Picked up my Stoeger Condor 16 gauge today. Told the shop owner I was also looking for a Remington or Ithaca 16 gauge pump. He didn't have any. About 10 minutes later while waiting to do the paperwork for the Condor a guy walks in the shop wanting to sell a 1953 Remington 870 16 gauge with vent rib full & modified choke barrels, plain IC barrel & slug barrel all in great shape. Told him I'd give him his asking price (which was, I think, way low) if the shop didn't buy it but the shop did. Told the owner I was interested & he said give him a call today when he figured the price to charge. Called today & price was only $100 more than he paid for it. Needless to say I'll be going back to the shop tomorrow to get this one. One of the few times I've been "that guy" in the right place at the right time.

OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!!!!!

Years ago I was mean to a friend of mine who showed up at a sporting clays even with a VERY vintage SxS 16 gauge. Seriously; I picked on him for it. Years later, during my cowboy action shooting days, I traded a couple of Winchester 97 12 gauges for a tricked out Winchester 97 in 16 gauge. I also acquired a couple of vintage SxS shotguns in 16 gauge. I totally fell in love with that gauge.

For sporting clays I'll probably use a somewhat high end 12 gauge Beretta OU because since I'm the world's worst wing shooter I need to look good! But I sure wish it was a 16 gauge.

Good job getting two in that short a period of time.

Someday I'll post some pictures of those guns.

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Come and take it!!

16 ga the gentleman's gun was always my favorite guage

in my youth I received my first shotgun a stevens 311a double, packed it over hundreds of miles following bird dogs and beagles

I always considered it perfect guage will do anything a 12 will, with less weight to pack

still have a good assortment of 16 ga rounds, were hadr to find for a long time but fiocchi and some others are turning out decent modern stuff

I don’t think Karma comes in 16g. One time was in the local joint. Young guy and his dad came in. Boy had just bought a new 12g Rem 1100 at the LGS. Boy was excited about his new gun. One guy made the crack he should have bought 16g, the gentleman’s gun. Guys dad without hesitation said : if you were a gentleman you wouldn’t have said that. The whole bar LOL and Mr. 16g skinned out.

I have my Grandpa's 1957 Remington 870 Wingmaster. Bought it the year I was born, but he never got to hunt with it; he passed shortly after I was born. Not sure my Dad ever shot it, but when he passed in 2011, it came to me. I may have to take it out and see how it shoots :-)

The shotgun I shoot the most is an old western auto branded mossberg 500 in 16 gauge.... paid $100 for it and spent another $40 on a new stock and forend to replace the cracked originals. 16 gauge is by far my favorite for birds....

At one time I collected 16 SXS American made shotguns. I started collecting them in the 70's because being a left handed shooter sxs is more natural for me and at the time nobody wanted 16 ga so it was the cheapest gauge to collect. I had 26 or 27 when I decided to sell them off in the late 90s. Of course by then the 16 had been rediscovered. Sill have one or two that I really liked and reload so ammo is not an issue. Surprisingly shotgun primers are still available.

Guns are made to be shot. Especially those with sentiment.
My Dad bought me a new 16 WingMaster in '75. I never fired it until 5 years after his death in'97. Took it pheasant hunting with my son without ever firing it. First rooster we flushed folded as I squeezed the trigger on the WingMaster. I've killed a couple more birds with the gun since then and smoked a few dozen clay birds with it. I have owned and presently own many guns, but the 16 gauge is the only one I have a vivid memory of the first time I pulled the trigger on it.

My dad had a Belgian Browning Sweet 16ga lightweight...the shotgun I started hunting with. Lots of squirrels and doves with that gun.

My grandad had the vent rib version of the Sweet 16..

Dad and Grandad have long since moved on to better place but both those guns are still in my safe..... both still go hunting

Very cool OP- sounds like a great old Remington. I’ve shot a 16 Ga for years and they’re fantastic.

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Some Might Say.

Never fired a 16; have always wanted one.

Lots of folks love them. I have bought 2 over the last couple years to try them out.
First was a pre-war Sauer & Sohn SxS. Loved the gun but could not hit anything with it. Guy I sold to picked it up and powdered 12 clays ina row with it. Glad it fit him.
Next one was a Browning Citori Feather Field or some such. Alloy receiver. Too light. With field loads it punished you. Killed roosters really good, but the recoil proved too much for me. It just got sold about ten days ago.
Maybe someday I will find a more suitable one. The gauge draws a upland hunter like a moth to the flame.

My 16 ga Belgian Sweet 16 will be with me for the pheasant opener in a few weeks.

I bought that gun in 2016 as "my third 50th birthday present to myself." I found out after I bought it and started researching the serial # that it was a 1966 gun! How perfect is that?

I called my LGS friday and asked if they had any shotguns around for home defense/unsocial critters. The said they had and 870 with a rifle sighted slug barrel, went to check it out. I now have a 12 ga 1967 Wingmaster with a 18.5" Carlson choke tube barrel. I had to call Remington to find out the manufacture year. It is so smooth, like hot butter. I was finally in the groove on this deal.

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Endeavor to persevere. <><

I have my Grandfathers Model 12 in 16ga. It is a pain to stay in 2 1/2l” shells. Last Saturday a neighbor came up my driveway dragging a plastic crate. Said he was cleaning out a deceased relatives house and could I use this stuff. Inside we’re about 25 boxes of old Peters and Sears hi brass paper hull 2 1/2 shells, mix of 12 and 16. Yes I can use them and just thank karma.

My dad bought me a 16 gauge Winchester Model 12 when I was
in high school. It was my go-to shotgun for many years. Took
grouse, squirrels, geese, and a three point whitetail buck with it.
Hunted with it on the first day of grouse season this year but saw
no grouse.

Next up was a Marlin Model 90 over and under in 16 gauge. Finally found grouse on the second Model 90 trip but missed the two I had shots at with it.

Back to the 20 gauge over and under yesterday. It is just enough
lighter than either of the 16s to make it a better grouse gun for
me. First day out with it the grouse had left the area again.

Awesome......

In the past I always say to beat the bushes and stay looking. When I go looking I’m browsing 4 to 5 days a week to five local gun shops. I caught one old timer selling off his collection. The gun shop was selling the guns he didn’t want to deal with for his cost. A $750 surplus rifle for $300? He had rare endfields too. Like I said stay beating the bushes sooner or later it pays off.