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Hello,
I am seeking the (almost) perfect 16 gauge for duck hunting. I prefer upland birds in Illinois but since I have recently relocated to Virginia, I am planning on shooting more ducks, rail and woodcock.

Virginia requires non-toxic shot for such birds so I guess my question is 3 fold:

A. What is a decent 16 gauge for shooting ducks and other wetlands birds?

B. Does any gun throw a better steel pattern than others or is that up to the choke?

C. If the choke is fixed, am I looking for a full, modified or something else?

Also, any advice on how to clearly convey the idea that most birds require different guns to my wife is much appreciated.

Thanks,
James

If you are using non-tox and if you currently have an upland gun, and you will be using decoys and have a decent location to hunt, use the upland gun.

I usually use a skeet to I/C choke for my duck hunting and it works quite well.

As far as conveying to the wife, guns are like SHOES, you need different ones for different occasions Very Happy

Mike

[quote="Jbgregory"]Also, any advice on how to clearly convey the idea that most birds require different guns to my wife is much appreciated.
/quote]

You have already started out wrong. Never let her count the guns. If ever questioned about a gun, the standard reply: "This old gun? Heck, I've had it for years". If you slip up and she counts them, all is not lost. For example, you only have about 2 dozen. (We all have to start somewhere.) You can upgrade as long as the total number stays the same. Same with flyrods and reels. When all else fails, buy a gun safe.

Joined: 26 Apr 2010 Posts: 3177 Location: NCWa

You might see if you can get a gun for your wife, but you may have to throw in a good dog to clinch the deal.

Joined: 28 Mar 2008 Posts: 1460 Location: Eagle, Nebraska

An A-5 or Sweet 16 would be fine. Buy a Miroku model, or barrel, and you are set.
A good double, o/u or sxs works great on waterfowl too, especially rail, snipe and teal. Or any duck for that matter, especially if hunting marshes etc and not just simply sitting in some permanent blind.

Steel is different story for me. I do not like any commercial 16ga steel.
Sucks, and sucks big. Even on dove.
Guy up in Michigan, name escapes me at the moment, (is it Sporting Ammo?) loads custom and does so with 16ga steel also, now, those loads look promising, but I have not used them.
When shooting non-tox, I have abandoded steel pretty much in all gauges, I am using nice shot. I think the ITX that BPI sells would be okay too, but once I started using nice shot, I quit experimenting with the ITX.

Its expensive.Heavy Shot classic doubles would even better than steel and they came out with a new 16ga load.

Don't load your own? Can buy nice shot already loaded! RST. New Era will load them or you too.
Chokes, I use cylinder and/IC in my doubles (where I have screw ins)
If I take the Sweet 16 with choke tubes, I use skeet choke with all non-tox.

Member Joined: 09 Jun 2005 Posts: 885 Location: Wisconsin

I use 2 different 16s for ducks, first is an old Western Arms Long Range SxS made by Ithaca. It has 30" bbls. choked F&F in this gun I use both Bismuth and Kent Matrix shot in it. I accumalated both bismuth and Kent Matrix over past year when on sale or closeouts. The other I uase is a 1957 Ithaca md. 37 with a 28" M barrel. I use both no. 2 and no. 4 steel in this. This particular old pump worked very well for me shooting teal in SW Louisiana last winter. It will go down there this winter too.

Joined: 06 Sep 2010 Posts: 49 Location: eastern us

I looked over perfect candidate couple of weeks ago. Sixteen gauge Model 12 with turn adjustable choke device. You could shoot any load of appropriate case length when choke selector matched correct setting. Oops 16 only comes in 70mm, 67mm and 65mm case length so you could shoot everything.

Tried a BPS 16?

Joined: 06 Sep 2010 Posts: 49 Location: eastern us

If you have enough $ might want to track down CSMC rounded action BLE 16br. They were made as limited run and are sort of SKBs with rounded action and fancy wood. Remarkable value in sxs made in USA on state of the art machinery. Cool

Thanks for all of your helpful replies.

Here is what I gather from these words of wisdom:

Guns
I could use my current upland gun - I have both an Ithaca Model 37 and a remington sportsman 48. The Ithaca is bit longer at 28" and based on popplecop's comments, a good gun for this. It is choked IC where the sportsman 48 makes a good quail gun; short barrel, lightweight, and wide open cylinder for fast field shots

I could also (finally) purchase a browning a5 or sweet 16, the only issue here is most of the ones I see in my 6-800 price range are fully choked and most are cracked at the forend. The sportsman 48 is recoil operated as well and is hell on my shoulder after some practice rounds of skeet so I might be more inclined to look for a double barrel, pump or gas operated semi.

The doubles that I like include Dehaan, Fausti, Ithaca field grade, Citori and Lefever.

I wish I could afford a CSMC 16; those guns are truly beautiful and something to keep my eye on as my collection and bank account mature. A BPS 16 appears to be a great all around gun for this use and might look to get a new model rather than a used Rem 870 I have been seeing recently. The model 12 reminds me of the pump shotguns carried by police in the old bank-robing movies and do not know much about them but will check them out.

Chokes
Skeet, improved cylinder

Non Toxic Shot
I called the folks at Sporting Ammo www.sportingammo.com and can get a box of steel shells screaming out of the barrel at 1450 FPS for about $15/box or 150/case. A great deal considering some of the commercial steel prices and according to Hootch suck big time. I also noticed their lead dove loads - 1500 fps - might be hell on your shoulder but you could also limit out early.

I also glanced at the RST website - look like quality above and beyond commercial grade. www.rstshells.com/rst_classic_shotshells_shotshells.htm

Guns and a wife
Do not let her know how many you have.
Explain it to her in terms of something she has too many of as well, like shoes
Get her a gift when you get one for yourself
Hide them in a safe when all else fails

Thanks again for all of your help. I will post a photo if I find a beauty.

I use skeet and IC but Mod is also useful at times.

Both your 37 and Sportsman should be great set for high brass
and ducks coming into decoys.

Did you say your Sportsman was true cylinder? Cut off barrel??

Mike

Joined: 28 Mar 2008 Posts: 1460 Location: Eagle, Nebraska

Not sure the sporting ammo would do much to shoulder.
Recoil autos have never bothered me.

But if you would perfer a gas auto, the Remington 1100 is available in 16ga. (although I am guessing on 12ga frame, have seen and handled one in a store, feels same as 12ga)
It would have screw in chokes, and useable with any ammo you choose.

I do not shoot pumps, only fired a couple in my life. but the BPS is availabe in 16ga in a couple of variations and would be fine too.
I am kind of wanting the upland 24" barrel model myself, but like I said, I don't shoot pumps, so the burning desire to buy one is low (at the moment)

The key to wives and guns, is to have at least 5. She can count up to four easily, after that, she just knows you have "some" guns, after four they lose count. OH, and on HER birthday, never buy yourself a 16ga Citori.
Or on the following birthday, buy another sxs, that one was 10ga. But still, she doesn't know how many I have, just that I have "some"

MIke,
48 Sportsman is marked improved cylinder, I was wrong earlier. Does the IC make a significant difference from a straight cylinder?

YES!!!!!!!!!!!

Cyl, Skeet , IC, Mod, Full are the standard chokes

IC would be GREAT for ducks with non-tox

Mike