16ga.com Forum Index
Author Message
<  16ga. General Discussion  ~  Recommendation for a 16...
RedRiverII
PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 8:08 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 14 Mar 2018
Posts: 14
Location: Florida

I'm looking to avoid some rookie mistakes on a 16. I am unfamiliar with the gauge and it's handling. I have this undeniable nostalgic urge to use this gauge. As a baby boomer I'd like to stay in touch as much as possible to that generation that raised me. I'm retired in Fl. and aim seeing less and less of the Vets who IMHO, were perhaps the greatest generation ever produced. As I got older and no longer teased folk who admired Sinatra et al, as old fogies, and began to understand the predicament the world stood in, and the unbelievable performance of ' regular guys '. A deep respect evolved.

I see I can get carried away with these thoughts. In any event I'd like to buy a 16 and sort of beat it up until I know it's characteristics. It's much like my first bicycle. My folks got the newest 3 speed English racer. I beat that pretty bike up bad. Should've got a junker, learned to ride, then got fancy. Same same with this 16. I've seen a few breathtaking LC's, which of course I'd like to own but now is not the time. Yet.

I will be shooting clay games of one sort or another. I will do some bird hunting next season. So should I buy a pump, or O/U, sxs ? Price could be from $300 up to $1000.

BTW, the folks on this site, and the site itself, has been a pleasant experience. Grammarians need not apply, thank you, I've recognized my trashing of the written language.

_________________
Careful with the words you use, they become things.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
jschultz
PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 8:23 am  Reply with quote



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

In my opinion, bird guns and clay guns are two different animals.
I suggest that you handle and shoot as many shotguns that you can before you make a decision and you may get one that chooses you. Good Luck.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
rdja
PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 8:28 am  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 02 Sep 2010
Posts: 829
Location: SW Ohio

jschultz gave a good suggestion, however, finding people locally that have a variety of 16s can be difficult. Since you mentioned you are retired you might want to attend the 16 ga shoot in MN this May.
http://www.16ga.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20812

There will be a ton of different guns there and I know most will allow you to handle them.
Otherwise, what kind of gun are you used to handling?? That might help us guide you to something, that may right up your comfort zone.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
16'er
PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 9:11 am  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 08 Oct 2006
Posts: 1393
Location: Tappahannock, Virginia

What’s your favorite gun right now in non16ga?

If you shoot a o/u usually, then look at a Marlin 90.

If it’s a pump, check out Win M12, Rem 31 or Ithaca 37 (or bps if you want new)

SxS, lots of choices... Savage fox, Nitro Special, 311, etc...

What purpose will the gun have, Clays, Birds, Waterfowl, Turkey?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
WyoChukar
PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 9:32 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 16 Jul 2015
Posts: 2124
Location: Hudson,Wy

Red, I think I recognize you from over at the Facebook site. I probably responded there as well. In light of your comments and overall attitude I must say that we share a few things in common. I too admire the "greatest generation" and feel that they rightly earned that distinction beyond any doubt. I wasn't raised by that generation as you were, but by your generation. Looking back on my life I find that most of my friends have either been much younger or much older than me. I have spent much time around a generation that is sadly disappearing. Being friends with those so much older has its problems. You are treated to wisdom that can never be obtained from younger friends, but then, the sorrow of losing your friends to the ravages of time occurs way too darn soon. I understand your bond and desire to hunt with an old gun.

Nothing speaks of the era you cherish like the old American doubles and they can be had for the price range you are looking at, in the condition you desire. Of my 16's only one exceeded your $1000 mark, but genuine Syracuse Lefever guns in 16 are just darn rare so I paid the price and do not regret going a little past that mark. The Fox Sterlingworth cost me less than $700. The Ithaca that came home last week was a little more. My beater Smith project in need of a stock was only $500. All are nice handling guns well under 7 lbs. The Lefever is less than 6.

A word of warning about L.C. Smith. I love 'em but they are a bear to work on mostly due to the heavy spring tension on the top lever post. Cracked stocks are not uncommon. This can be a good thing if you are very handy with stock repairs and allows you to buy a bargain, but is something to watch out for if not. If you buy one I would recommend one with solid wood, they are not an entry level project gun.

If I was looking for a bargain beater, but a gun of high quality that speaks well of the past you so admire, a Lefever Nitro Special is hard to beat. They are actually made by Ithaca and are touch heavier, often around 7 lbs. but still swing nice. Getting one for $400 from an online site is realistic. I saw a Fox on GB the other day for $500! It was in the same condition as mine and I was tempted to buy it,but why get a duplicate? It may still be there. The Ithaca Flues era guns sell affordably too but are not as strong as N.I.D. versions or the Nitro Special.

Parkers are very nice, but a 16 under $1000 is going to be mighty tough to find. I have been looking. Bakers are a mixed bag. Some are light, some heavy. They are nice guns, but one oddity that I can't get used to is the abbreviated rib on some guns. Not all are that way, but a rib that dips below the barrel line the comes back up down at the bead end just distracts me. The graded Bakers have quite the appeal, but usually go for more than $1000.

Savage/ Stevens guns are out there too and I used to shoot a 311 in 16 gauge when I was in college. They are reliable guns, but for what they cost you can get a Nitro Special that exhibits better workmanship and overall quality. However, sometimes you stumble onto one at $150...

_________________
Only catch snowflakes on your tongue AFTER the birds fly south for the winter...
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Griffon
PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 10:52 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 19 Apr 2014
Posts: 429
Location: Maine

The one piece of advice I've never see given on this subject is that when someone is looking at the bargain guns is you most generally get what you pay for. Hopefully you'll find a gem out there at a great price, it does happen from time to time. If your bargain gun has every screw head buggered up leave it on the rack. People don't attempt to take guns apart for no apparent reason, something was wrong. If they buggered the screw heads you can count on some ill fated attempt at a repair job. It's no fun buying a gun that you're hoping to enjoy shooting only to have it break and then the gunsmith search begins. As a famous 16ga.com contributor once said you'll be crying tears as big as horse turds. Wealth of info here, do some research, be patient and you'll find the right one. Pay attention to stock dimensions.

_________________
If it weren't for women cats would be extinct.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
kennedy756
PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 11:03 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 30 Sep 2015
Posts: 637
Location: NEW SALISBURY INDIANA

If I was to own one 16ga, I would go with a Ithaca 37, with mod choke. I would add a slip on comb and limbsaver butt pad to shoot trap, remove the slip on comb when shooting sporting clays and hunting.

_________________
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
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Cheyenne08
PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 12:58 pm  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 09 Dec 2009
Posts: 1370
Location: Cheyenne, Wy

Find yourself a Remington 31 or 31L, 31 if more clay games in your future, 31L if more bird hunting. Better yet, get one of each, then you will be fixed until you desire to work up to more expensive guns..

Dale

_________________
One man with courage makes a majority.

...Andrew Jackson...
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
skeettx
PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 1:34 pm  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 15 Apr 2007
Posts: 9455
Location: Amarillo, Texas

https://www.gunbroker.com/Pump-Action-Shotguns/search?Keywords=remington%2031%2016&Sort=13&PageSize=24


Last edited by skeettx on Fri Mar 30, 2018 1:51 pm; edited 1 time in total

_________________
,
USAF RET 1971-95
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Dogchaser37
PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 1:37 pm  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 08 Aug 2011
Posts: 1946
Location: Central CT

I really like my Model 37 for hunting.

I really like my 870 for hunting and Clays.

The 16 Gauge gun that I like best for both and use most of the time is some what of a bast*** in 16 Gauge circles because it is a bit heavy for most folks and horrors of horrors it is made on a 12 gauge frame. It is a Rem 1100.


Any of the three you can find for under $1000.00.

The other shotgun that I have but I haven’t had much of a chance to play with it is a Hunter Arms, Hunter Special in 16 Gauge. They are well under $1000.00 and may best fit the era of shotgun you are looking for. They are just about 7 lbs. and for me point better than most other SxS shotguns. Mostly because I don’t like whippy guns because I don’t have the fine motor skills to delicately maneuver them.

YMMV

_________________
Mark
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
AmericanMeet
PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 4:01 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 26 Apr 2010
Posts: 3172
Location: NCWa

I would skip looking for a gun, instead I would look to the owners of some guns. they are easy to find - just check-out your local gun clubs. If that fails, check the state Game & fish dept for their hunter education courses. You don't need to take the course, just contact the instructors. They are generally very encouraged to have someone getting into hunting and most will have access either of their own or of someone they know that will let you take it for a spin. After you've shot a few at different activities, then you can resume your search for a gun. Good Luck.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Pine Creek/Dave
PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 5:39 pm  Reply with quote



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

RRII,

IMO if you are going to shoot Clays a lot, and hunt birds also you might want to consider an old 16 Gauge, M12 Winchester Pump Gun. Pretty much built to last for ever, I have a 16 the girls around here love, because it is so light to carry in the Grouse woods. The guys love it because it splatters clays like crazy, I opened the choke to C and the gun gets the job done on a repeat basis. Nice light gun in the field for Pheasant Grouse and Quail. This gun is in your price range, you can usually pick one up for about $600.00 - $750.00 depending on the condition of the gun.

Having a very nice L.C. Smith gun collection myself, my advise is save your money and purchase a good L.C. Smith Graded gun that has been taken care of properly. If you ever do need something done to the gun, use a Master Gun Maker. The 2 Master Gun Makers I use for any work I need done on my good L.C. Smith guns, is done by Rich Painter or Freddie Brunner.

There are a lots of L.C. Smith guns on the used market that have been badly abused, paying to repair them can cost big money.

WyoChukar gave good advise about the LeFever Nitro-Special Shotguns. If you can get your hands on an early made LeFever Nitro Special, when the eldest Hunter brother (L.C. Smith Hunter Arms Family) owned a good piece of the Ithaca Gun Company, you have a big time quality Ithaca/LeFever Gun. These LeFever guns are worthy to pass down, thru your family for generations. Unfortunately very very few of these particular LeFever/Ithaca Double Guns were actually produced. They have Krupp Barrels, modified Brown Rotary Bolt Engineering, and sweet Walnut Wood, with the red cast to it. The one I own was built on a 16 Gauge Frame, and chambered for 12 Gauge shells. These particular Guns are not sold in your price range unfortunately. However the later LeFever Nitro Special is available in your price range and is a decent quality double gun.

Pine Creek/Dave


LeFever/Ithaca - Made Quality Double guns, especially the very early Double Guns.

[URL=http://www.jpgbox.com/page/53745_800x600/] [/URL]



,

_________________
"L.C. Smith America's Best" - John Houchins

Pine Creek Grouse Dog Trainers
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
cowdoc87
PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 6:37 pm  Reply with quote
Member
Member


Joined: 20 Jun 2006
Posts: 749
Location: Kelso, Tennessee

A Simson or JP Sauer SXS in 16 should be in your budget, of very high German quality, and do all things well, or look for a Belgian guild gun or similar. For pumps, a model 12 from the 50’s would be hard to surpass, and have the nostalgia factor that would appeal to you and most of us, and they made a jillion of them so barrel length and choke that suits you should be attainable with a little patience. Which “Red River” do you reference? ( My home range is by the one separating Oklahoma from Texas, and my county in Arkansas from the rest of the state, before flowing into North Louisiana). Welcome !

_________________
i reckon so. I guess we all died a little in that damn war.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
WyoChukar
PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 8:34 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 16 Jul 2015
Posts: 2124
Location: Hudson,Wy

Perhaps the Red River of the North? Possibly the John Wayne movie? Now we're curious.

_________________
Only catch snowflakes on your tongue AFTER the birds fly south for the winter...
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Bobsthedog
PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 10:41 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 01 Mar 2018
Posts: 25

I like a lot of people are hung upo on 16 ga SXS. The 16 is like this perfect dove quail gun and the SXS with two different chokes leads itself well to shopoting these birds oer the differing ranges they are incountered.

I have bought two LC smiths in the last two months on gunbroker at each end of your price range. The $925 gun is a perfect shooter, and will get used as is. It had already been glassed so worries over wood damage go away. The other a $302 "project gun" turned out to be a very solid gun in need of a good cleaning and one screw someone had drilled a hole in. The wood was wasted but by bird season next year it will either be repaired or a $75 stock bought on ebay will be fitted to it. It will get lengthed chambers, forcing cone and honed chokes and will likely be my everyday quail gun, leaveing the $925 gun as is to sit in the safe. The $300 gun was a big surprise. I reallyu thought it needed a lot more work that it turn out.

The 16 ga SXSs comand as much as 60% more than thier identical 12 ga counterparts. If you are patient and you dont decide you just have to have a certain gun you can get a perfectly serviceabler shooter from any one of the america classic double guns for right arround $1000. It may not be pretty, but there are plenty of these guns out there. I really like the simsons too but its rare to get one in 16 for less than $1000. You will likely not find a lefever sidelock for les than $1500 but you will find the nitro boxlock.

all these guns have collectors scoieties that all have a page in the forum somewhere avout what ot look for when buying an old shotgun. They will alos indicate what years are desireable, and which years can handle modern loads etc. Right now is the time to buy. For some reason guns that would have sold during the fall get relisted over and over this time of year on gunbroker.

do a search on gun broker for 16 ga SXS and then look at each manufacturer. There will be 10 times as many 12s as 16s in nearly all of the manufacturers.

Good luck
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
All times are GMT - 7 Hours

View next topic
View previous topic
Page 1 of 3
Goto page 1, 2, 3  Next
16ga.com Forum Index  ~  16ga. General Discussion

Post new topic   Reply to topic


 
Jump to:  

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum




Powered by phpBB and NoseBleed v1.09