It is all about numbers. The problem is that the 16 is starting at such a low number. Say you were a shell maker and were told one product would increase 500% in volume and another go up 10%. On the surface the 500% increase would be great news to your future and the 10% seem a minor after thought. But when in means increasing 16 gauge sales from 1,000 flats a year to 5,000 flats for 500% increase against the 10% which means 1,000,000 12 gauger flats increasing to 1,100,000 flats your view changes. 16 sales are a minor drop in the bucket to all the large shell makers. The small makers can kind of carve out a niche market and do decently making both volume and profits to improve their bottom line.
The 16 is a low volume specialty shell. I am just glad that there are so many makers willing to supply different loads. If you are willing to mix and match you can cover almost any shooting interest, with decent loads. Reload and it gets easier.
