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Lon
PostPosted: Tue May 02, 2017 10:39 am  Reply with quote
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Location: Spokane, WA

Here's an interesting read about our beloved 16 gauge. It's on the Shooting Sportsman website:

http://shootingsportsman.com/the-sweet-sixteen/

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jschultz
PostPosted: Tue May 02, 2017 2:18 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 07 Apr 2007
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Location: northwewst Wyoming

Thanks Lon, I enjoyed the article.
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tda003
PostPosted: Wed May 03, 2017 6:12 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 12 Apr 2017
Posts: 60
Location: St. Simons Island, GA

I read the article and, as a result, bought my first Ugartechea, the Grade IV/257/75 that I posted pictures of here earlier. I'd been looking for a "universal" shotgun for quail, pheasant and other upland game and had not liked the way either of my 20 gauges performed with heavier loads and had not considered a 16 gauge, mistakingly assuming ammunition was still limited and difficult to come by.

I spoke with Chris at the Brays Island invitational at length and also snapped up the Wm. Ford box lock 16 gauge, which I also posted pictures of here. I also had offered a ridiculously low price on a new Grade V/110 Uggie and anticipated a refusal, but I now have three 16 gauge shotguns. This may be an illness.

Regardless, I'll be taking all three out for some patterning and clays practice in early June.

I anticipate that if all goes as I expect, I'll be selling the two 20 gauge and the 28 gauge as they won't be getting much use. In fact, the AyA 20 gauge has never been fired. I was going to have the stock bent on it, but there were some minor cracks hidden by the sidelock which precluded it from being bent. Del Whitman made a beautiful replacement stock for me. (note: AyA doesn't warrantee their wood.)

As a note, neither of the AyA guns (20 and 28 gauge) came close to fitting me, but the Uggie (257) and the Ford fit so well "out of the box" that I don't need any bending at all. I'm a little surprised that one Spanish shotgun (AyA) should have such very different stock measurements from its neighbor (Ugartechea).

I guess I'll find out when I take possession of the other Uggie in a couple of weeks if that fit holds true for both.

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tda003
PostPosted: Wed May 03, 2017 6:14 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 12 Apr 2017
Posts: 60
Location: St. Simons Island, GA

As another note, it was that article that introduced me to this forum.

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Riflemeister
PostPosted: Wed May 03, 2017 7:05 am  Reply with quote
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tda003 wrote:
I read the article and, as a result, bought my first Ugartechea, the Grade IV/257/75 that I posted pictures of here earlier. I'd been looking for a "universal" shotgun for quail, pheasant and other upland game and had not liked the way either of my 20 gauges performed with heavier loads and had not considered a 16 gauge, mistakingly assuming ammunition was still limited and difficult to come by.

I spoke with Chris at the Brays Island invitational at length and also snapped up the Wm. Ford box lock 16 gauge, which I also posted pictures of here. I also had offered a ridiculously low price on a new Grade V/110 Uggie and anticipated a refusal, but I now have three 16 gauge shotguns. This may be an illness.

Regardless, I'll be taking all three out for some patterning and clays practice in early June.

I anticipate that if all goes as I expect, I'll be selling the two 20 gauge and the 28 gauge as they won't be getting much use. In fact, the AyA 20 gauge has never been fired. I was going to have the stock bent on it, but there were some minor cracks hidden by the sidelock which precluded it from being bent. Del Whitman made a beautiful replacement stock for me. (note: AyA doesn't warrantee their wood.)

As a note, neither of the AyA guns (20 and 28 gauge) came close to fitting me, but the Uggie (257) and the Ford fit so well "out of the box" that I don't need any bending at all. I'm a little surprised that one Spanish shotgun (AyA) should have such very different stock measurements from its neighbor (Ugartechea).

I guess I'll find out when I take possession of the other Uggie in a couple of weeks if that fit holds true for both.


Dang, you certainly don't hesitate when you find something you like. Quite honestly, you kinda struck the motherload of 16 ga SXS's. Uggies are well recognized as one of the best bargains of all the Spanish makers. I own two of them, a 257 sidelock 16 ga and a Parker Hale boxlock 16 ga. I'd certainly own more if not handicapped by my preference for POW stocks and single triggers.

A lot of 16 ga shooters are also fans of the 28 ga. I have a couple of DeHaan 28 ga SXS's that I enjoy taking out occasionally for preserve bobwhite. They are also fun for low gun skeet and break clays with a lot more authority than you would expect. You might consider letting the AYA 20 ga go to a new home and try shooting the 28 ga a bit to see if it doesn't compliment your new found appreciation of all things 16 ga.

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tda003
PostPosted: Wed May 03, 2017 7:39 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 12 Apr 2017
Posts: 60
Location: St. Simons Island, GA

Riflemaster:

That may well be the way to go, although the 28 gauge may take some fitting (that AyA stock thing and me, again).

Beside the AyA 20, I also have a S&W Elite Gold 20 gauge. It's now called Webley Scott, but is the same shotgun. It has 3" chambers (and a POW stock w/ single trigger). 3" shells in it can string shot better that just about anything.

I'm thinking they may both just find new homes.

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powderburn
PostPosted: Fri May 12, 2017 10:53 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 06 Sep 2007
Posts: 154
Location: Kentucky

Not bad a bit fluffy. I always wince a bit when I see a writer throw in the old chesnut about bird hunters would look down on any shooter that showed up with anything other than a sub bore double . While I like sub bore guns, the 16 ga in piticular the facts just don't bear that out. One only needs to review the production numbers of the old doublemakers and you will quickly realize that the number of bird hunters must have been thin indeed as 12 boxes were the preponderance of parker, fox, LC Smith and others production. A bird hunter must have been easy to distinguish in those days as they were undoubtedly crosseyed from looking down their noses at the thousands of hunters toteing. 12 ga guns. Never the less the 16 ga was a very popular gun prior to WWII and I am glad to see it making a comeback in the past few years.

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tda003
PostPosted: Fri May 12, 2017 5:43 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 12 Apr 2017
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Location: St. Simons Island, GA

The Grade V/110 Ugartechea should be here sometime this coming week. I'm looking forward to comparing the round action to the 257. I've actually never held a round action shotgun, so the comparison will be a first.

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Pine Creek/Dave
PostPosted: Fri May 12, 2017 6:31 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 17 Mar 2017
Posts: 2787
Location: Endless Mountains of Pa

tda003,

I have been using the Poly 2 1/2 16 Gauge SpredR Shells in my L.C. Smith 16 Gauge double guns sense the shells came out. IMO one of the greatest advancements in Grouse hunting sells ever developed. 8"s thru 6's work great out of all my 16 Elsie double guns. I recommend you give them a try, simply fantastic repetitive patterns, that really put the birds down.

Because our family is pretty much a bunch of Grouse and Woodcock hunters each of us owns more than a few 16 Gauge double guns. In our family the 16 has never fallen from grace. However we never considered the 16 a Sub-Gauge double gun.

I just acquired an 1889 16 Gauge J.P. Sauer Side Lock Bird Gun to replace one that turned up missing back in my Great Grandfathers era. We do a lot of teasing about owning certain kinds of shotguns and Grouse hunting with them. However we believe every man should Grouse and Woodcock hunt with the L.C. Smith double gun of his choosing. A man with proper raising has been taught from child hood which guns God favors for Grouse hunting.

Further never look down your nose with dis*dain at a man who likes to bird hunt with a 12 Gauge double gun, especially if he uses light shells. Not every man can afford to purchase more than one good L.C. Smith double gun. No need to look down on a man just because of how much money he makes. If he can't shoot Grouse properly, now that is a completely different matter.

Pine Creek/Dave

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cowdoc87
PostPosted: Fri May 12, 2017 8:21 pm  Reply with quote
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The old timers shot 12's, and "damn the recoil", " bring a man's gun for a man's work". If you shot lesser gauges, you better be proficient with them...but speaking especially about waterfowl

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Pine Creek/Dave
PostPosted: Fri May 12, 2017 8:26 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 17 Mar 2017
Posts: 2787
Location: Endless Mountains of Pa

cowdoc87,

I picked up a nice 12 Gauge LeFever a while back, it's pure murder on Grouse, Pheasants and Woodcock with the SpredR Shells. Great Wood Duck also. The great thing is the gun weighs in about 6.5 Lbs like some 16's.

Pine Creek/Dave

[URL=http://s264.photobucket.com/user/pine-creek/media/DSCN2168_zpswm3z4uo7.jpg.html] [/URL]

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tda003
PostPosted: Fri May 12, 2017 10:33 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 12 Apr 2017
Posts: 60
Location: St. Simons Island, GA

Dave of Pine Creek,
Was that your Saur I saw pictures of, because that's a thing of beauty!

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Pine Creek/Dave
PostPosted: Sat May 13, 2017 9:37 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 17 Mar 2017
Posts: 2787
Location: Endless Mountains of Pa

tda003,
Yes sir that is my newly acquired 16 Gauge, 1889 J.P. Sauer Side Lock bird gun. Thanks much for the nice complement on her. I was very lucky to acquire it. She should arrive here around the 17th of the month. Man can never have to many high grade 16 Gauge Grouse guns. Good Side Lock 16 double guns have always been my SXS double gun collecting weak spot.

I would like to own a J.P Sauer 16 Gauge Drilling similar to the one in Batha's picture some day. Some people here in the USA don't like them, me I love em.

Pine Creek/Dave


[URL=http://s264.photobucket.com/user/pine-creek/media/J-P-Sauer-and-Sohn-16g-sidelock-nicely-restored_100856162_23_FBC3E2F32DAC1B10_zpsbp71pzyi.jpg.html] [/URL]

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