My favorite gauge in fact the only guns I hunt with any longer are 16 gauges. The 16s have served me well for the past 25 years taking all of the plains and most of the mountain bird species from Bob Whites to big Boomer Sage Grouse to the point that I have given away all of my 20s and only keep two 12s for sentimental reasons. As far as guns go my Savage era Sterlingworth Brush is my go to gun but when weather and the birds dictate I back them up with one of my 30 or 32 inch Sterlingworths.