Is the 16 dead?

V

vega

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Hey all, I bought a very nice old Brno sxs 16 gauge about a month ago and have not been able to shoot it because I can't get hold of shells.

I live in a small town in the Interior of B.C., and we have one good Home Hardware. They didn't have any in stock, which I guess is fair enough, but the owner took it upon himself to contact his two usual ammo suppliers plus a couple of others and none of them had any 16 cartridges in stock and all said none were available.

The same fellow then went on a trip to the Coast this weekend and stopped in Kamloops to see if he could score any for me and the one old shop there that has been in business for years (Power Keg) had none and said they would not have any until next year if at all. The local Wholesale Sports was unaccountably closed, and this on a Saturday at the beginning of hunting season.

If I were looking for 2" 14 gauge or something I could understand, but this apparent drought of 16's seems really weird. I knew they were more scarce than in days of yore, but this is ridiculous. Is this situation now universal in Canada?
 
I have 4 - 16 ga. shotguns, and have not experienced difficulty finding the ammo. All my local shops carry some, but not a wide selection. I just stock up when I find the right ammo at the right price and scarcity becomes no issue.
 
Thanks Gents. Looks like Canpar is a new friend, and good to know the stuff is still out there. My first shotgun at 13 was a 16, they're lovely machines. Love that old saying "Carries like a twenty, hits like a twelve."
 
The 16 is a unpopular and fading gauge in the US and Canada as well. Ammo is very expensive and the selection is poor. I have 2 16 gauge shotguns, both are M12 Winchesters. One a beautiful pre war Pigeon Grade, the othe a 1950's field grade. The M12's are built on the 20 gauge frame, a pleasure to shoot and dream to carry.

As I stated, no decent ammo selections available anymore and reloadable hulls are no longer made. Back when Winchester made compression formed hulls in 16 I would reload all my ammo, 1 oz. #8 or 8 1/2 shot at 1200 fps. Todays Winchester hulls are or a Eurotrash construction and load poorly.

Shot many thousands of crows, feral pigeons, ruffed grouse and huns with that combo. The 16 is still my favorite gauge and when hunting upland birds I still reach for it before anything else.
 
The 16 gauge will never die out completely. There will always be a core of shooters who prefer it. In Ontario at least the Canadian Tire stores that carry ammunition will usually have 16 gauge.
 
rthook said:
Remington Gameload hulls reload nicely balistic products has wads.
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...and Remington still makes SP16 wads as well. Can't find any of those RGL 16's anywhere though. As for factory ammo, yes it is still availabe but it is way more expensive than premium 12 gauge fodder. Yes I too don't think the 16 will ever completely go obsolete. Check out www.16 Guage society.
 
M12shooter said:
The 16 is a unpopular and fading gauge in the US and Canada as well. Ammo is very expensive and the selection is poor. I have 2 16 gauge shotguns, both are M12 Winchesters. One a beautiful pre war Pigeon Grade, the othe a 1950's field grade. The M12's are built on the 20 gauge frame, a pleasure to shoot and dream to carry.

As I stated, no decent ammo selections available anymore and reloadable hulls are no longer made. Back when Winchester made compression formed hulls in 16 I would reload all my ammo, 1 oz. #8 or 8 1/2 shot at 1200 fps. Todays Winchester hulls are or a Eurotrash construction and load poorly.

Shot many thousands of crows, feral pigeons, ruffed grouse and huns with that combo. The 16 is still my favorite gauge and when hunting upland birds I still reach for it before anything else.
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I just bought 2 boxes of Rem. Game loads for $8.99 a box. I find 16 ga. easier to find than .410 or 28ga. I think it is a regional thing.
 
Win/64 said:
I just bought 2 boxes of Rem. Game loads for $8.99 a box. I find 16 ga. easier to find than .410 or 28ga. I think it is a regional thing.
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X2

I just saw the same thing, at Bass Pro north of Toronto. Would have bought some but didn't have time to "take a number and wait" so somebody could hand me what I wanted to buy.

For all around use, I think sixteens are hard to beat. When I see the loads I like, I try to tank up.
 
canvasback said:
X2

I just saw the same thing, at Bass Pro north of Toronto. Would have bought some but didn't have time to "take a number and wait" so somebody could hand me what I wanted to buy.

For all around use, I think sixteens are hard to beat. When I see the loads I like, I try to tank up.
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The thing I like most about the 16 at least in my gun is the beautiful patterns they throw.
 
I have some old CIL 16ga Ammo 2 3/4 in 3dram 1 1/4 oz #4's not sure how they packed all that powder and shot in a 16 ga. shell But i am a little reluctant to try it in my under 6lb sxs.
 
Win/64 said:
I have some old CIL 16ga Ammo 2 3/4 in 3dram 1 1/4 oz #4's not sure how they packed all that powder and shot in a 16 ga. shell But i am a little reluctant to try it in my under 6lb sxs.
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I would be too. I have a stock of Tungstun Matrix in 2 3/4 with 1 1/4 oz of #5.....they don't go in the old ones or the light ones. Only in my Citori 16. Works well on the big greenheads though.
 
linderhof said:
Shame really. The 16 would be a better solution for probably 50% of people who carry a 12.
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The 16 is a neglected gauge, and there are many lovely 16's around, but I don't agree that 50% of 12 users would be better off with one.

Lest I be accused of hating the 16, for 16 lovers, here is a very nice piece of Browning eye candy in 16 gauge (at least I think so): Citori Gran Lightening I'm tempted to buy one. But I don't think that makes the 16 a better choice for half the 12 gauge users out there.

For the strictly upland sorts, then there is nothing a 16 will do that the smaller 20 won't. Find a light carrying 16 and you'll find lighter carrying 20's while doing the looking. As far as that goes, Browning will sell you an O/U 12 gauge that weighs 6 lb 4 oz... how much lighter than that will your 16 gauge go?

For the waterfowl types shooting from boats, blinds, and pits, there is nothing a 16 will do that a 12 won't. And a lightweight shotgun of either gauge is not an advantage in this kind of shooting, in my mind.

The reason the 12 gauge is the choice of most one shotgun owners - and many who own more than one - is the incredible versatility it offers. It is easily loaded from as light as 24 gram loads all the way on up past shot weights you will never get close to in a 16. And, all other things considered, the bigger the bore the easier it is to get the pattern you desire.

There are a lot of beautiful 16 gauge shotguns out there to desire and cherish, and many people could use a 16 gauge and not be handicapped. I wouldn't lose to much sleep if I was told I was restricted to a 16 the rest of my life. But that doesn't change the fact that the 16 suffers from the fact it is neither fish nor fowl - it will never be as light as a competing 20's, for those looking for the lightest carrying upland gun, and it will never compete with 12's for versatility and shot weight.

But for most that love the 16... they simply don't care. Which is why regular runs of 16 gauges will usually find willing buyers.
 
Rick said:
The 16 is a neglected gauge, and there are many lovely 16's around, but I don't agree that 50% of 12 users would be better off with one.

Lest I be accused of hating the 16, for 16 lovers, here is a very nice piece of Browning eye candy in 16 gauge (at least I think so): Citori Gran Lightening I'm tempted to buy one. But I don't think that makes the 16 a better choice for half the 12 gauge users out there.

For the strictly upland sorts, then there is nothing a 16 will do that the smaller 20 won't. Find a light carrying 16 and you'll find lighter carrying 20's while doing the looking. As far as that goes, Browning will sell you an O/U 12 gauge that weighs 6 lb 4 oz... how much lighter than that will your 16 gauge go?

For the waterfowl types shooting from boats, blinds, and pits, there is nothing a 16 will do that a 12 won't. And a lightweight shotgun of either gauge is not an advantage in this kind of shooting, in my mind.

The reason the 12 gauge is the choice of most one shotgun owners - and many who own more than one - is the incredible versatility it offers. It is easily loaded from as light as 24 gram loads all the way on up past shot weights you will never get close to in a 16. And, all other things considered, the bigger the bore the easier it is to get the pattern you desire.

There are a lot of beautiful 16 gauge shotguns out there to desire and cherish, and many people could use a 16 gauge and not be handicapped. I wouldn't lose to much sleep if I was told I was restricted to a 16 the rest of my life. But that doesn't change the fact that the 16 suffers from the fact it is neither fish nor fowl - it will never be as light as a competing 20's, for those looking for the lightest carrying upland gun, and it will never compete with 12's for versatility and shot weight.

But for most that love the 16... they simply don't care. Which is why regular runs of 16 gauges will usually find willing buyers.
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When you factor in the likely fact that unless you are hunting migratory birds the 16 will provide all the power you need with a nicer pattern than a 20 would. But you are right, the 16 was rarely made in a proper sized frame and tended to weigh the same as a 12. I own a Citori upland special in 12 guage. It sports 24" bbls and is light as a feather and a great hunting gun but would have taken it in 16 if available.
 
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