Love affair with the 16 ga.

[DM~]

It's true, I use to have a pict. of an article and box of 3" ammo, (old paper hulls) but I have no idea where it is now. I use to post it every time this came up.

I read that a lot of the 16ga. shotguns were chambered for it at that time, but not marked so.

DM

 

[vintovka]

It's true, I use to have a pict. of an article and box of 3" ammo, (old paper hulls) but I have no idea where it is now. I use to post it every time this came up.

I read that a lot of the 16ga. shotguns were chambered for it at that time, but not marked so.

DM

Many early single shot break open shotguns are 2 9/16". They can be forced closed on a 2 3/4" and often sold as "hard hitting". Many feature broken stocks around wrist and action. This has always made me wonder.

 

[Seedy Character]

Many early single shot break open shotguns are 2 9/16". They can be forced closed on a 2 3/4" and often sold as "hard hitting". Many feature broken stocks around wrist and action. This has always made me wonder.

Not a big deal to have them cut to 2 3/4".
Big deal to fire 2 3/4" in a 2 9/16" chamber. Especially, a heavy load.

 

[DDDWho]

My favorite Uncle with whom I hunted with quite a bit in my early life gave me this 16 ga. Model 12 while he was still living over 40 years ago, An act of unconditional love IMO. I hunted with it for many years until my legs gave out. Every time I look at it I think of him. It is my most cherished possession.

 

[bangswitch]

Here's one of my 16ga. guns,
DM

Beautiful. What is the rifle caliber?

I have a 16 ga. double, but I rarely shoot it because upland game loads are about twice as much as 12 gauge loads are. I really like the gun, a fair amount lighter than my 12 ga. doubles. It's not a terribly expensive shotgun, this is a Savage Fox Model B. The bluing has gone brown, but no rust and a gorgeous tiger walnut stock, the striping moves in the sunlight. 28" barrels are R-modified, L-full. The gun was made in 1968.

 

[DM~]

Beautiful. What is the rifle caliber?

The hammer drilling rifle bbl., is a 9.3x72R

DM

 

[kelljp]

Beautiful. What is the rifle caliber?

I have a 16 ga. double, but I rarely shoot it because upland game loads are about twice as much as 12 gauge loads are. I really like the gun, a fair amount lighter than my 12 ga. doubles. It's not a terribly expensive shotgun, this is a Savage Fox Model B. The bluing has gone brown, but no rust and a gorgeous tiger walnut stock, the striping moves in the sunlight. 28" barrels are R-modified, L-full. The gun was made in 1968.
View attachment 1081219
View attachment 1081224 View attachment 1081225

Really a super nice gun, Fox shotguns are classic

 

[bangswitch]

Really a super nice gun, Fox shotguns are classic

This one is just a fancy version of the Stevens 311, and not an A.H. Fox, although its name was taken from that gun. Savage owned Stevens, and A.H. Fox. Once A.H. Fox stopped production in the 1940's, Savage put a nicer walnut (instead of birch) stock on the 311, did a roll stamp "engraving" of a fox's head on the bottom of the receiver, and made a couple of different versions, with either a double or single trigger. Later models got a beavertail fore stock and a vented rib. I have 12, 16 and 20 gauge examples of the Fox B. They are solid shotguns, what your grandad might have stood up behind the back door or hung in the pickup window. I've put over 200 rounds through my 12 gauge in a day of clays shooting.


The 20 gauge I have has a waterfowl scene instead of the fox. It's one of the early guns, made about 1950. It was also made in Chicopee Falls and not Westfield, Mass.

 

[Weflyfast]

16 gauge! All the noise and recoil of a 12 with less shot and lower velocity! .....ok ok.... I know they have a nitch....just never been my fav.... Personally I'd rather have a 20 if I want a reduced gun-

However - it does seem they are really coming back with a good following....

Cheers

 

[FL-NC]

I'm not a fan of the 16 (mainly due to ammo availability and selection, and the fact that I am heavily invested in 12 gauge) but if I was going to get me a 16, I would search for a vintage model 11 Remington. Essentially its a A5 with less frills- and the original recipe for JMB's design.

 

[Jeff62]

I have a Browning 16 that dates to early 50’s and a Winchester mdl 12 that dates to 1949 if I recall. I like to squirrel hunt so I dig them out of the rear of the safe every year and kill a tree rat. I make really good squirrel dumplings.

 

[vintovka]

Not sure i have seen a new made one in 16.

 

[Poper]

Not sure i have seen a new made one in 16.

Here are two Brownings currently available at Sportsman's Warehouse:
https://www.sportsmans.com/shooting...auge-2-34in-over-under-shotgun-28in/p/1739127
And:
https://www.sportsmans.com/shooting...uge-3in-semi-automatic-shotgun-28in/p/1708317

 

[vintovka]

Here are two Brownings currently available at Sportsman's Warehouse:
https://www.sportsmans.com/shooting...auge-2-34in-over-under-shotgun-28in/p/1739127
And:
https://www.sportsmans.com/shooting...uge-3in-semi-automatic-shotgun-28in/p/1708317

If new i stand corrected.

 

[Poper]

If new i stand corrected.

Yup. They are new. I bought a new Citori Grade II 16 ga a couple months ago due to the encouragement of the enablers of this forum. I have been slowly thinning the herd in my safe and because of the THR enablers, I have been able to sell three but have bought two.
I'm going to keep trying, though.

 

[DazedandConfuzed]

My dad was a big fan of the 16ga. He had a Savage/Stevens (?) semi auto when I was a kid. In my late teen years he traded it for a 1911 Remington pistol. He almost immediately regretted it. Years later in retirement, he used his SS check to purchase toys with. One of the first was a Browning Sweet sixteen. Unfortunately dad passed a few years ago, but the Sweet Sixteen resides in my safe now.

 

[citizenconn]

When I was a very young sprout I used to love my uncle's double barrel 16 gauge. I have no idea of the make or model and my uncle and the shotgun are both long gone. But after shooting it a couple times, both barrels at the same time of course, I was imprinted with the notion that 16 gauge was the gauge for me.

A few years ago I ran across a consignment at a shooting range where a widow was selling her late husband's firearms. There were only two: an older Winchester model 70 in .30-06 in superb condition which I gave to my dad and an old Western Field (I think) 16 gauge pump shotgun (pre-serial numbers)with built in C-Lekt chokes which I bought for myself.

I still have the shotgun and I oiled and worked the chokes enough that they work pretty good. I haven't fired the shotgun yet, though I keep it as a backup to a backup home defense gun just in case. Every once in a while I consider having the barrel cut down to 18.5", but so far I haven't done it.

Does anyone else have much experience with these old shotguns? I think they were made by Mossberg for Ward's. Occasionally I get the notion I'd like to take up skeet or trap shooting but I don't know much about what type of shotgun I'd need or whether this would even be a good option. I will say it mounts and swings very nicely, with good balance.

 

[kelljp]

I grew up rabbit hunting with my dad's western field 16 ga pump. Never had any issues with it and as a teenager maintenance wasn't a priority.
I had a gunsmith go over a few years back and passed it on to my nephew.
3 generations and still going.

 

[Seedy Character]

Western Field was the Montgomery Wards brand.

Manufacture could have been Mossberg or one of several others.

Use for skeet or trap? Go ahead, have a blast. Specialty gun or equipment, not needed.

 

[citizenconn]

Western Field was the Montgomery Wards brand.

Manufacture could have been Mossberg or one of several others.

Use for skeet or trap? Go ahead, have a blast. Specialty gun or equipment, not needed.

Yeah I think it is a Mossberg because of what I have read about the C-LEKT choke system attached to the barrel. Was this a good choke system or a bad idea? You basically cranked the end part to the line for which choke type you wanted to use.

 

[Seedy Character]

They worked

Butt fugly, but they do work

 

[Y-T71]

Honest question so take it easy on me please.

Let's get this out there right away.
I've never even held a 16 ga let alone fired one so any opinions I may have are worth exactly what you paid for: nothin.

I'm trying to figure out the appeal.

I could very well be completely out of line with my observations and you won't hurt my feelings by setting me straight.

Seems to me you get a shotgun that's nearly as large and heavy as a 12ga but with slightly smaller payload but still a lot of the recoil.

More payload than a 20ga and, I think, slightly less recoil at the expense of a larger, heavier gun but still not the payload of a 12ga.

Now, of course, the selection of factory loads is substantialy reduced as the cartridge heads towards obsolescence although, I'm sure that wasn't always the case.

Help a feller out

 

[MacAR]

Seems to me you get a shotgun that's nearly as large and heavy as a 12ga but with slightly smaller payload but still a lot of the recoil.

Not exactly. Take the Model 12 Winchester as an example; a 12 gauge M12 is larger and heavier than a 16 gauge version. There's enough difference that you can feel it. Same with finer double guns. They're built on scaled frames and are smaller and lighter than their larger bored counterparts. Of course, these days gunmakers build everything on the same sized frame and you can't tell the difference in them.

As far as the 20 gauge goes, I own one and I rarely use it. Just haven't had any luck with it. On the flip side I have 3 16's. There is no comparison between it and the 20 as far as knocking critters out of trees or the air. Sure, the 20 doesn't kick hard but neither does the 16 in a scaled gun. For all round shotgun work, give me a 16 any day of the week.

Mac

 

[kelljp]

Got to switch it up ever now and then, the 16 gauge was very popular when I grew up. It's a great gun for small game hunting.
Any excuse to buy another gun.

 

[Y-T71]

Not exactly. Take the Model 12 Winchester as an example; a 12 gauge M12 is larger and heavier than a 16 gauge version. There's enough difference that you can feel it. Same with finer double guns. They're built on scaled frames and are smaller and lighter than their larger bored counterparts. Of course, these days gunmakers build everything on the same sized frame and you can't tell the difference in them.

As far as the 20 gauge goes, I own one and I rarely use it. Just haven't had any luck with it. On the flip side I have 3 16's. There is no comparison between it and the 20 as far as knocking critters out of trees or the air. Sure, the 20 doesn't kick hard but neither does the 16 in a scaled gun. For all round shotgun work, give me a 16 any day of the week.

Mac

Thanks for your insight and education.

Like I said, I have zero experience with a 16.

12 or 20ga for me, in fact I've only ever fired one (1) shot through a .410
28ga? Forget about it.

Curious minds want to know.
Thanks again.