What happened to the 16ga shotgun?

H82bogey

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I have seen many articles online about why this and the 10ga have lost their popularity but sure would be nice if the 16 was still a common gun. I remember my dad using his all the time for upland game. An old hand made side by side from France. That thing shot like a dream and he was sure lethal with it. I don't remember the last time I even saw ammo for it at the local store.

I know my semi auto 10 gauge was an absolute monster on geese. That thing was a death machine. But I digress, does anyone still shoot a 16? Have any good memories from the "good ole days"?
 


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Father in law shoots a "Sweet 16" for most things. Same problem though, has trouble finding good rounds.
 

guywhofishes

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I reckon the reason they fell out of favor is the same reason they don't size shoes in 1/4 sizes. :;:smokin
 

bigcatpike

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I own an Ithaca Model 37m Featherlight in 16 gauge. It is a nice light gun that points very well. The only downfall that the 16 gauge has was that a 3" cartridge was never made widely available for it. With the switch to steel shot for waterfowl, 16 gauge users found that they wanted more pellets because steel doesn't kill like lead does, so they went up to a 12 gauge 3 inch or 20 gauge 3 inch because they needed more pellets to do the job. Most people don't know this, but Winchester actually chambered a 16 gauge in 3 inch and very few cartridges were made. These are prized collectors items.
 

H82bogey

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Another big reason for their decline was that skeet shooters were not allowed to use a 16. I'm not 100% sure, but trap I think is a 12ga only event. But for these reason's all the R&D went into 20 and 12ga guns and ammo.
 


johnr

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I don't think the birds care one way or the other the ga of shot that is stinging their asses
 

wby257

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I own an Ithaca Model 37m Featherlight in 16 gauge. It is a nice light gun that points very well. The only downfall that the 16 gauge has was that a 3" cartridge was never made widely available for it. With the switch to steel shot for waterfowl, 16 gauge users found that they wanted more pellets because steel doesn't kill like lead does, so they went up to a 12 gauge 3 inch or 20 gauge 3 inch because they needed more pellets to do the job. Most people don't know this, but Winchester actually chambered a 16 gauge in 3 inch and very few cartridges were made. These are prized collectors items.



Im pretty sure there were no 16 ga 3 inch md ever made as they never made 3 inch shells. When the first 16 ga came out they were chambered in 2 9/16. And when they went to 2 3/4 shells and went to plastic shells alot of the early md 12's had to have the ejection port opened up to allow the spent shell to clear the front of ejection port. I opened up quite a few of the early md 12's
 

svnmag

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Winchester made a M370 single bbl with a 3" chamber unless they mis-marked the one I handled.
 

Davey Crockett

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My Dad had talked about shooting 16 gauge but he never talked it up and I never thought to ask where it ended up and why. The old timers were like us but with way less money to spend on hunting equipment. With population growth I can imagine one by one the 16s were handed down or wore out and Dad got a new gun to replace it, Something bigger , better and faster to keep up to neighbor jones. and like today the industry followed the money. The only shotguns my dad owned by the time I came around were a Sears bolt action 12 gauge that he ordered through the catalog and Grandpas old meniscus barrel 10 gauge.
 


Fracman

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I shoot my 16s all the time there is ammo available cost a little more. I have a side by side, 870, single shot, and a Remington model 4 semi auto. Great guns. Scenic sport has ammo on the shelf I thing they even have steel shot.
 

Rowdie

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I inherited my dads Side by Side Stevens 16 gauge. He bought it brand new when he got out of the army after serving in Korea. It was the only shotgun he ever owned. About 10 years ago I broke it out when another went down and my stepson was using my backup. It shoots great but then the extractor is so worn down that the shell on the left barrel slips past it.
 

svnmag

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That's actually an "easy" fix. You could likely find a "new" one on line. Ebay even...
 

Kurtr

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My grandpa had one he used to shoot all the time when he was still alive. it now gets shot once or twice a year for old times sake. I cant really tell the difference between it and my 12 gauge wingmaster shooting pheasants with lead
 


NodakBuckeye

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Never had the pleasure, but my dad's highschool buddy who hunted with us used a Winchester '96, no idea how old that gun was, but it sure was heavy and he was a good shot with it. My buddy had a Browning Gold 10 ga chambered for 3.5" that we nicknamed the deathray. We found some hevi-shot or similar in 4s n 5s that we used to great effect.
 

svnmag

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There are some but not many things as sweet as a NICKLE STEEL m12 16. If you have/get one, you'll have to get it shaved--2 9/16. True 16ga frame, carries like a Daisy Red Ryder. Kicks like a scorned whore; a full choke will blow the bottom out of a bucket at 40. I know, I've talked about this several times but they really are sweet!
 

SDMF

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Never had the pleasure, but my dad's highschool buddy who hunted with us used a Winchester '96, no idea how old that gun was, but it sure was heavy and he was a good shot with it.

Winchester '96 is a plain-jane version of the 101 O/U shotgun made in Japan in the 1970's and I'm pretty sure no 16's. If you're referring to the take-down pump with the exposed hammer that was a '97.

- - - Updated - - -

There are some but not many things as sweet as a NICKLE STEEL m12 16. If you have/get one, you'll have to get it shaved--2 9/16. True 16ga frame, carries like a Daisy Red Ryder. Kicks like a scorned whore; a full choke will blow the bottom out of a bucket at 40. I know, I've talked about this several times but they really are sweet!

Any reason not to just shoot 2.5" shells and leave it original?

http://www.rstshells.com/store/m/3-16-Gauge.aspx
 

svnmag

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They'll shoot, but you often have to shuck it violently to get it to eject. No way to treat her.

- - - Updated - - -

Another thing about the M12. Take your finger off the trigger when you cycle it. It will slamfire. Also, make damn sure the cartridge is fully seated in the chamber. I bulged/cracked two heads before I figured this one out. Thought the first was a bad shell. Nope. First was on a squirrel, second was trying to double on clays and a slamfire.
 

bigcatpike

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Im pretty sure there were no 16 ga 3 inch md ever made as they never made 3 inch shells. When the first 16 ga came out they were chambered in 2 9/16. And when they went to 2 3/4 shells and went to plastic shells alot of the early md 12's had to have the ejection port opened up to allow the spent shell to clear the front of ejection port. I opened up quite a few of the early md 12's
http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=207673
http://www.rockislandauction.com/viewitem/aid/65/lid/3318

- - - Updated - - -

They'll shoot, but you often have to shuck it violently to get it to eject. No way to treat her.

- - - Updated - - -

Another thing about the M12. Take your finger off the trigger when you cycle it. It will slamfire. Also, make damn sure the cartridge is fully seated in the chamber. I bulged/cracked two heads before I figured this one out. Thought the first was a bad shell. Nope. First was on a squirrel, second was trying to double on clays and a slamfire.
My winchester m1897 does this and I'm pretty sure my Ithaca 16 gauge does too, but I've never tried it.
 


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