Greener gave the standard 16ga load in 1910 as 2 3/4drams with 1oz shot. In Burrards list of standard loads he gives for the 2½ shell a charge of 2 3/4DE with 7/8oz & for the 2 3/4" shell a 3DE with 1 to 1 1/16oz depending upon powder used. I might add that for hunting purposes where a large number of shots are not fired in quick succession I find no problem with shooting the 2 3/4DE - 1 1/8oz load from a 6-6¼ lb gun. I also never found any drastic fall off in performance. I have also fired a number of loads of this same performance from a 6¼lb 3" 20 ga with no undue discomfort. These are of course not loads I would want to use on a target course or on one of those Argentine dove shoots from a gun that light. Simply slowing the velocities down to under 1150 fps though can tame recoil considerably.
I do admit though my all time favorite load for the 16 is the 2½DE-1oz load. To me this load is just all needed for the use I put a 16 to. When more is needed I prefer going to a 12.
