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Forums10
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Jul 28th, 2025
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 511 Likes: 10
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 511 Likes: 10 |
Other than nostalgia what is it that makes Sweet Sixteens, "sweet"?
Around the steel no tortured worm shall twine.
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 9,350
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 9,350 |
I didn't know until I lucked into an 0 frame 1889 hammer Parker. Forget the square-load and queen nonsense, it comes up by itself, pure magic. Nothing else I have comes even close. I suppose weight and balance.
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 592 Likes: 2
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 592 Likes: 2 |
Sweet 16 will be lighter than an 'standard' A5 16 ga. I suppose that makes them sweet. Came out in the early 50's.
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,292
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,292 |
Doug
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,292
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,292 |
Other than nostalgia what is it that makes Sweet Sixteens, "sweet"? Suggest you call Browning if you want to find out the actual facts...... I believe "Sweet 16" was an advertising slogan capitalizing on the common saying "Sweet 16 and never been kissed"...Browning ran with it to make their A-5 16 different from the competition, naming their A-5 16 "SWEET 16".....and it worked, sales took off.......but Browning will give you the facts if you call them....... be polite.... Browning Customer Service Morgan, Utah 1-800-333-3288
Doug
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 592 Likes: 2
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 592 Likes: 2 |
Doug, Thanks and I stand corrected. I thought it was introduced much later for some reason. I have a standard 16 of Remington production (WWII era gun) and it's pretty sweet to me.
Best,
jmc
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,109 Likes: 78
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,109 Likes: 78 |
It's made on a 20 gauge receiver vrs. a 12 gauge receiver.
"The price of good shotgunnery is constant practice" - Fred Kimble
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,725 Likes: 129
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,725 Likes: 129 |
Other than nostalgia what is it that makes Sweet Sixteens, "sweet"? Carries like a twenty and kills like a twelve; or kicks like a twelve and kills like a twenty. I forget which way it goes...Geo
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 14,028 Likes: 1828
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 14,028 Likes: 1828 |
As Doug says, it was a great advertising slogan by Browning. It was very popular with quail hunters down heah' in Mr. Bob's heyday.
As for the 16, as a gauge, it has a place, but IMO it is limited. Before flaming me let me explain what I mean. I have a very "sweet" 16, a 32" L.C. Smith, that I use for late season doves. Now, I admit that a 32" 16 ga. is very specialized. I use it for high flying doves, and nothing else.
I believe that a shooter who has multiple (gauge) guns should apply them as best as possible. I begin dove season with a .410 S x S, and also use it for early release (August) quail. After the first week or two of dove season the birds wise up and start flying higher, and are more evasive. They learn quickly. I then switch to a 20 ga. for doves, with 7/8 oz. loads. Both the .410 and the 20 are gracious plenty for their quarry at the time. Late in the season, when the big migratory doves move into the peanut and corn fields I may use the 16 with 1 oz. loads and full chokes. Works really great. I am a serious duck hunter, and believe they deserve to be killed with all expediency and surety. Therefore, I use only a 12 for them. If I knew the only duck there would be teal, I would feel fine using a 16 or even a 20, but I don't have the luxury of knowing that. So, I use a 12 ga. 3" load of steel 2s or 3s, or bismuth or tungsten 4s.
All this COULD be accomplished with a 16, I guess. But I am convinced there would be many more duck cripples. Steel is marginal enough at best, especially when you pass 30 yds., even with the heaviest 3" payloads. I just can't feel comfortable using a lighter load, intentionally, even over decoys, which makes up most of my duck hunting. The one other application I can see where a 16 would be perfectly fit, beside for teal, is shooting woodies in a small beaver pond. A quick handling, open choked, 16 would do that job just splendidly.
This is all just my opinion, after many years of using them. I would never chastise a man for choosing to use a 16 for big ducks, I just probably wouldn't understand it.
SRH
May God bless America and those who defend her.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 511 Likes: 10
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 511 Likes: 10 |
As a grouse hunter, an old soul and a future curmudgeon I have more 16's than any other gauge. Twelve vs twenty vs twelve...whatever. To me there has always been something special about a sixteen, perhaps it's just the mystique but I love the way a well balanced sixteen carries, shoots and kills.
Really stoked to finally have a "Sweet Sixteen." Just one of those guns I have always wanted to own and enjoy.
Around the steel no tortured worm shall twine.
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