I just ALMOST sprung fo an old stevens made sears branded twice pipe (that's redneck, not ghetto...
) in 16 gauge at a gun show a while back, talked him down to $350 tax included and it was in great shape. I'm not sure why I didn't do it, sorta beat myself up for not doing it. But, hell, I'm sure it was a money thing, didn't wanna spend the money. I'm tight when it comes to money and, well, I didn't NEED it, but I did WANT it. :banghead:
IF all I ever used shotguns for was hunting, I would be perfectly happy and capable with a 28 and a 16
Then you don't hunt waterfowl, obviously. Steel shot mandates is what brought back the 10 gauge. I hunt ducks with a 12 and 2 3/4" fasteel 3s, but geese can be way up there on less than optimum days and they're tougher to bring down from altitude. My 10 is the BEST patterniing gun I've ever owned, shoots over 90 percent with steel Ts, standard 40 yard 30". It's a might heavy for doves, though, LOL. That's why I have a 20 for that. 20, 12, and 10 work for me, but I could sub the 28 for the 20 and get away with it if I just wanted to. I don't think the 16 with steel 3, if they make it and I could find and afford it (I do a lot of duck hunting) would work as well for me as the 12, frankly. With lead shot, hell, when I was a kid, I hunted ducks with a 20 gauge and number 5 high brass, deadly. I have NOT found the 3" 20 that patterned worth a toot, so I stick with the 12s on ducks.
As to recoil, what leakywaders says is what I'd THINK in theory, but my 20 with 7/8 ounce loads in a little, light Spartan SxS coach gun is considerably easier on my shoulder than even my Winchester auto in 12 gauge with 7/8 ounce loads. Perhaps the powder charge is lighter. Powder charge is in the recoil equations I've seen. Whatever the reason, the 20 with an equal shot payload IS ligher on my shoulder than a 12. I don't think that's really true of my 16, kicks about like a 12 with 1 ounce payloads, I mean, just using my calibrated shoulder recoil detector.