16 gauge who still hunts with one???

Hi all, I posted on the earlier 16ga thread mentioned earlier. I did find a buck special barrel for my Sweet 16 and I did take my Nov deer with it. A rather smallish 7 Pt buck and a pass thru with Rottweil Exact slugs. They print well and weigh over an once. I didn’t manage to get a fall turkey but will have at’r again in the spring. For that I used my own 1 1/4oz #6 loads with an invector bbl. pheasants fall to 1oz - 1 1/8oz of # 5 or 6 and the Mod barrel. Love the gun!
 
I'm not heavily biased toward or against any gauge(s), although I do tend to prefer 12's and 16's. Weight never used to be a problem but, as I age, I find myself being more and more conscious of every gram I carry. Currently in my collection in 16 ga.:

Winchester 1897
Baikal open hammer SXS
Webley and Scott SXS
Cooey model 840
Husqvarna open hammer SXS

All of these get hunted - no safe queens in the lot.

ETA: No problems getting 16 ga shells in Alberta. I have a selection similar to my 12 ga supply - even have a flat of 16 ga, as well as a flat of 20 ga Gamebore.
 
saskbooknut said:
I like a 16 gauge side by side as a nice lightly proportioned gun, but less recoil than a 12 gauge - can't be unless you give something up, usually it is weight of shot.
Heavier shot weights and higher velocity hunting loads will recoil noticeably in a light 16 gauge gun.
My current favourite is an AyA Model 106.
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I also have an AyA model 106. It has been my go to 16 for years. It just fits me well and I shoot it better than most of the others.
 
rwn390 said:
Hi all, I posted on the earlier 16ga thread mentioned earlier. I did find a buck special barrel for my Sweet 16 and I did take my Nov deer with it. A rather smallish 7 Pt buck and a pass thru with Rottweil Exact slugs. They print well and weigh over an once. I didn’t manage to get a fall turkey but will have at’r again in the spring. For that I used my own 1 1/4oz #6 loads with an invector bbl. pheasants fall to 1oz - 1 1/8oz of # 5 or 6 and the Mod barrel. Love the gun!
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Sweet set up. That vintage browning case is cool also. I still have two of them and wished I had of bought more back in the day
Mine have superx1's in them with skeet and trap barrels
Cheers
 
Falconflyer said:
I have a Beretta 409 that I use occasionally for upland birds, it's lightweight, carries really nice.
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I knew I liked you for a reason!!! My first shotgun was a 16g 409. My pops gave it to me when I started hunting. Lots of fond memories of hunts with my pops and the 409. Unfortunately the gun doesn't fit me well so it doesn't get used as much as it should. I really only take it out for the annual CGN SxS shoot where I rekindle my love for the gun while I marvel at how bad I shoot it. Good times!!
 
Hahaha .. I tend to grow on folks....:)

That 409 is a quality gun but I don't like pistol grips with double triggers. I've often thought about taking a rasp to the stock and converting it to an English straight stock but I never seem to get to it. Unfortunately the previous owner opened up the chokes on it too so I tend not to hunt with it unless I figure the birds will be close such as when we're hunting Pheasants over pointers, it's not much good as a Sharptail rig.
 
Only thing better than owning a 16ga is buying one to find out it comes with 10 boxes of vintage Winchester ammo
Yes sir the old winchester compression formed are these hulls and if you reload 16ga you know they are worth more than the gun today
Cheers
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Falconflyer said:
Hahaha .. I tend to grow on folks....:)

That 409 is a quality gun but I don't like pistol grips with double triggers. I've often thought about taking a rasp to the stock and converting it to an English straight stock but I never seem to get to it. Unfortunately the previous owner opened up the chokes on it too so I tend not to hunt with it unless I figure the birds will be close such as when we're hunting Pheasants over pointers, it's not much good as a Sharptail rig.
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My 409 is as it was when it was manufactured with the Full (XF) and IM (F) chokes. Way too tight for bird hunting other than for turkey. Earlier this year I sold a beautiful 16g 409 that came with an english stock and a CCH receiver and man was it ever different then the pistol grip. Cant say I liked it more then the usual PG, but it did feel like a wand. The wrist in the english stock was really thin which I wasn't a big fan of even though my hands aren't that big. The nice thing about it was that it had been opened up to LM and IC which is a great combo. The guy I sold it too is one happy camper and has taken quite a few birds with it
 
I don't own any high end 16ga like some of you guys . I never collected such. Mine have always been what I called blue collar guns. Some I have multiples of like wingmasters I have 5 or 6 etc both version 1 and the version 2 with choke tubes factory
The collection consists of
wingmasters
870 express
1100's ( both versions)
BPS upland
A5 sweet 16
Winchester model 21's
Ithaca 37
Cooey 84 and 840
Savage 311
Model 12
Sears model 20 pump made by high standards

I think that covers the model I have
Cheers
 
Back in the day, I probably fired more shells from a Ithaca Model 37 in 16 than anything else. 16 really is the perfect hunting cartridge (I'm careful not to say the best... just that a 1oz load is perfect all-around). And the old Ithaca pump is highly under-rated these days.

I have a 1932-vintage Browning Auto-5 in 16 (2 5/8" chamber), which is a delight. But my 16 of choice for grouse hunting is a single-barrelled hammer gun, made by Thomas Seymour of London (1841-1844), converted from percussion before 1870 (it has the original non-rebounding lock). The gun takes 2 1/2" cartridges and the twist-steel barrel has been re-proofed for smokeless powder. It weighs about 5 pounds, which makes for an easy carrying gun, but there's not much weight to absorb the recoil.
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My 20 ga went south on me (circa 1926 20 ga Elsie) part way through season. So I dug out the 16 sxs which I had not used since I lost Harley. Bought the 20 to shoot over Lucy. There was a pretty good ding in the first barrel that had happened during my last hunt with Harley which had to be tapped out and then off we went. It was a good year in our area this season so she got put to work right away. A very basic spanish sxs but I had forgotten that extra punch that she packs over the 20. Just getting into reloading so looking forward to tuning a load that will feel good. I had already put a Limbsaver on her because she did kick pretty hard and it helps. A very light carry in the bush.
 
1963beretta said:
My 409 is as it was when it was manufactured with the Full (XF) and IM (F) chokes. Way too tight for bird hunting other than for turkey. Earlier this year I sold a beautiful 16g 409 that came with an english stock and a CCH receiver and man was it ever different then the pistol grip. Cant say I liked it more then the usual PG, but it did feel like a wand. The wrist in the english stock was really thin which I wasn't a big fan of even though my hands aren't that big. The nice thing about it was that it had been opened up to LM and IC which is a great combo. The guy I sold it too is one happy camper and has taken quite a few birds with it
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That 409 sounds like a really nice one but those skinny wrists really take some getting used too. The vast majority of my shooting is done with Sporting and Trap guns that have lots of wood to grip.
 
Steve, one of my favorites is a 12 gauge single barrel from J & W Tolley. A little more recent than yours, from before the Great War but also weighs in at 5 pounds. A delight in the grouse woods.

I know where it's 16 gauge twin is and have been working for 7 years to pry it loose. Haven't given up yet.
 
canvasback said:
I think most of us would consider an M21 to be a higher end gun.

Nothing wrong with the M12 and M37 either.
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Yes I guess today you are right at where the prices went over the years
To me these were just my grandfathers shotguns which he loved and I will take to the grave with me
He had an eye for quality even back then and I can thank him for my model 12 in 28ga also
and I forgot his model 31's there is one in 16ga

Still none are as beautiful as some you have shown here over the years
Cheers
 
I am currently dating, but have yet to fall in love with, a 16ga J.P. Sauer SxS. I’ve missed as many or more pheasants than I’ve taken with her....if the ratio would tip a bit, I could see a long and fulfilling relationship unfolding.
 
I don't know if 16 is my favourite gauge over others as I have different guns in various gauges that equal each other as far as weight and handling etc. Just depends what I feel like grabbing. I have a few 16 SxS'S. This one is my latest that I picked up this summer. Took it out a couple of times this fall. It's a 16 Russian double circa 1930. A lot higher craftsmanship than some of the Russian guns of the last couple of decades.
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That is my favorite Russian model. I first acquired the same model in 16 ga. Liked it so much I bought a 12 and a 20. If only they had been stocked with English stocks.
 
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