16 ga or not

I love shooting a 16. Has to be my favorite shot guns!
What you think?

My father felt he needed no other shotgun.

Love my Browning A 5, not the sweet 16 but hack of a bird gun

My go to dove gun.

great gun I have 2

anything other than ducks/waterfowl it is an excellent choice. My Ithaca 37 made in 1948 is my top pheasant gun.

Shells is a problem

Just bought a Citori Hunter Grade 1, shells are not a problem, I reload.

Keep your eyes open at Walmart for 16 they will usually only put out a couple at a time! Bought a few cases over the last few months 2 at a time!!!!!!

I’m a fan but it’s much cheaper to shoot the 20. I only break out the Sweet 16 opening day of dove season.

Before all the ammo shortage stuff began I bought a lot of shells off of here from other members.

You can load your shells of a 12 gauge down to the 16 gauge or your 20 up to the 16.

People always say it's hard to find shells. At local storefronts maybe, but I have never had problem finding it online. You just don't have as much variety of loads to choose from as you do with 12/20GA. Back sometime in July or August I was looking for some extra shells and though I could hardly find any 12 or 20, I was able to order both 16GA lead and steel shot from the regular places no problem. Less demand for it I guess. Right now I know Midway and Able both have 16GA lead and Rogers 16GA steel available. One of my favorite shotguns for Dove/Teal hunts is an old Stevens SxS.

I’ve had a 1939 Springfield 311 SxS, 1931 Remington model 11, and 1960’s Winchester model 12 in 16g. I just picked up a 1950’s Mossberg 190K-A bolt action and a 1905 Crown Arms SxS with Damascus barrels that I’ll be loading 16g black powder shells for. Fun little guns to shoot.

I see ammo regularly at Walmart. $15-$25/box of 25 depending on what it is and where you are. Still seein 20 & 12 in 100 packs for a little less than $30. Last year they were $23-$25

My grandpa was a big fan of the 16 gauge, he was an avid pheasant/grouse/woodcock hunter in Western NY. I inherited his Wingmaster in 16 gauge, used it for assorted small game and even some ducks in Virginia until I got an 1100 12 gauge but I still have a lot of fondness for 16 gauge and I'm glad it's had a revival since I was hunting with it and was using my grandpa's old treasure trove of ammo since hardly anything new was being made at the time. I had to special order 16 gauge steel shot and slugs to hunt ducks and deer in middle school, never managed to get a deer with it and got a 30-06 soon after thankfully.

I have several 16 GA shotguns (LC Smith SXS, 2 Ithaca 37s, the new Browning Sweet 16) and I love them all...I have had no real problem finding shells but am always looking, buying and keeping ammo in stock...I always keep one 16 ga in my truck from September to May, you never know when you'll get a call to shoot some dove or quail or get a quick chance to turkey hunt...it's a versatile load that can be used across the board on all species...

If you shoot your 16 ga well then shoot it! if not, take it to the range and get good with it...

16 ga shells are not hard to find, and they don't have to cost more than 12's and 20's, you just have to plan ahead.

Another thing with 16 gauge is it really simplifies how overcomplicated buying 12 gauge shotgun shells has become. 16 gauge #6 heavy field loads that are most readily available will handle just about any upland/small game you need them to.

16 is all I use for ducks. Love it

I have 5 16 gauge guns. Two 16 gauge citori’s and two browning sweet 16 a5’s. Also, picked up an Remington 1100 in 16 by accident.
I’ve used them as my go to bird guns for over 25 years now. I have been able to find shells at both academy and Walmart.

Where are you finding these 16ga shells for the same price as 20 or 12?

Heck ya 16ga. Have a friend with a sweet 16 that flat out bangs pheasant and chukar with that gun.

I have a 1964 sweet 16 just hammers pheasants.

I always pick the 16 for any bird hunting trip! I have the first one that was bought for me when I was a kid. Stevens single shot 16. I’ve gathered others along the way and love shooting them all.

I'm strongly considering a 16g Franchi SLX O/U for my dove and if quail ever make a comeback gun. I would also use this for skeet.

I already own a semi-auto Beretta 12g and really want to add on O/U.

Any considerations to think otherwise?

When feeling nostalgic I love my 16 ga. but, truthfully, 20 ga. loads can do most anything the 16’s can and is lighter to carry as well as allows one to carry more shells. As for skeet, if you ever choose to compete you will be stuck in 12 ga. events only with a 16 but could shoot both 20 and 12 with a 20 ga.

I have a side by side, my favorite upland game gun. Light as a 20 but hits like a 12.

I inherited a sxs 16 ga. from grandpa. He died in ‘71, granny gave it to me about 8 years ago before she passed. It had been in a gun bag sitting in a closet since late ‘60’s. It’s some off brand made in St. Louis, MO. I cleaned it and took it dove hunting. Killed one bird and put back in the safe. It is a heavy shotgun.

When the 20 ga mag came out it pretty much did in the 16 ga but "according to the theory" a larger gauge ought to make a better pattern with the same shot load. So, an once out of a 16 ought to give a better pattern than an once out of a 20. BUT that's just the theory, since each gun is a law unto itself- just have to test them out. Still, a 16 is a nice size for a lot of upland gunning.

I disagree that the 20 will do anything the 16 will do, I used to think the same thing. A 16 just seems to hammer the pheasants harder. I have killed a pile of pheasants with the 20 but just use a 16 or 12 now.

Well I guess you can reload a 20 with whatever load of shot you want but as a rule, you can go a little more on the 16 gauge. As I said, years ago the 16 gauge was thought of as the "king" of upland game hunting. I like it a lot

If you want a 16 go for it. You can cleanly take any upland bird you hunt with a sixteen. They still have a cult following among a select group of upland hunters. A cherry L.C. Smith SxS 16 is one of my bucket list shotguns. Whether or not the 16 is superior to a 3” 20 has been the topic of many heated discussions and is not going to be settled here….

I got my 16 sxs because at the time nobody wanted 16's any more and I got it for $150.

16s are just fun. I have an Ithaca 37 from the 50s and it is a wonderful gun. I’ve got a 16 ga SxS on the way. Before all the issues, I could get all the 16 ga I needed at Wal-Mart. Anything from since 6-8 shot. Now, I just get it online. It seems to be plentiful and not over priced. If you go with a 16, you may have to stock up on ammo every chance you get. 20 is a little easier to find.

I do agree a 3” 20 will do anything the 16 will do. I have several 20 ga guns and that’s what I shoot 80% of the time. But I’ve killed pheasant with 2 3/4” 20 ga, 3” 20 ga, and 16 ga. All the birds were dead. When I lived in TX, I shot dove with 28 and 20. Get what you want and go for it.

I have four browning 16’s, one original A5 from the thirties that was chamber for 2 9/16s. It was re-chambered by browning to a 2 3/4. The rest are a browning sweet 16 and two citoris in 16 gauge. All four have been dove and quail takers for many years now. I have shot cases of 16 gauge shells through these shotguns.

I have owned the Franchi SL in 16 and I found it to be light and whippy, being a big fat guy I like a shotgun with some weight. Just picked up the Browning Hunter Gr1 weighs right at 7 pounds. Haven't shot it yet but soon

I think a 20 gauge is to a 16 gauge similar what a .410 is to a 28 gauge. I mean to say, 16 gauge is a better choice even though the ammo is not as easy to get. Kind of like a 7mm-08, great cartridge but where are the shells at?

Edit- let’s not forget the greatest poacher of all time, Phil Robertson, is a 16 gauge guy lol.

Dad has one. I grew up on it shot a good many a birds with it. Would never buy or recommend one over a 12/20.