salukipv1

So for some reason, I've always wanted a 16gauge, as a boy all I heard was that it was going extinct, and nowadays from what I gather is that it's hear to stay and maybe even making a comeback, but certainly has a small/loyal following. Anyone out there own/love their 16ga? If so why?

Also I've never heard of a 24 or 32 gauge? Do these exist?

KonaBoy

My buddy's dad has a 24 Gauge, can't use it, because he can't find shells, but he has one.

deke12ga

The sixteen is a really good gauge. IMO. Mostly you get a lighter gun, close to a 20... as most guns,such as the browning bps are built on their 20 frame... Also recoil is comparable to the 20ga, but you get closer to the knockdown power of the 12ga. All my comparison is with 2-3/4 shells since the 16ga doesnt have the luxury of being availible in 3". Shells tend to be pricey and/or hard to find at times.
These are just some of the differences I notice but I'm only one voice...

vaughnm

I grew up hunting with a 16 ga and really like them. In fact still have my grandadsSpanish SxS that I hunted with and it is in great shape.However, I now hunt & shootwith20's& 12's. The 20 ga with the 3 inch chamber kind of put the 16 on the back burner. The 20 is as lightor lighter, has as much punch or more due to the 3" chamber, shells are available everywhere, and are definitely cheaper. Then if you want real knockdown power I go to the 12 or if you do notwant to get knocked around shooting clays shoot the heavier 12 with lighter loads.

Personally I think the 16 will stay around for a long time. It has a loyal following and I personally like the nostalgia of shooting it every so often. Kind of like my 28 ga. I like to shoot it every so often but at the cost of shells, not as often as I like.

SwampCollie

I always wanted one too... so I bought one! I got a Browning A5 Standard 16 a couple of years ago. Made in 1953... looks like it was made in 2003. Gorgeous all original gun. Not terribly expensive either.

Of course they do! You read about them on some of the threads you put up on the guns forum... because I'd love to own one! i heard about them from some older friends of mine who go to "Vintagers" shoots, where 24s and 32s still abound, along with a few 4s and 8s. Even have had a couple of off shoot punt gun shoots. Mostly throwbacks to English hunting. Cape guns and drillings. Very very neat stuff, but Big Big money.

Kona shells are still available.... you can buy anything on the internet... just might not want to pay to have the brought over from Europe. They are probably in the range of $120 US a flat.

salukipv1

4's and 8's gagues? geez, I have heard of an 8 gauge, but a 4? when did both of those go out of commission? was a 4, 8 24, or 32 ever around/popular?

A5Mag12

I hunt quite a bit with my 16's. I have a couple Sweet-16's and a Model-12 16 gauge.

MagnumMan308

A few years back I got caught up in the aura and mystique of the 16ga, and went out and bought one of the finest ever made, a 1960's Belgian A-5 sweet 16, 26inch modified choke, vent rib, round knob. Absolutely gorgeous gun, not a mark on it, but I just couldn't make myself fall in love with it. Heavier than my 20ga wingmaster, and not nearly as useful as a 12ga. Factory ammo is expensive, components are pricey, and there isn't alot of selection. I like to shoot my guns, alot, and that 16 made me bleed every time I took it to the range, and it wasn't all that magic in the field to boot, just a heavy 20.

In the end, I sold that gun for $100more than I had in it, but $300 less than it was worth[:@].


Give me a 20ga for upland work, and a 12 for everything else. A 16 has no place in my cabinet.

A5Mag12

I have over 4500 rounds of Win. and Rem. factory 16 ammo that I have less than $3.50 a box in. I find heavy and light hunting loads of all size shot with ease. Kent's TM 16 gauge load was the best buy out there in heavy as lead non-toxic shot shells. Steel loads are not that great in the 16 but there is one smaller outfit that sells a nice 1450 fps steel 16 ga load that works as good as you can expect steel to do. And at 6 lbs 8 ozs my Sweet is the perfect weight and balance.

Most people do just fine in a one size fits all you must do like me world. The rest of us like to mix things up some by matching the gun to the job at hand. We shoot .410's, 28's, 20's, 16's, 12's and sometimes even the 10.

SwampCollie

Not in our lifetimes. 8s have been illegal in the US for quite some time (10 gauge is the largest legal gauge.. at least for waterfowl). I thnk the limeys can still use them if I'm not mistaking. There are still a few 8 gauges (that shoot modern type shot shells) around. You don't see many in the states... since you can't hunt with them, and target shooting with them is somewhat of a joke.

Most of the old "big" bore guns were muzzle-loading, blackpowder "fowling pieces". Some of them weighed in excess of 25 pounds and were acctually shoulder fired. 8 bores and some 4 bores used up to 6 ounces of shot, which is almost three times as much as the most packed 12 gauge 3.5" turkey load. The smoke was something to see... and reports read that a shooter would hear the pellets hit the bird, and taking birds out to 100 yards was fairly common practice!

FC Selous used a 2 bore with a solid 1/2 pound ball as a shoulder fired elephant rifle. The recoil was so severe that he had to wrap the stock with a "green" elephant ear and bind it tightly so that when it dried it would re-enforce the stock. He used a "handful" of black powder, and once wrote on being distracted and double charging it. He was thrown from his mount (elephants were often hunted from horseback in those days). He developed a terrible flinch from the feroccious recoil of the thing.

Punt guns were (and in some places still are) used to raft shoot (ducks on the water.. also known as a ground swat, skilled shot or water swat) waterfowl in the market hunting days. Often done at night, on open water out of a scullng type boat powered by oars. The guns were usually about 10' or more in length and were fastened to the boat itself. The boat was really built around the gun. It fired large amounts of grape shot... which is a technical term for whatever the hell you can find that is small enough to be numerous and large enough to kill a duck or goose. There is a video on youtube of Tom Knapp shooting one.... pretty impressive.

A few buddies and myself built one in high school in our metals/shop class. I'll spare you the story. They are simple and effective, though we didn't use it for its historic purpose... mostly it was just cool.