Lovely gun Model2128Ga. A beautiful SxS that one shoots well is a grace to be thankful for.

I confess to a 16ga addiction. I have lost track of how many I have owned, traded, and sold. Today I have four 16 bores to include my original 16ga, a German guild BLNE (the first gun I successfully hunted with), a lovely Jules Bury Side-plated BLE, a very lightweight Greener FH50 BLE, and my best gun a Jules Bury made Louis Christophe 16ga SLE. The only non 16ga I shot is a near best Thomas Turner 12b Hammer-gun. One day I will have a matching 12b sibling for my Christophe (mostly because it was available and I could not resist a near matching gun) I sold off all my other lesser 16s, and 12s, and 20s other than my grandfather's M37 pump and Franchi auto (I may not shot them much, but I will never let them go)

I do not believe 16 gauge is a growing thing. If you want the convenience of buying shells locally and not having to carry a large basic load when you travel, don't buy 16. If you are ok with reloading special loads, and having few off the shelf non-toxic options, then 16 again is your choice. Fewer people carry the 16 to the field every year and that will continue. Just as the total number of guns going to the field declines. Within that number the percentage of 16s being used out the total guns being used will go down. I do not believe it will disappear but it will more and more become an affectation of connoisseurs

I obviously believe 16ga has merits. I am heavily invested in every possible 16ga reloading device, accesory, and component. I am so used to the looking down the lean width of a pair of 16 bore barrels, that looking across a pair of 12b barrels seems enormous. my favourite website is this one and 16ga.com.

To be a 16 gauge man you have to want it, because to do it right takes more effort. If you want it enough the effort is ok. You may actually take great pleasure in the ritual and process of all the challenges of the 16; I do.

That said when I brought my son a SLE to take with him as he leaves the house onto active duty it is an Italian 12b SLE because as the 16 is not his religion I wanted to make it easy for him to shoot without the complications of the 16.

Last edited by old colonel; 06/27/12 11:06 PM.
Michael Dittamo
Topeka, KS