doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com "The Queen of Guns"

I know why I started shooting 16's. My dad used a M12 16 every time I ever saw him shoot a gun. So naturally I wanted one.

I have a mix of 12's and 16's. Have no interest in 20's.

For me now, it's about both the quarry and the gun. The quarry (and location) sets some general parameters and then I choose a gun that fits (plus back-up). I have some 12's that are lighter than some of my 16's. And I like shooting most of them.

I have loved the 16 gauge since I was a kid. Started out with an Ithaca Model 37. Plain barrel with Modified choke. I don't know how many ducks I took with it. It was also my deer gun when I pursued them. I have since added two Parkers and a Browning Citori. While I enjoy all of them, and squirrel away quality ammunition when I find it, I find myself using my Superposed 20 gauge more and more for partridge and Woodcock.

My main upland guns were two 16 Sterlingworths for ten years or so. One choked for bobwhites and woodcock and the other for prairie birds and pheasants. A lot of great hunts with those two 16's. Both have been retired now for a good number of years.

Dennis

Did Gene Hill in Shotgunner's Notebook first call the 16 "The Queen of the Uplands"?

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=282649&page=all

My love of the 16 began almost a half century ago with my first shotgun, a Browning A-5 Sweet 16. I recognize others' view of the impracticality of the gauge, but we 16 gauge lovers are unapologetic subsets in an impractical sport, hunting, which is demonstrated every time we drive by a McDonalds or grocery store on the way to a hunt. (with attribution to Chuck H.) Gil

Wingshooter, 16ga lovers are now far better off as far as ammo goes, both in terms of availability and expense, than used to be the case. I just had 3 flats of the Herters 1 oz loads delivered to my house. $6 a box, $5 shipping. For those that don't need low pressure and/or short shells, that's a real plus. And I'm anticipating that the hulls, while not as good as top quality target hulls for 12-20-28, will work OK for reloading.

I got started in the 16ga game in 1974. Had purchased my first sxs (Ithaca SKB 12ga) a couple years earlier. Finished grad school in 74; bought myself 2 graduation presents: 1964 Ford Fairlane stationwagon to haul me, hunting partners, and Brittany bird dog; and a pretty high condition but plain Jane pre-war Sauer 16 I found in a local gun shop. Like just about everyone else back in those days, I had short chambers lengthened to 2 3/4" (and chokes opened), and I was off to the races. I'd have to do a count to determine how many 16's I've owned since. Vic Venters did an article on the 16ga in Shooting Sportsman, and he'd asked previously--I think on the SSM BB--for 16ga owners to report on guns they've owned. Pretty sure I was over 100 at that time (never more than half a dozen or so at a time). In the article, Vic said he wouldn't include my total because it would skew the numbers.

Several years back, I switched to light 12's (reloading issues simplified) and vowed I wouldn't play the reloading game again. I've owned 16's since but haven't shot them as much. Now heading back in that direction, and am looking for simpler reloading solutions with the Herters now readily available along with wads for light (less than 1 oz) reloads not requiring filler etc.

There's nothing like a tidal wave of interest in the 16, but a definite ripple in the water. Grouse hunters belonging to LODGH (the Loyal Order of Dedicated Grouse Hunters) submit an annual survey, and that shows more of them shooting 16's than was the case 30 years ago. Although the Spanish share of the sxs market is declining, you'll see a much higher % of 16's from Spain that was the case 30 years ago. The Turks are following suit. Another special run of Citori 16's. FAIR (I. Rizzini), which imported quite a few 16ga OU's for New England Arms, is now offering sxs as well. Merkel also has both sxs and OU 16ga models available. And then, of course, there's the new Browning Sweet 16.

All in all, I'd say that the "Queen of the Uplands" is in better shape than she has been in quite some time.

From the above, is it safe to say the 16 never fell out of favour for strictly hunting upland or most duck shooting within 30 yards from a blind although shell availability says otherwise?

While I love the 16; it is a marginal gauge in terms of general use.

While members of this board have a strong following for it as I do, it is a small percentage of ammo sales, and even smaller in terms new gun sales.

While 16 will not disappear, nor will it grow significantly

12 & 20 dominate for better or worse. Compared to those gauges the 16 cannot compete with the numbers sold and used.


I own more 16's than any other gauge. I love my 16's Purdey, Greener, Louis Christophe, and Fox Sterlingworth, but I am also a realist.

Yes, it is a good and functional gauge, but it is self deception to see it as more than marginally popular with a small percentage of the overall market for ammo, gun sales.

My personal belief is that the big thing which dropped the popularity of the 16 was Skeet Shooting. A game originally introduced for the benefit of upland gunners as opposed to Trap, yey it by-passed the #1 upland gauge. Skeet was also responsible for the great popularity of the 28 gauge. It was virtually dead prior to Skeet.

In my view, the best looking shotgun profile is that of a straight stocked, splinter gripped, double triggered 16 gauge SxS built on a 16 gauge frame.