RWTF Ill be 76 in June and have shared your many arguments against the 16 Ga.
I have been chasing birds behind flushing dogs and pointing dogs since I was 12 years old. I started with a single shot 20 Ga. and when I needed a mans Gun I went to a 12 Ga., starting with pumps, SxSs and settled on a 12 Ga. A5 Browning with a full choke. Had to have a full choke.
36 years ago I bought two 20 Ga. Browning BSSs with different chokes and discovered that 1 ounce of shot is more than adequate for upland birds. I happily used my 20s behind my Labs and Brits for 27 years.
For over 64 years I had never considered a 16 Ga. shotgun and viewed the gauge with contempt. A 16 Ga. built on a 12 Ga. frame is not a gun I would choose, but I do respect the emotional ties to any shotgun that was owned by a relative such as ones grand father and handed down.
My view of the gauge changed when I happened to see a beautiful SxS behind a glass case in a gun shop. I asked the clerk if I could handle the gun and he removed it from the case and handed it to me.
It was a wow moment and after mounting and swinging the gun I knew that I would buy it. Because of it's light weight and great handling, I thought the gun was a 20 Ga. When I looked closely at the gun I discovered that it was the dreaded 16 Ga. and asked the clerk if he had a 20 Ga., he did. Soon after mounting the 20 I knew that it was not for me and bought the 16 Ga.
I then discovered that commercial ammo choices were inferior to other gauges and to compound that, available hulls for reloading were nowhere near the quality of my lifetime supply of 20 Ga. Winchester AA hulls.
I soon discovered RMC hulls and became very happy with the outstanding patterns produced by these brass hulls, in addition the great number of loads that are now available to me as a result of the hulls.
As a bird hunter, I discovered my perfect game gun is a product of gauge and gun, and depending on the user and associated needs, a combination most likely available in any gun/gauge.
RWYF, correct me if Im wrong, but your 16 Ga. experience is not based on hands on knowledge, but similar to mine before I made the change to 16 Ga. and discovered the great folks at the 16 Ga. Society.
And another reason to shoot a 16. I just returned from getting my blood drawn and on the tech's counter were 3 20 Ga. Federal Top Gun shotgun shells and they were PINK.
