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<  16ga. General Discussion  ~  16GA vs 12GA for long range
hiplainsdrifter
PostPosted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 9:24 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Jan 2017
Posts: 50

I realize that this forum will be biased but I am interested in opinions on using a 16 for longer range shots. I live in Wyoming and 30 yard shots on sharptails and wild roosters are the norm. I am willing to lug a 12 around if it means more clean kills, but if the 16 will cut the mustard I would rather have less weight.
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Ray-citori
PostPosted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 9:50 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 05 Feb 2015
Posts: 267
Location: New Braunfels TX

No expert by any means but 1 1/4oz of shot doesn't know the diameter of the barrel it came from.
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AmericanMeet
PostPosted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 11:24 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 26 Apr 2010
Posts: 3172
Location: NCWa

There will be a ballistic advantage to the 12: either more shot or higher velocity, but for the size birds you are after, I think shooter skill will out weigh any advantage of the 12.
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JNW
PostPosted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 11:29 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 15 Jun 2010
Posts: 1358
Location: Twin Cities, MN

What Ray said. More important than the gun and load is the shooters ability to place the shot swarm on a bird at over 30 yards CONSISTENTLY. Knocking down a pheasant at 50 yards once several years ago does not make one a long range bird shot. I know very, very few hunters who should shoot past 35 yards. The vast majority of folks, even those who hunt a lot, should stick to 30 yards as their maximum range. If you've got the skill, and it is a learned skill, then 1 1/8 or 1 1/4 oz of hard 4s or 5s will get the job done through a modified or tighter choke in a 12, 16 or (gasp) 20 gauge.
Regards,
Jeff
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Dogchaser37
PostPosted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 11:42 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 08 Aug 2011
Posts: 1946
Location: Central CT

My opinion only......for pheasants and smaller birds 1 1/8 oz of 6's in a 16 will reliably kill to 50 yards using .015" to .020" of choke. The velocity of my pheasant load is 1270 FPS.

I stopped using a 12 ga over 26 years ago and have never felt like "I wish I had a 12 gauge with me". I also stopped using 1 1/4 oz. payloads at the same time.

For faster and bigger payloads using larger pellet sizes a 12 has an advantage.

From 3/4 to 1 1/8 oz. loads the difference is not enough between the two gauges that you will ever notice it. If you can see the head of the bird you can kill it.

My two cents from the cheap seats.

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pumpgun
PostPosted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 12:15 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 02 Oct 2004
Posts: 425
Location: Maine

The 12 gauge is ballistically superior to the 16, all else being equal. If we're talking about shots under 40 yards, the 16 should work fine, assuming proper load/choke.
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hiplainsdrifter
PostPosted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 12:22 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Jan 2017
Posts: 50

Thanks for the replies. FYI my current gun is an old Winchester 1300 12GA with a straight Full choke barrel. It can really reach out and touch em with 1450 FPS 5 or 4 shot, but is not so bueno on closer range.
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JonP
PostPosted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 12:32 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 13 Dec 2006
Posts: 694
Location: MN

If anyone is worried about a ballistic advantage of 1 1/8 oz coming out of a 12 gauge barrel at 1250/fps as opposed to 1 1/8 oz coming out of a 16ga barrel at 1250/fps my advice would be to get thee to the sporting clays range.
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cowdoc87
PostPosted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 12:54 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 20 Jun 2006
Posts: 749
Location: Kelso, Tennessee

No doubt you can stuff more powder and shot down a 12 gauge barrel if allowed longer chambers especially and kill them farther out there, but most of us old timers have no desire to pack a turkey gun across the prairie.
(I've been on late season pheasant hunts with guys shooting 3 1/2 turkey loads, and shooting them dead passing overhead at some crazy ranges, surrounding a plum thicket in heavy snow)but not really apples to apples. If you stay with 2 3/4 comparisons, there won't be an appreciable difference, and I'd agree it's an acquired skill.
(Just my opinion from the apartments outside the stadium behind the cheap seats)

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dannypratt
PostPosted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 5:56 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 21 Dec 2005
Posts: 722
Location: Napoleon, MI

I have to agree with Jon P...

1 1/8oz travelling at 1250fps, in any gauge, is 1 1/8oz travelling at 1250fps.

The 16 will do the job your asking all day long, especially in full choke.

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3drahthaars
PostPosted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 6:29 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 21 May 2015
Posts: 127

It all comes down to pattern density and kinetic energy.

Your downrange energy delivered is a function of mass and the square of velocity... all things equal, the lethality is equal.

And, you're only going to kill with pellets delivered to where you're pointing... i.e. pattern density.

That said, I've killed a lot of ducks with 1200fps steel 3s that carries less KE than lead 6s...

Bottom line is that you have to know your weapon/ammo limitations.

I just got my first 16, and I intend to use it for everything from quail to turkeys.

3ds
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putz463
PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 3:17 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 06 Oct 2007
Posts: 2343
Location: West MI

full choke not so good on short shots...can you put spreader loads in front of the long range shell?

Do you have a trap range nearby? Stepping back from the 16y line and/or shooting low gun is an eye opener regarding leads and time in fight.

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Sorry, I'm a Duck Hunter so shouldn't be held strictly responsible for my actions between Oct 1st and ice up.
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jschultz
PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 7:34 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 07 Apr 2007
Posts: 1624
Location: northwewst Wyoming

I also live and hunt in Wyoming and have had no problem with 1 1/8 oz. of #5 1/2 shot from a mod barrel for Sharp tail grouse or pheasants. Patterning your gun would be a way to determine if your "long range" loads are effective at the distances you shoot.
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JNW
PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 8:00 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 15 Jun 2010
Posts: 1358
Location: Twin Cities, MN

hiplainsdrifter,
Check out these threads.
http://www.16ga.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19249&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

http://www.16ga.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=176826&highlight=#176826

http://www.16ga.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19683

Dave Erickson and Lon have done their work correctly by building loads and patterning them at the ranges they expect to shoot them in the field. If only I could follow their examples and do that much work. I think I'll just use their data!
Kill a little paper with your 16 gauge at the distances you're interested in. If you use some of the tried and tested loads developed by folks on this site I think you'll see for yourself that the 16 is an excellent prairie gun. I still have a few boxes of 16 gauge Federal Premium 1 1/4 oz buffered copper #4s at 1300 fps. Those babies will reach out and touch them as far as anyone should ever shoot a bird.
Regards,
Jeff
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Carlos
PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 8:19 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 21 May 2010
Posts: 602
Location: Victoria BC Canada

Hiplainsdrifter; Not biased! Just that we've seen the light.

As my Mom says; "NUFF'S as good as a lot." (It worked for her, she's almost 101.)
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