16ga.com ~ View topic

Joined: 28 Dec 2005 Posts: 62 Location: Driftwood, TX

I am looking at a second 16 ga. Preferably a SxS but I am open to the type. So what is the best 16 ga for the money?
Thanks,
Doug

Member Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 3438 Location: Illinois

What are ya wanting??A field gun or clays gun----a little more info would help Wink

Joined: 17 Jun 2004 Posts: 265

German Guild gun will be your best value or a French boxlock. I think Charlins are also pretty fairly priced.

Joined: 28 Dec 2005 Posts: 62 Location: Driftwood, TX

To clarify, if you could have one gun to take out and use for field, skeet and sporting clays what would it be?

One gun - blasphemy Evil or Very Mad

I couldn't make it without at least 10 or more Wink

(I have close to 10 just in 16 gauge)

However, rather than describe your one gun in terms of either a Cadillac or a Chevy, why not in terms of the tool you will use and then find the model/brand Idea

For instance - I would go for an all-around gun that:

had 28 inch barrels (I like doubles, prefer sxs)
weighed between 6 and 7 lbs
choke tubes - preferably extendeds (something about them Wink

)
1.5 to 1.75" dac
2 to 2.25" dah
14.75 to 15" lop
single - selective trigger
16 gauge - of course

What I am saying is find your dimensions, then find the model that meets your specs.

Others might want 26 inch or 30 inch barrels for instance, or have a shorter length of pull (I'm always adding a slip on pad to get close to the 15 inches that works best for me).

hello there,

I personally would buy any Browning Auto-5 I could get my hands on that was in 90% or better shape, I've got quite a few A-5's in all gauges, and I always end up with one of my 16's in my hands. Having both Belgium and Japanese guns, I actually end up taking my Japanese Sweet Sixteen out more, it's got choke tubes and something about it just lets me know some birds or rabbits are going to wind up on the table. I guess it's probably because it was my first 16 and you never get over your 1st one, right guys Very Happy

. I've got some really nice Belgium Sweet Sixteen's as well, with all different chokes and barrel types and lengths, and every one of those is simply awesome.
However, sounds like your leaning towards the SxS market, so my personal opinion, for the money, is a Huglu imported by Mark DeHaan at dhshotguns.com . If you get out and really hunt around, you'll be able to find a Huglu / Armsco in 16 w/ a case hardened reciever instead of the silver nitride that DeHaan offers, but they are both the exact same gun, are really nice and they both run under $1000.00
I will say that a Merkel, while I do not own one, either a 1620 or 147,147e is a fantastic firearm as well, but they do costa bit more. However, you'll have a Merkel, so if you can convince yourself to spend the cash ( which won't be too hard, I just don't have it, damn A-5's! Laughing

) I'm pretty positive you won't regret it.
I do have to say though, look at the DeHaan's hard and call them up and talk to them, then go to a shop that sell's the Huglu / CZ Ringneck and look them over. They are exactly the same as the DeHaan, just a different reciever finish, however, Huglu / CZ's don't come in 16 so look at the 20, it is almost the identical frame and weight.
I hope this helps, and make room for a new gun, sounds like you've got the fever.
-danny

Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 41 Location: Gainesville,GA

So many guns, so little dough. Thanks for the opinions and can anyone make an educated comment on the Remington Spartan 16s?

hey there,

My buddy bought a Remington Spartan ( which is to say really a BAkail ) a short time ago. His was the 20 ga. O/U. I thought it was pretty chunky, and our joke became " Carries like a twelve and shoots like a twenty."
Any how, that was what he wanted so that's fine by me. HOWEVER, we were bird hunting in the U.P. of MI when a bird flushed and bang-bang-bang. He shot, I shot, no bird died, bummer. What I noticed next was astounding. He was reloading his gun and I was tying my boot, when I looked over and saw a metal " string " hanging from the muzzle of hs gun. I told him that he'd better have a look before we go anyfurther. So we diisasembled the piece right there to remove the choke tube ( what was left of it. ) After some really foul comments by my buddy, we both mutually chalked it up to " musta not screwed it in all the way or something " kind of problem (which i have never seen before in any firearm with a loose choke tube, but I really needed to calm him down) . About 30 minutes later, bird flushes, same miss thing and then the inspection. This time one tube was torn totally to hell, the other one was nowhere to be found. Now it got serious. We ended the hunt immediately and started trying to find his wads and after about 2 hrs we found one with some chunks of choke tube wedged in the petals. I don't know why or how in the hell this could happen but it did ( or how we found the wad!). Luckily he brought another gun, Rem. 870 Wingmaster, and we continued our hunting trip to much delight but some concern about the 350.00 he just blew out into the Aspen / Poplars.
We returned to the lower part of MI where we live and took it to the local Spartan guys ( he ordered his through an FFL agent, so he could get a deal ). Thier reply at the gun shop was, "well, we've never seen this before, but I do know some of thier barrel's choke threads are bored in CROOKED, so you may have this problem again. We can't send it back 'cause you didn't buy it here, but we will talk to them about it for you, your best luck either way is to find a better gun that isn't a Spartan".
My buddy bought his only because he wanted to save some dough and try one out, not because he couldn't afford a better gun, so he is now shopping around for something nice in the 750-1500 range. Probably going to get a CZ or Dehaan he says. Any way there is my experience, less than 25 shots of low-brass Remington Game Loads, #8 lead shot, through the Remington Spartan got my buddy a worthless heap of Sh!t. I would never even consider one of those guns if I were you,
-danny

Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Posts: 18

I just bought a spartan310 in 16ga a few months ago. I like it but its quite heavy for a 16ga since it is built on a 12 ga frame. Mine weighs around seven and a half pounds, heavy for a field gun maybe but I like the extra weight on the skeet range. Plan on a new bead, the one the comes on the gun is almost worthless. The gun is built by bakial in russia. You just about need a vice to get the thing apart at firt but this will get better. The finish is not great and the wood to metel fit is not of browning or remington quality but I didn't expect it either. The gun came with four chokes(cyl,IC,Mod, and Full). Overall I like the gun, and would recomend it for a 16ga in its price range.

Member Joined: 26 Apr 2005 Posts: 743

If you're thinking sxs, Brian has pointed you in a good direction. About the only problem with older European guns (mostly everything, pre-WWII) is that they have short chambers, and you're somewhat limited in what you can (or should) shoot in them.

DeHaan does have a 16 available now; CZ will have this spring. Both worth looking at.

Otherwise, when it comes to sxs, your best buys are on the used market. American, if you don't want to spend a bundle: Lefever Nitro or Western Long Range by Ithaca; Hunter Fulton; Iver Johnson Hercules. If you want to spend more, Field Grade Ithaca (preferably NID) or LC Smith, Fox Sterlingworth, Parker Trojan or VH.

European: If you want to stick with newer stuff, then something with a decent Spanish name like AyA or Ugartechea; Italian--Beretta (they stopped making 16's a long time ago) or V. Bernardelli. Post-war (West German) Sauer.

Other than the new Citoris and FAIRs, and the more expensive Merkels, 16ga OU's are somewhat rare. A good used one at a decent price is the Marlin 90.

Good luck!

Doug, if only one gun will have to do for both hunting and clay shooting, and it must be a 16, then look to the grade I Browning Citori Lightning w/ 28" barrels and perhaps a set of aftermarket extended chokes from Briley or Colonial for sporting clays later. No, it is not a SxS, but it does have two barrels and handles very well. it will weigh under 6-3/4 lbs too. More importantly, it will be 100% right and reliable or Browning will fix it under warranty, no run around or silly questions. Citori shotguns are boringly reliable if you keep them clean, greased and oiled, dried off, and properly stored after use... nothing more than pure common sense would dictate.

You can still get one NIB for under $1400 if you shop hard. Kittery Trading Post in Maine has a few for under $1400 right now. They are on the web and in the book. Good luck, 16GG.

PS, I had a feeling those Spartans would be questionable. I saw a few with cross eyed chokes in several gauges. When it comes to double guns of either persuasion, there simply are no bargains. You will pay with money now, or trouble and bother later... sometimes sooner than you'd think. Go with the guns with well established track records and be safe.

Joined: 17 Jun 2004 Posts: 265

check out this Lunenberg Piper patent 16 ga. sidelock at www.thadscott.com click under European shotguns

I'm new here, and to 16's as well. I've been looking at picking up a double possibly later this year, or around this time next year. Doing my research now. I've been looking at a number of them online and have been able to handle a few. One of which was one of those SPR's that Remington is importing, another was a Stoger, then a Citori or two, or three. Although none of the Citori's I handled were a 16, dealer did not have any. What I did handle was a 12ga Lightning, a 20ga Lightning, then a 20ga in a Lightning Feather. The 20ga Lightning felt great! What a differance in quality! The Citori 16 should feel basically the same as the 20, as it's built on a modified 20 frame, but just be a little more special! I can tell you this. I will be more than happy to wait, save a few more dollars, and buy the Citori. I believe that my dollars will be better spent, buying a better quality gun. And, like others have said. The Citori's have a proven record and a solid importer that is not going anywhere. Good Luck with your choice!

Joined: 15 Dec 2005 Posts: 287 Location: missouri

If your looking for a newer O/U the Citoris are top notch. I have two of new 1100's in 16 ga, they are another 16 ga built on a 12 ga frame. I have hunted with both of them quite extensively, the synthetic 1100 has become my decoying duck gun. They both shoot well, the Classic field model is well made for Remington these days very good fit and finish.
Another good gun for the money if you can find a decent one used is the old 11-48 Remington, these were true lightweight 16's and shoot very well. I have one that I use for my walking around bird gun which I used to use my Belgian Sweet 16 for, the Sweet 16 only comes out on a few times a year now.

Member Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Posts: 1522 Location: NH

I've only got a Citori Feather and a Merkel 47E in 16 ga.

I'd have to go with the Merkel being one of my favorite shotguns I have owned.
That said, I would also consider the A5 Sweet Sixteen a top notch gun. I've owned A5's in the past, just never a 16.