Actually, a 16 ga. gun carries like a 16, and hits like a 16.

Other than that, there are no absolutes due to variations in guns and shotshell loads.

I have two small frame DS grade Lefevers that are less than 500 serial numbers apart. One is a 20 ga. and the other is a 16 ga. Both have 28" barrels, and they look virtually identical except for the slightly larger diameter barrels of the 16 ga. However, the 16 ga. weighs a full ounce less than its' 20 ga. twin.

There is no logical or rational explanation for the much lower popularity of the 16 gauge shotgun... especially in a nation of gun owners who aren't satisfied with having only about two dozen .30 caliber rifle cartridges.

A true sign of mental illness is any gun owner who would vote for an Anti-Gunner like Joe Biden.