16 Gauge - Any love for this shotgun from yesteryear?

Suther said:
Okay, your statement of more shot for the same dollar makes sense. You were specifically referring to reloading, not buying factory ammo.

Im not sure I understand how the 16 gives a better pattern though... Wouldn't you get the same sort of pattern if you just choke your 12 a bit more than your 16? Alternatively, if the 16 is better than the 12 for pattern, wouldn't a 20ga with a 1oz load be an even better pattern than a 16 with 1oz of lead?

Besides, I thought patterns are one of those things that are pretty random. One gun will pattern amazing with a particular load, the next gun might not though...?
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To understand shotgun ballistics/loads Google "Balanced Shotgun Loads" -- interesting read.
Cheers, John
 
X-man said:
Where are you finding your wads and other 16ga reloading components? It's like a desert for 16ga, and to a lesser extent. 410 bore components in my neck of the woods recently.
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I have never had an issue getting 410 or 16ga wads from hummanson.
Buy them in lots of 5000 normally
Hulls you are on your own with that one. I have stashed both probally since the 70's so am OK for now but lost my other source when Irv's closed in courtice Ontario
Lloyd always found me some when I needed extra . Not sure if anyone picked up this business after him or not
Cheers
 
I just picked up an old CIL 16 gauge today from a gun show in Bancroft! I got the shot gun & over 60 assorted rounds..including some slugs & 1 buck for $115! Sweet deal...already tried 'er out...more manageable then a 12, & still powerful enough for them black bears round here.. my new quad gun!

*Edit, just counted -125 shells, not 60 :)
 
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I shoot 4 16 ga guns, and really like them all. But they are all light doubles, built on small frames. That is where the 16 shines. It has no particular advantage in any single barrel gun, whether pump , auto or single shot. A 12 will hit harder and a 20 be cheaper to feed and may be lighter. But the dynamics and handling of two barrels make the proportions of a 16 ga. double seem "just right" to me.

Back in the day when nearly all hunting shotguns were double barrels, the 16 ga was very popular for a good reason. Now that most common hunting shotguns are single barrel semis and pumps, the very few 16's still made are most often made on 12 ga frames. Then they have the weight and handling characteristics of a 12 without the ballistic advantages. A 16 ga will beat a 20 ga. every time in the field no matter what proponents of the 20 ga. 3" shell claim. That long 20 ga shell is a ballistic abomination. Good paper statistics, but with long shot strings and patchy patterns in the field.

I have a Merkel o/u, a Krieghoff drilling, a Heym BBF ( o/u combination gun) and a Browning Citori. All are trim, light, and better handling in my opinion than their 12 or 20 ga counterparts. I will keep hunting with them.
 
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