doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com What is the status of the 16 Gauge Society?

I agree. I am, and will be for the foreseeable future, a 12 ga. man, primarily. I shoot a lot of sporting clays, and the 12 ga. is simply the king at that game. But, in the last few years I have become more and more enamored with sub-gauge double-guns for hunting. My latest, a 16 ga. AE Fox (1919) has 30" barrels, but I have never held a gun in my hands that felt more lively and agile, without being overly quick to move. It is a joy to look at, but I really believe I will be able to shoot it well. T'will be awhile until I know for certain, as I am having to deal with LOP issues right now.

SRH

I'll be 75 soon- just aced the EKG treadmill test at my cardiologists- cut and split wood on the farm we own, walk every day (in bad weather in Wal-Mart)- no smoking ever- and as Satchel Paige once so wisely said- "Avoid fried foods, as they angry up the blood"_ so I can carry a 7.5 lb. 12 gauge afield all day and not feel any excessive "pain or strain" Shots at pheasants today are few and far between here in MI- so when it is "show time" I go with the gauge and load that will drop the bird- "dead bang"--And as I have confidence in the 12's I own and shoot, there you have it.

As for the implied reference to the character Cliff Clavin (a Mama's boy) played quite well by actor John Rastusberger--I doubt he would know a 16 gauge from his left nut--or any other for that matter. The only reason I watched Cheers was to check out Kristie Alley's big boobs.

I am most happy to hear of your good health and fine physical condition, Francis. But, that has absolutely NOTHING to do with the reason many of us are enamored of the sub-gauge guns. I'm in pretty good shape myself, and work and run a row-crop farm full time, but matching the gauge to the bird has naught to do with strength or stamina. You chase ditch roosters, fine. I use a 12 ga. exclusively for ducks, too. But, it is immensely more fun, and just as productive for me, to use .410s through 16s for more diminutive game birds ...... doves, quail.

Expand your horizons a bit, ol' man. Accept that there are folks in this world who can do the job on their choice of upland game very well without 1 1/8 of shot.

SRH

I think you made a great statement there, Stan. I use 12's for sporting clays almost exclusively shooting Fitasc and main races. Getting punched in sub-gauge has moved many folks to master class......a place most of them don't belong. I'm a grouse and quail hunter and do it a lot. I almost never use a 12 in the uplands usually choosing my sub 6 lb 16 ga Lang. I don't like lugging a heavy 12 around. God, they get heavy fast even if just a bit over 6 1/2 lbs. And Francis, I too am pleased you enjoy good health.

RWTF--My hat's off to you, you're "the man"! I am 50, walk year-round myself, and must admit, there are days afield when I am busting through snow in the Dakota's where I know I am markedly slower in mounting the gun than I was @ 40 or 45. I typically shoot sub-gauge double guns in Sept/Oct, and switch to a 12 ga auto for pheasant hunting from nov-jan, which usually means about 20-24 hunting days during the late season. Those are slightly bigger groups that I am the host of, and I am hunting for the group bag on those trips, so having more than 2 shots is helpful, as it is pretty common to have multiple targets in the air within short periods of time, or, equally common, I need a another shell to finish off a bird that was hit but still flying. So, acknowledging my increasing frailty as I age, I bought a benelli ultralight 12 gauge for the upcoming season...6 lbs...that is about 1.25 lbs less than my montefeltro, and I must admit, feels worlds apart...maybe it is just me, but shaving even 8 oz from one gun to the next is more than just a palpable difference. Which brings me back, in a long-winded way, to why I so love my sub-gauge doubles...they are a joy to handle. my latest acquisition, a 28 gauge Uggie, was bought because I wanted to be able to take a walk for grouse--sharptail or ruff's--with a handful of shells in my breast pocket on warm fall day...no vest needed. to each his own, good for you on your approach which works so well for you.

20 gauges and smaller are the darlings of gun shops and dealers who can sell them at a premium compared with 12's and 16's. 16's are considered the red-headed stepchildren of shotguns by many, but have moved up in pricing over the years, but are usually costlier than 12's, but less than 20's. Continental and British 16 gauge doubles, pre-war, are usually lighter than currently made 20 gauge doubles or O/U's, and many classic American doubles in 16 and 20. I have more 16's than I need, but not more than I want.

'I'll be 75 soon.....'

Well that certainly explains a lot.

Yes- I have even semi-forgiven Mr. Murphy for getting me "shit-canned" from the PGCA- hope to see him at the Southern--As Confuscious once said so well: "A man who carries a grudge will dig TWO graves"- But I have many friends (Goombahs) of the Sicilian lineage- and I also buy into their code of Omerta-and their phtase- "La Vengaza esta una plate que esta muy superior quando servido muy muy frio"..Fols that really know me well (and there are few, I will grant you in that gruppen- will tell you to a man-- "No one can keep a secret like RWTF-- Subito la dente"--

RWTF I�ll be 76 in June and have shared your many arguments against the 16 Ga.
I have been chasing birds behind flushing dogs and pointing dogs since I was 12 years old. I started with a single shot 20 Ga. and when I needed a �mans � Gun I went to a 12 Ga., starting with pumps, SxS�s and settled on a 12 Ga. A5 Browning with a full choke. Had to have a full choke.

36 years ago I bought two 20 Ga. Browning BSS�s with different chokes and discovered that 1 ounce of shot is more than adequate for upland birds. I happily used my 20�s behind my Labs and Brits for 27 years.
For over 64 years I had never considered a 16 Ga. shotgun and viewed the gauge with contempt. A 16 Ga. built on a 12 Ga. frame is not a gun I would choose, but I do respect the emotional ties to any shotgun that was owned by a relative such as one�s grand father and handed down.

My view of the gauge changed when I happened to see a beautiful SxS behind a glass case in a gun shop. I asked the clerk if I could handle the gun and he removed it from the case and handed it to me.

It was a wow moment and after mounting and swinging the gun I knew that I would buy it. Because of it's light weight and great handling, I thought the gun was a 20 Ga. When I looked closely at the gun I discovered that it was the dreaded 16 Ga. and asked the clerk if he had a 20 Ga., he did. Soon after mounting the 20 I knew that it was not for me and bought the 16 Ga.
I then discovered that commercial ammo choices were inferior to other gauges and to compound that, available hulls for reloading were nowhere near the quality of my lifetime supply of 20 Ga. Winchester AA hulls.
I soon discovered RMC hulls and became very happy with the outstanding patterns produced by these brass hulls, in addition the great number of loads that are now available to me as a result of the hulls.

As a bird hunter, I discovered my perfect game gun is a product of gauge and gun, and depending on the user and associated needs, a combination most likely available in any gun/gauge.

RWYF, correct me if I�m wrong, but your 16 Ga. experience is not based on hands on knowledge, but similar to mine before I made the change to 16 Ga. and discovered the great folks at the 16 Ga. Society.
And another reason to shoot a 16. I just returned from getting my blood drawn and on the tech's counter were 3 20 Ga. Federal Top Gun shotgun shells and they were PINK.

No, you have it right- I have never owned or shot a: 16, a 10 or a .410. I own a Model 12 in 28 gauge, but have never shot it- as I took it to settle a debt-and as I am a rather frugal SOB, I can't make myself pay twice what the 20 gauge ammo costs for about the same performance. I'll always love the std. (and 3" Magnum) 12 gauges Uber Alles dem schrottflinten. I have two 3" Mag Model 12's, and a LC Smith Ideal Grade LONGRANGE ejector gun- all with Full choked barrels- like the late Elmer Keith said- "You mean it kills them TOO DEAD". Dead in the air, an explosion of feathers- and a short and easy task for the 4 legged amigo doing the retrieving. And as I give away 90% of the game birds I shoot in season, machts Nichts as to how many shot pellets it took to kill the bird grave-yard dead. As the late Nash B. once said, in his article "The Dove" "You've about had all the trhills shotgunning awing can offer when you see your overhead bird crumple dead in mid-air" Amen to that--or a big old Canada going ass-over-teacup over the deeks- Great!!