Looking into two shotguns from an estate sale. One is a 1952 win 97 12g takedown model with exposed hammer and one is a Harrington Richardson single break hinge 16 gauge. The wood on the H&R is beautiful and the receiver looks to be case hardened. My question is what is a 16 guage shotgun and can you still get 16g. ammo.? Which one would you pick to take home? Ive got my eyes on the 97. I hear you can hold the trigger and pump off the whole tube mag. Cheers and thanks for the info
H&R 16 G and win 97 pump
- Thread starter emmab
- Start date
16 gauge shotgun
16 gauge falls in between 12 and 20 gauge respectively. It is a very nice cartridge for birds and small game but can still put down ducks. Ammuntion is still available including rifled slugs. I have several 16 gauge shotguns pumps,singles and a side by side. To date none have yet to let me down and I find it an enjoyable caliber.
All the best,
Mark -beaver455
16 gauge falls in between 12 and 20 gauge respectively. It is a very nice cartridge for birds and small game but can still put down ducks. Ammuntion is still available including rifled slugs. I have several 16 gauge shotguns pumps,singles and a side by side. To date none have yet to let me down and I find it an enjoyable caliber.
All the best,
Mark -beaver455
M12shooter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- East St. Paul, mb
A 1950's 97 in good shape would be a good find if you can get it for a couple hundred bucks or so. They were always my favorite, a natural pointer and are today popular with the cowboy shooting group. Don't know why anyone would want to slam fire though?? A 16 ga. H&R "Topper" is a hundred dollar gun max ... in good condition. Most are beat. 16 ga ammo is more expensive than 12 and difficult to find at times. None of the aforementioned shotguns are steel shot compatible IMO. If I could get the whole lot for three hundred bucks I'd get both...again providing they are in good to excellent shape and not "canoe paddles".
16 guage, sometimes referred to as "Sweet 16" is, indeed, a sweet gauge. With the correct shells, it's pretty hard to beat the pattern you can get from a 16 gauge. A true 16 ga. (one with a scaled receiver) can deliver just as hard a punch as a 12 gauge and still be lighter and quicker.
Having said that, it must be admitted that the gauge has not been as popular as either 12 or 20 for many years and, as a result, shells can be harder to find and tend to cost a bit more.
Still, they are far from impossible to find and the 16 gauge makes an excellent hunting gun. Clay sports are another matter - it would be cost prohibitive, IMO, to shoot clays with 16 gauge, unless you load your own.
Winchester's M1897 is one of the all-time classics and a near indestructable gun. The interrupted thread system employed in the take down mechanism is designed to adjust to take up any slack that develops. The gun doesn't shoot loose over time and actually improves as it's worn in (well beyond any break-in period). My admiration for this example of John Browning's genius is no secret. If it's a choice between the two, I'd put my money on the 1897 every time. As has been suggested, if you can get them both for a decent price, why not?
Having said that, it must be admitted that the gauge has not been as popular as either 12 or 20 for many years and, as a result, shells can be harder to find and tend to cost a bit more.
Still, they are far from impossible to find and the 16 gauge makes an excellent hunting gun. Clay sports are another matter - it would be cost prohibitive, IMO, to shoot clays with 16 gauge, unless you load your own.
Winchester's M1897 is one of the all-time classics and a near indestructable gun. The interrupted thread system employed in the take down mechanism is designed to adjust to take up any slack that develops. The gun doesn't shoot loose over time and actually improves as it's worn in (well beyond any break-in period). My admiration for this example of John Browning's genius is no secret. If it's a choice between the two, I'd put my money on the 1897 every time. As has been suggested, if you can get them both for a decent price, why not?
