doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Belgian experts please

Hey fellas, I'm trying to see if this 16ga.sxs is a good deal for my new hunting partner. He does not have much money, so I need to be sure in my advice to him.

Here is a link to the discussion on the 16ga. forum (I hope that's ok?) It has a link to photos.


http://www.16ga.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10134

Price would $350, plus $40 in gas to pick it up


Mainly, would he be able to shoot modern 1 oz. loads? (kent or rem express?)

Don.

You got some good advice over at the 16 gauge board, but my advice would be do the usual checks that you can perform for lock up tightness and decide from there. This gun is very light, weighing in under 6 lbs., so my advice would be go out and buy a reloader and learn to reload low pressure shells. That will save the gun, great looking gun by the way, and your friend's shoulder.

Thanks for the advice. I reload spreaders myself for my 16ga. zoli and Laurona, as they are both choked full and fuller. He is just starting to hunt and has already invested a thousand or so in a pump gun and gear, and has expressed that reloading is not an option at this time. So 1oz. Kent upland and rem game loads would be his realistic store bought option. I have, and will lend him my Laurona (and spreader shells), so he is not in any hurry.

Don.

Don, I can't see the proofmarks all that well, but it looks to be marked either 16-65 (2 1/2") or 16-70 (2 3/4") inside a sort of sideways horseshoe. That's the more modern proofmark. However, given the gun's light weight, I would not shoot 1 oz American factory loads in that gun. They tend to be pretty hot (have to make old autoloaders function). I'd highly recommend RST 7/8 oz loads for that gun. (I believe they even have 3/4 oz 16's.) About twice as expensive as buying shells at WalMart, but if he's not going to shoot it a lot, a flat will last him a long time--and he's less likely to stress an older gun with those lighter loads. I killed prairie grouse with them earlier this season. They pack enough punch for anything in the uplands, IMO, except maybe longer shots at wild pheasants.

The gun is listed as sold. Thanks for all your advice nonetheless.

The Marks showed it was proved for 'semi-smokeless' powder.A good learning experience, and makes me apreaciate my 16ga. Laurona purchase even more (the one you advised me to buy Mr.Brown). He loved carrying it the other day, and got a shot off at a flushing grouse.

There is a used Mossberg 20ga. o/u for $565 at a quality gunshop. Hmmmmm...

Don.

The gun was proofed in 1927. At the time of proof the barrels weighed 1.295 kgs or 2.85 lbs. It was nitro proofed. Better pictures of the proof marks might reveal a maker's mark.

Pete

Glad to hear the Laurona is working well for you, Don. Although it's pretty easy to find new Spanish 16's, older used ones are not so common. Wasn't long ago that European makers figured Americans only wanted 12's or 20's.