16 Gauge why ?????

[ccc]

I recently purchased a sweet sixteen Browning A-5, not sure why, other than I have a HUGE soft spot for A-5's, not even sure if I have ever fired a 16 gauge, my question is why did they ever come out with a 16 gauge ??????? When we have 12's and 20's why did they feel the need for a 16 ???????????

 

[Richard J.]

They believed the 16 ga. was the best of both worlds between the 12 and 20. When I was young everyone had one. When they went into the magnum craze it put a huge damper on the 16 ga. I have two doubles in 16 ga.

RJ

 

[joe]

I used one growing up until I was ready to use a 12ga loved it.

Myself & 2 of my cousins all killed are first deer with a sweet sixteen. #1 buck. (lucky gun for me)

 

[Gravity3694]

Shoots like a 12g carries like a 20g.

 

[tyler0421]

Pulled ours out of my dads safe the other day and cleaned it. Don't think it had been cleaned in 15+ years. Thing is in rough shape. I may try to shoot skeet with it this weekend.

 

[Ken232]

Grew up with A 16 ga stevens 311 double, more power than a 20 and less kick than a 12 (12 double I mean) was perfect for a teenager. However I Loved it best for Bird hunting...put many a quail on the table with it. alot of oldtimers told me that 16 was the best for birdhunting of all the shotguns

 

[FowlHunter13]

I know it used to be the craze back in the day. Now it is harder to find shells for and when you do, they are much more expensive. If you could only have one gun though, that would be right in the middle of the 20 and 12. I used to be dead set against a .410 back in the day, but I now use nothing but a .410 for quail hunting. I picked up a Browning Citori in .410 and it is one quail killing machine. My Dad used to get so pissed at me when shooting quail with my 20 cause I never gave them long enough to get out in front of me and would tear them up something terrible. Now I use #8 or #9 2 1/2" .410's with skeet chokes and will most likely never use anything else. Pricy to shoot though with the price of .410 shells.

 

[SAWMAN]

My question is.....which came first,the 16ga or the 20ga ?? --- SAWMAN

 

[TURTLE]

Pulled ours out of my dads safe the other day and cleaned it. Don't think it had been cleaned in 15+ years. Thing is in rough shape. I may try to shoot skeet with it this weekend.

My Dad just gave me a shotgun that looks exactly like that but 12g. Haven't shot it since I was a kid but remember it being fun.

 

[Richard J.]

I believe the 20 ga. came later. Most gauges came from Black Powder. 2,4,6,8,10 ga. The 12 ga. came before the 16 ga. and 20. Also had two double 410. Should of never sold them. The guy that bought them liked the feel and handling so much he bought both for far more than they were worth. Told him so but he didnt care. The one I like best and a lot of fun to shoot is a double barrel Pedersoli hammer Black Powder weapon. It is a blast to hunt with. Of course you have to wait till the smoke clears to see what you hit.

RJ

 

[Welldoya]

16's were very popular when I was growing up. My dad has one in a Winchester 1400 that he used when we used to rabbit hunt back in the late 60s.
I really only see the advantage if it's built on a smaller frame so it's lighter. Some are built on a 12 gauge frame and just not that much different than using a 12 gauge.
I recently switched from a 12 to a 20 for quail hunting and wish I had done it earlier. I don't see any difference in the number of kills and it's so much easier to carry and more fun to shoot.

 

[Richard J.]

Now if you want to shoot a big shotgun. In 67 when I came back to Fort Cambell from Nam I had a bird col. that had a 4 ga. that was about 8 feet long. He got it in Africia. You put a massive chunk of lead and about 1 lb of 1f black powder in it. Someone has to stand with the front on there shoulder to shoot it. Knocks you about out. Another day we tried shot in it. Well it sure would hurt on both ends. He even left me shoot his nitro 300 and 600. The six takes a 900 grain slug. Makes you take two steps back and it also hurts. Fun being young and stupid. Found out later that he didnt have the balls to shoot the 4 ga. Like I said young and dumb.

RJ

 

[JohnAL]

Yeah, I shot a .600 Nitro Express, once. I don't consider myself recoil sensitive but that was enough for a lifetime.

 

[Richard J.]

When we shot the 4 ga. I got a headache and ear ringing even with hearing protection. Also a nose bleed. No wonder they developed better weapons.

RJ

 

[OldSkool3006]

Nothing like the the kick of a 10 gauge black powder shotgun. Think my shoulder is still blue and that was 20 years ago. Haha lol