Hi, I don't post much, but read on here almost everyday. I want to shoot a goose with my Grandfather's old 16 ga side by side, Stevens, I believe, and want to get some safe shells for geese. They have to be 2 3/4 inch, it shoots nice on squirrels and rabbits,but that is with lead. Any advice on what make I should go with ? Waterfowler for for over 45 years and I know the limits on decoyed birds.I have taken them with a 20 ga before right over my layout blind. Thanks Jim in Ohio.

Bismuth shot will not hurt those barrels. It is all I use in my side by sides for waterfowl.

Thanks Oldtimr I will check those out

Boss Ammunition makes some good bismuth loads for a 16g.

how old is this shotgun
does it have good steel barrels or Damascus barrels?
as that might make a big difference on shooting steel shot thru it with modern powders!
age matters on materials used in build and in ammo being shot thru it!

I think it is steel and i will get the serial numbers or what is on the barrels and be right back !

Ok, on top of the left barrel it says(High Pressure Compressed Steel-Barrel and Lug Forged in One Piece) then on the right side of receiver it says (J. Stevens Arms Company,Chicopee Falls , Mass.Patened April 20 1915 USA) left side of receiver has a goose flying over some weeds. does that help ? Jim

There are some numbers under the wooden fore arm they are ( H7832 )

That gun is safe for Bismuth shot or any other proper length shell. The numbers on the metal under the forearm are probably a match to the serial numbers on the barrels.

Odds are then you should be fine with modern ammo
but as for steel shot, if it has a full choke, I might not want to use it thru that barrel

and I am pretty sure I own a like gun
Only in a 20 Gauge, but mine is a single trigger version of the 3111-315"s which were much more common place
(mine is a single trigger different model,, and was only made for two yrs, but they pretty much used the same receivers

But here is a pic of the one I have!