16ga ???

I made the mistake of informing my coworker that I like 16ga shotguns and now he's offered me another inexpensive avenue for me to dispose of my remaining 16ga shells.

20240319_092932.jpg

What do you guys think? An old Central Arms Co. 28" barrels, functions fine, dual triggers, maual safety. Not a speck of bluing on her. Would you give $100 for it?
 
RevolvingGarbage said:
I made the mistake of informing my coworker that I like 16ga shotguns and now he's offered me another inexpensive avenue for me to dispose of my remaining 16ga shells.

View attachment 1200246

What do you guys think? An old Central Arms Co. 28" barrels, functions fine, dual triggers, maual safety. Not a speck of bluing on her. Would you give $100 for it?
Click to expand...
If you don't I will. Heck of a good buy if it's functional.

Mac
 
luv2safari said:
THIS!

It might have 2 9/16" chambers, but that makes no difference.
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I've got a Husqvarna hammer gun in 16ga with 2 9/16 chambers that gets fed normal 2.75" shells. So far no ill effects, but it does kick a bit with 1 1/8th ounce loads. Most everything I've read regarding short chambers tells me that it's not raising pressure enough to blow the gun up or even take it off face for that matter. However, the short chambered guns aren't getting regular daily use either.

Mac
 
I shoot 16ga about 90% of the time and have ten guns chambered for the 16. They run the gamut from a vintage Savage 220 to a real nice Kreighoff drilling. I've recently sold several other of my 16's as I wind down due to old age and failing body, and there will be a lot more of my collection of all types of guns getting sold off.

My favorite 16 is a slender fast-pointing French Robust No.4. Up close it shows years of hard hunts. I got it many years ago from a guy who was frustrated by trying to find ammo at Ma & Pa Grunt's Gas-N-Go corner store in Rabbit Hash, Arkansas. A couple of C-notes in my hip pocket made me happy with my new beat up double and him happy with his PU bed full of Bergermeister.

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MacAR said:
I've got a Husqvarna hammer gun in 16ga with 2 9/16 chambers that gets fed normal 2.75" shells. So far no ill effects, but it does kick a bit with 1 1/8th ounce loads. Most everything I've read regarding short chambers tells me that it's not raising pressure enough to blow the gun up or even take it off face for that matter. However, the short chambered guns aren't getting regular daily use either.

Mac
Click to expand...
Here's a simple fix for the added recoil. It doesn't take as much material out as a 2 3/4" chambering reamer.

Kn1v8X8.jpg
 
WestKentucky said:
I really like 16ga. I like 20 as well, and truthfully they are pretty close in most aspects. Seems in the late 70s and 80s things started swinging towards everything had to be magnum and more power to be enjoyable. We know that’s a load of bull, but we got 3” 12 and 20, then eventually 3-1/2” 12ga, but meanwhile the 16s got left behind.
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This just isn't true... Waaaaay back when, there WERE 3" 16's chambered, even some factory ammo loaded, but for some reason it never went anyplace. I'm guessing it was because everyone way back then, wanted 12's.

I've seen boxes of 3" ammo in pictures, but not in person...

DM
 
I’m 64 and did a lot of hunting with a model 37 in 20.

thanks to the Fed lead shot ban on waterfowl I had give up ducks and switched to upland hunting exclusively.

I started buying up 16 gauge ( mostly sxs), ammo was available at local Kmart and used guns were cheaper. I did pickup a md37 in 16 that I liked but couldn’t say that it was anything special.

For pointed birds I used 1oz 8(grouse,woodcock)and 1-1/8oz 6 on pheasant
 
entropy said:
One of those came into the shop yesterday. If the barrel hadn't been cut to @24", my name would be on it. I have 2 shotguns sitting in purgatory already here at the shop, I have to bring SOME $$ home to SWMBO, ya know.
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When I was a younger fella in the mid to late 70’s the “ Sweet 16” was the bomb !!
 
It seems like the 16 gauge is mostly preferred by a niche group that likes them for hunting quail, phesants, and the like- usually from a passed down A5 or something with 2 holes in the end. Between the availability and selection of ammo, I don't have a use for one. Mrs. Fl-NC has a H&R single in 16 like the OP described, which belonged to her late father, and was found in her mom's house after she passed away. I bought a box of shells and fired it exactly twice to make sure it worked.
 
There are LOTS of 16 gauge guns out there.

If the 16 brings you some nostalgic satisfaction, you should get one.

I have two or three guns that serve a regular useful purpose.
The 16 surely waned because it didn't serve a regular useful purpose from a marketing standpoint.

Aside from those two or three workhorse guns, I have all the others solely because they appeal to some personal curiosity.
 
My brother and I inherited my grandfather's and uncle's 16 gauge guns--a Stevens 620 and a Mossberg bolt action. My brother picked the Mossberg, with the pump going to me. The Stevens is fairly heavy, and the Mossberg isn't exactly speedy when chambering the next round. Still, we shoot them periodically and love their history. I also have an 870 in 16g that gets out every Fall for some partridge hunting. Finding factory ammo hasn't been much of a problem, and I have Lee Load All II in 16g to put together a box or two every now and then. If the right gun in 16g came along for sale I wouldn't hesitate to add to the stable.
 
Buckeye63 said:
Im 61 years old .When I was 12 yrs old my Dad upped my .410 single shotgun (Winchester 37A) to a H&R 16ga single shot shotgun with a full choke .. I used that gun for rabbit , ducks & squirrel… up till I was 19 . I left it at home when I went to school… I always liked the 16ga .. more powerful than a 20 .. less recoil than 12ga
I did own a 12 ga just like it .. but the 16ga was my go to…
I just don’t see why it fell out of favor… ?
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It’s not the gun; it’s the payload. You can shoot 1oz loads in 12 or 20 ga.

20 ga 3” shell was unfortunately the end of the 16 ga. I say unfortunately because it meant the end of the lighter, smaller frame 20 ga. Now, most 20 ga are built to a similar weight as a 16 ga. I have a couple of 2 3/4” only 20 ga and they just feel better.
 
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