16ga.com ~ View topic

Joined: 19 Nov 2015 Posts: 36 Location: Colorado

Hi,

I’m a long-time admirer of the 16 gauge, and have owned and hunted with several over the years. Long story short, about 10 years ago I decided to simplify things in terms in terms of all my guns and ammo, and have done most of my shotgunning with a 12 and 20 gauge. I have a Beretta 686 in each gauge and they have served me very well - I use the 12 for prairie pheasants, and the 20 for prairie grouse and quail. The 12 gets a bit heavy during long days of hunting.

I could continue on this way and be reasonably happy except for one thing: my love for and itch for the 16 has never gone away, it has just been suppressed Wink

. The good Lord willing I have maybe 10 years of upland hunting left, and I’d like to be toting a nice light 16. The question is, which 16? Two that appeal to me are the Franchi Instinct SL and the Browning A5 sweet 16. They both seem to have favorable reviews and light weight, which appeals to me more and more. They are both in the price range I’m looking at (~ $1500). I’m leaning toward the Franchi as I’m used to and shoot pretty well with o/u’s. I’m open to other suggestions, understanding there are not a lot of choices for 16 o/u’s Sad

Full disclosure: I still own two 16’s - a M37 Ithaca and a Husqvarna 310 s/s. I will probably keep both but I see them as bit players and not my go-to guns for all upland hunting. At this point in my life I think I’d like to find one go-to 16 for all my upland hunting, as noted in the great article below.

https://shootingsportsman.com/sweet-over-unders

Joined: 14 Feb 2017 Posts: 401

First trip to South Dakota this year; I took 3 16 gauges. One SxS Fulton, has one Browning Citori and a new Browning Sweet 16. Love the SxS and carried it most of the time but have to admit, as the days wore on, I did carry the Sweet on the long walks. At 5-13, it’s a dream to carry. I will admit a straight stock would make it even better. JM.02$

Joined: 19 Nov 2015 Posts: 36 Location: Colorado

Hayseed - thanks, you have a nice collection of 16’s there. What Citori 16 do you have, and do you mind my asking what it weighs?

Obviously those are two very different guns. I can speak for the A-5. It’s a great carrying piece and with the automatic you can shoot heavy loads and it won’t rattle your teeth- something I may caution you on with the double barrels- go too light of a gun weight and shooting heavy loads can be a bit punishing. Good luck

Joined: 14 Feb 2017 Posts: 401

Double,

I actually have 9 16’s. 3 SxS, 2 semis, 2 pumps, a single shot and a Browning over under. Some new, most old. It is a Gran Lightning with spectacular grade VI wood. It weighs 7-3. I would love to have a a superlight feather with straight grip at a little over 6 lbs but that isn’t in the near future. The weight of the Citori is not an issue for most hunting.

Joined: 14 Feb 2017 Posts: 401

Cowdoc, I was pleasantly surprised shooting clays with the new Sweet 16 A5. Recoil was not a issue at all, surprisingly, considering the light weight.

Joined: 04 Mar 2019 Posts: 1837 Location: Central ND

Citori 16 gauge with 28" barrels. 7 lbs. even and you can use it for clays and upland.

Guest

I finally hit SxS paydirt with my 30" Iside. I'm just locked-in with it on birds. Nice carry weight at 6 lbs. 3 oz., it's living' the 16 gauge dream. Smile

Guest

Not to say my others won't get used! Cool

Member Joined: 09 Jan 2013 Posts: 2168 Location: Florida

One gun - New A5

Joined: 18 Jan 2019 Posts: 27 Location: Colorado

I own the Franchi SL in 16 guage and it is nice to carry in the field, nothing fancy but a great hunting gun that handles well. Add a couple of truelock skeet 1 & 2 and it has served me well on prairie grouse and pheasants and quail.

You own an Husqvarna 310 16ga and you don't use it? Blasphemy. Those are great guns.

Man, instead of spending $1500 on a new gun, I would send that off to Briley and have chokes put in it, or open it to ic/full, and use that for everything that flies. Done.

Joined: 09 Mar 2016 Posts: 753 Location: Mn.

Concur with the sentiment I could never live with just one 16, and I have not. I think I am currently at 10 or 11 16ga Guns. Though I use two of them 95% of the time (both 6 lb guns)

At minimum I believe in a battery set of one light 16 (5 1/2 - 5 3/4) two medium weight (6lbs) A primary and back-up (back up is both an extra in case the primary medium weight breaks and possibly a rainy day gone for bad weather. Although the two medium weight could also be a matched pair. Finally. Heavyweight 16 (6 3/4 to 7 lbs) for duck loads and clay target shooting.

All that said if I had to have only one gun it would be a 6-6 1/2 lbs gun with choke tubes. A Citori or Rizzini if O/U, a fox if American boxlock, or a Brit BLE/SLE. I note that if you are really stuck on one gun it is better to buy a more modern gun that will tolerate the heavier modern pressures. Note if going to a single gun a multi barrel set can help expand the base capabilities, I.e. a set of 27in and 30 inch

The only truly Heavyweight Pressure vintage gun I would recommend is a Winchester M21. I have a 21 with straight grip and splinter forend that weighs in under 7lbs though once balance out with some stock drilling it feels lighter than that. Unfortunately it is one of the only 2 12ga guns I own, but in 16 a 6 1/2 to 7 pound 16 capable of handling any modern shell could be found

Ultimately having a primary or single gun battery is possible, but one gun is a compromise at one extreme or the other.

Joined: 19 Nov 2015 Posts: 36 Location: Colorado