I didn't look for 16 gauge at any of those stores, as I'm still working off a pallet of 16 gauge English 2 1/2" loads I bought in the mid 1990s. Never thought I'd say it, but, I wish I had bought two pallets.
Dick's in Bloomington, MN didn't have a single round of 28 gauge the last time I was there, either. I think that is the flagship store.
The only 28 gauge ammunition my gun club, Metro, in Blaine has, is an 8 shot loading of Rio. They had, at one time, several different loads of Winchester AAs in 28, but, those days are sadly gone.
Best,
Ted
The Rios aren't too bad. I've shot quite a few woodcock and a lot of very close to wild (early release) quail with them. Just for the heck of it, I cut open a Rio 8 and a Win AA 8 (standard target load, not the hotter Sporting version) not long ago. The AA wins for consistent pellet roundness, but the Rio gives you about 30 more pellets. Slightly smaller shot, probably closer to 8 1/2.
I've sometimes found 16's (but never 28's) in a couple Holiday Stations in the UP. Not necessarily exactly what you're looking for, but I always check just to see if they have any.
Back when I was a kid, my Dad bought most, if not all of his ammunition from Holiday station stores-my bicycles, too. I had a red Holiday "Impala" 26" boys bike that came from one, circa 1970 or so.
Most of those old Holiday stores are long gone, replaced with multiple island Holidays with a big snack and coffee section, but, no ammunition. The old ones could be counted on to have Federal (local) loadings of 12 and 20 gauge, .22 rimfire, 30-30, and 30-06. Dad didn't use 30-30, and if he ever found ammunition for his 7mm mag in a Holiday, it wasn't when I was along.
I distinctly remember my Dad buying 4 100 round packages of Federal .22 standard velocity ammunition, and saying we, him and I, were going to burn it up one Saturday before bird season started, just for fun. I was a bit older, and would have had a driver license at the time.
I found it, in the bag he carried it out of the store in, with the receipt, sometime after we buried him. My son and I have started on using it.
Best,
Ted
