be in Stock year round. |
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Posted:
Wed Mar 01, 2017 10:37 am
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Joined: 21 May 2015
Posts: 128
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I purchased my first 16 this year, a Sauer post war SxS.
My decision was based on one thing... weight, followed by price.
I couldn't afford a 20 that weighed in at 6#.
And, for what it cost, I'll have about $1300 to spend on ammo to equal a similar weight 20 O/U or SxS.
Two outings, and I'm hooked. It is a pleasure to carry and to shoot. I am toying with using it for waterfowl, too. Although, I hunt too hard to carry a nice gun, and the synthetic stock SA 12 takes a beating in the swamps.
I think that the 16 has just enough offerings in ammo, and it will always have a niche with upland hunting if it's built on the right frame... may have to settle for shooting the antiques, though.
3ds |
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Posted:
Wed Mar 01, 2017 11:42 am
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Member
Joined: 27 Dec 2005
Posts: 582
Location: Great Lakes
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I have always liked a 16ga bird gun, but NEVER liked those hump backed Browning autos. Don't think that stale old profile will bring many new shooters to the "club". |
_________________ A Springer Spaniel, a 6# double and a fair day to hunt. |
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Posted:
Wed Mar 01, 2017 1:00 pm
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Member
Joined: 18 Aug 2010
Posts: 399
Location: Ballymoney Northern Ireland
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This full page advertisement for 16 gauge guns was in this weeks Shooting Times magazine in the UK highlights that 16 gauge is making quite a come-back!
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Posted:
Wed Mar 01, 2017 3:01 pm
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Joined: 07 Apr 2007
Posts: 1624
Location: northwewst Wyoming
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WOW!!
Beautiful 16's. I shoot a 16 Ga. #2 AyA. My AyA is a very nice looking shotgun, but those two beauties are spectacular. |
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