16ga.com ~ View topic - Shotgun Sports

*Last edited by wildweasel on Sun Nov 18, 2007 11:55 am; edited 1 time in total*

After a nice hunt today, I came home, grabbed the mail and my new issue of Shotgun Sports was in there.

On the cover, in big red letters: "16 Gauge Comeback"

Inside on page 44, a nice article espousing all the traits of the 16 that we discuss here every day. Their prediction is that there will be more 16 ga guns and ammo in the future. Would be nice!

Let's keep our fingers crossed. It would be great to have a better selection of ammo and components.

Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 311

Writers have been predicting the death, or the comeback, of the 16 for forty years.

The 16 will likely never be an popular choice ever again. Like the 41 magnum it will have a loyal, and loud, group of followers but it will be ignored by the average joe. I kinda like it that way.

I agree with you clayflingythingy, I like living a little outside the box, carrying something different in the field. Yea, it would be nice at times to have all kinds of hulls and wads to choose from. But then I might take the easy path, and quit messing around with different recipes and playing with my roll crimpers. I think the fact that the 16 is a bit of an oddball by todays standards is half the fun. Just my 2C. Best regards R Rambler

Member Joined: 30 May 2007 Posts: 216 Location: Tennessee

Interesting that the article reviewed two 16 gauge side by sides that weighed 7.5 and 7.6 pounds and an over and uner that was over eight pounds. Hope people unfamiliar with 16 gauges don't think they all weigh that much.

I don't think that the 16 will become very popular unless there is a good reason to choose it over the 12 gauge. Like lighter weight and better handling. Some new shotguns recently available are no doubt well-made and reliable but don't seem to give much reason that they should be bought instead of a 12, in fact sometimes they have been heftier than the 12 gauge equivalent Confused

. I do hope that the major manufacturers do get behind the 16 and start building appropriately sized shotguns; that would mean better ammo availability for this gauge that I find to be the nicest. But unless a lot more people demand these guns, I am not optimistic that Corporate America will be listening.

Joined: 19 Jan 2006 Posts: 91

Either all the current 16 fans are hoarding the guns, or the public is buying them. Just see what the prices have risen to in the last 4 or 5 years. For a long time, 16 ga. guild guns could be bought for less than $500 and now some of those I have seen on different sites, command prices of up to $1500. Even the domestic guns like Smiths, Sterlingworths have risen considerably.

With all the used 16's being imported, there are now a lot more 16 ga. guns out there.

Joined: 13 Dec 2006 Posts: 694 Location: MN

Just returned from North Dakota and I am glad to report that my 16's were deadly on anything that flew!!! I was particularly taken with a little Simson 16 guage SxS that continually crushed roosters and often at absurd yardage. B and P proved their products again - those 1 1/16, 67.5mm loads in 5's were deadly (no, I don't work for Kaltron, Inc.!!) and the "7's" were perfect for sharptails. The old straight stock Sauer (1932) at 6lb 4 oz barked often and with those light loads seemed like a feather.

If you like holding a club, shoot a 12. A well made 16 is like holding a wand!!--there's a world of difference.

I think Golfswithwolves hit the nail right on the head. Remington is doing no one any favors by slapping 16 gauge barrels on a 12 gauge receiver. I don't know if Browning is doing the same thing with their 16 gauge BPSs, but I have felt one and like all BPSs it is heavy for an upland gun.

I read in a British shooting magazine that the Browning custom shop is currently finishing a batch of B25 16 gauge guns built on a 20 gauge action. I saw an advert by a gun shop for the B2G grade guns with a 30 inch barrel, price on application. They won't be cheap. The author predicts that the 16 gauge will be the trendy gauge to have in 2008, at least in the UK. The previous trendy gauge here was the 28 gauge. I have seen a few references recently to a 16 gauge comeback in the British shooting press. There is no problem in purchasing 16 gauge ammo here as almost all gun shops stock it. Most of it is to suit 2 1/2 inch chambers as that was the standard chambering here until relatively recently. So, things may be looking up for the 16 gauge.
Regards
Peter.

I didn't see the article and was wondering which issue it was in and what two guns they reviewed. Was it a favorable article?

Joined: 23 Jul 2007 Posts: 59 Location: ILLINOIS

I remember about 15 years ago.
The cover of TIME magazine was:

"Everybody's hip, and that's not cool"

I enjoy the fact that 16ga is special.
Different.
I like 'hunting' a bit for the shells.
Even ordering them on-line and getting them in the mail.

I like the looks on folk's faces when they say "12?"
and I say "16!"

The slight growth is terrific.
But, as long as it doesn't go away, being the half-forgotten gauge is a sweet blessing.

Enjoy, Roger.

Don't forget the fact that a 16ga is a great way to keep those buddies that are constantly digging into your ammo at bay. You know what I'm talking about, the guy who only brings 10 shells with him from the truck! Its the same guy that lets you pick up and carry all his birds too.

"Ralph, can I bum a couple of shells, I left mine in the truck? Sure, you shooting 16ga too?"

Works every time!

Ralph-

I got a huge chuckle out of your comments. I do the exact same thing. I've also done it with a 28. I guess if the 16 gets too popular, we could go to a 32, or a 24 for true obscurity.

I've been debating with myself about buying a 12ga. double. I just keep coming back to "why?"

Ash

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