LeFever nitro special. Most fun shotgun I've ever held.A great double gun, rough as a cob from many years in the field, salt marshes and all. Wonderful old gun.
Any fans of the 16 gauge here?
- Thread starter sigp220.45
- Start date
Love the 16 ga. I have a Remington 11-48 and a Fox Sterlingworth. Both are a joy to carry and shoot.
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I inherited a Model 12 that dates back to the 30s, I think. It's amazing how well-made that thing feels compared to a modern 870, or something like that.
Great bunny gun. It almost makes me want to start hunting again when I dust her off.
Great bunny gun. It almost makes me want to start hunting again when I dust her off.
ACP230
Member
My dad gave me a Model 12 in 16 around the time I got out of high school. It dates from 1943, or so. No finish left on most of the metal,
wood beat up too. I did some of the damage to the wood, sad to say.
It was my main shotgun for years. I took squirrels, grouse,
a couple of geese, and one three-point buck with it.
I never killed a cottontail, or a snowshoe, with it. And, though I used it for turkeys for a couple of years they have my number and I never got a shot.
When I lived in Florida for six months, years ago, I only took one gun, the Model 12. So, it's been a house gun in it's time too.
I have since gone to a 20 gauge OU, an Italian job, for birds. It's a better grouse gun, overall, than the Model 12 but I am not getting rid
of the old 16, ever.
During the first ammo panic WalMart had 16 gauge shells for quite a while. I ended up with a lot of what they had. Then my local hardware, which had been more expensive, got cheaper than the other
places, so I bought some there too. I am set for ammo for a while.
Even have some slugs and buckshot put by.
wood beat up too. I did some of the damage to the wood, sad to say.
It was my main shotgun for years. I took squirrels, grouse,
a couple of geese, and one three-point buck with it.
I never killed a cottontail, or a snowshoe, with it. And, though I used it for turkeys for a couple of years they have my number and I never got a shot.
When I lived in Florida for six months, years ago, I only took one gun, the Model 12. So, it's been a house gun in it's time too.
I have since gone to a 20 gauge OU, an Italian job, for birds. It's a better grouse gun, overall, than the Model 12 but I am not getting rid
of the old 16, ever.
During the first ammo panic WalMart had 16 gauge shells for quite a while. I ended up with a lot of what they had. Then my local hardware, which had been more expensive, got cheaper than the other
places, so I bought some there too. I am set for ammo for a while.
Even have some slugs and buckshot put by.
I inherited a few years ago a Valiant Model 1929, 16 gauge; and a H&R Model 1900, 16 gauge.
The Valiant had electrician's tape around the stock where it met the receiver. I checked it over and discovered the butt stock bolt was loose. The tape left some adhesive residue, which was removed by the acetone and a little 0000 steel wool.
The H&R was in rougher shape. The fore end was held together with electrician's tape, since it was broken in two pieces, and electricians tape was used where the stock met the receiver. Again, the only maintenance was that butt stock bolt was loose. I used Gorilla glue to glue the broken piece to the fore end. The tape left pitting on the barrel where it held the fore end together. With a little effort, all the tape residue was removed.
I am hesitant to fire modern 16 gauge ammo through the Valiant and H&R. They are now wall hangings.
The Valiant had electrician's tape around the stock where it met the receiver. I checked it over and discovered the butt stock bolt was loose. The tape left some adhesive residue, which was removed by the acetone and a little 0000 steel wool.
The H&R was in rougher shape. The fore end was held together with electrician's tape, since it was broken in two pieces, and electricians tape was used where the stock met the receiver. Again, the only maintenance was that butt stock bolt was loose. I used Gorilla glue to glue the broken piece to the fore end. The tape left pitting on the barrel where it held the fore end together. With a little effort, all the tape residue was removed.
I am hesitant to fire modern 16 gauge ammo through the Valiant and H&R. They are now wall hangings.
TSQUARED
Member
A number of years ago I obtained almost 10,000 CCI-157 primers which fir the old Remington SP 16 ga cases. My first 16 was an LC Smith, then a Browning A5, Browning Citori O/U, a Zoli O/U and now a Baikal S/S. I used to reload a 1 1/4 oz load for pheasants and now shoot skeet with 3/4 oz. loadsand trap with 7/8 or 1 oz loads.
Ben_hutcherson
Member
Here's my 97
Don't think it makes me a sweet 16 fan, but I've got my dad's Ithaca model 37. Hasn't been out of the safe since the last time he used it, (He passed in '95). Nothing wrong with it, I'm just used to my auto loader, (Remington 1100).
horsemen61
Member
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I am I love my 16 gauge wingmaster
OP
sigp220.45
US Veteran
Well, I joined the 16 gauge club with a Stevens 311A, as discussed in this thread:
http://smith-wessonforum.com/firear...s/381435-my-16-gauge-fathers-day-present.html
I was initially concerned about being able to find ammo, but the hunt has turned out be one of the fun aspects of having this unique gauge. Our Wally World had a couple of boxes, but I hit the mother lode in an indoor flea market. In one of the cases, between some Chinese ninja stars and a couple of Indy 500 snowglobes, were these five boxes of 16 gauge shells - 8s and 7 1/2s. I bought em all for 7 bucks a box - not a screaming deal but still cheaper than Wal Mart:
http://smith-wessonforum.com/firear...s/381435-my-16-gauge-fathers-day-present.html
I was initially concerned about being able to find ammo, but the hunt has turned out be one of the fun aspects of having this unique gauge. Our Wally World had a couple of boxes, but I hit the mother lode in an indoor flea market. In one of the cases, between some Chinese ninja stars and a couple of Indy 500 snowglobes, were these five boxes of 16 gauge shells - 8s and 7 1/2s. I bought em all for 7 bucks a box - not a screaming deal but still cheaper than Wal Mart:
"05-13-2014, 04:40 PM" original post date and time..... little did you know that 311 would be yours in a month.
OP
sigp220.45
US Veteran
Yup - I laid that sucker away and hinted heavily at what a nice Father's Day gift it would make!
Cooter Brown
Member
Darn good price on them bullets!
The Remington game loads are good stuff--a lot of 16 gauge fanatics covet them as they seem to pattern a lot better than other "non-premium" loads. And lots of folks use the shells for reloading.
I was lucky--when I went to my FFL to pick up my 16 ga SxS (shipped from out of state) he had a brand new in the box 16 ga. MEC progressive auto indexing reloader, along with 5000 Win. AA wads and two five gal. buckets full of AA shells (wish they still made those!). He had taken it in on trade and sold the whole lot to me for $150...one of the best deals I've ever gotten.
Now go put some lead downrange!
The Remington game loads are good stuff--a lot of 16 gauge fanatics covet them as they seem to pattern a lot better than other "non-premium" loads. And lots of folks use the shells for reloading.
I was lucky--when I went to my FFL to pick up my 16 ga SxS (shipped from out of state) he had a brand new in the box 16 ga. MEC progressive auto indexing reloader, along with 5000 Win. AA wads and two five gal. buckets full of AA shells (wish they still made those!). He had taken it in on trade and sold the whole lot to me for $150...one of the best deals I've ever gotten.
Now go put some lead downrange!
I had a (Savage)/ Fox BSE in 16ga many years ago. They were actually just dolled up 311's but I liked that shotgun and kept it many years before trading it off for something(?).
Everyone used a 12ga then and I mean everyone. There I was a young teenager w/a lowly 16. Boy did I hear it.
I used to reload for it,,a LeeLoader was all I had but it worked OK.
I do remember I got myself in trouble once using Herco powder.
The loads kicked extra hard and resulted in the action opening itself slightly after firing. I only fired a couple of those blue-darter loads.
I never did figure out what I did wrong, It was just the simple scoop load from the LeeLoader and included load chart. Card&Fibre wads, paper shells.
I couldn't ask anybody about it. I was always told I'd surely blow myself up by reloading ammunition anyway.
I switched to GreenDot IIRC and all was well again.
But I never trusted Herco powder again. It left a lasting impression on me what ever I did.
Of all the shotguns I've had, I think that was the only 16ga among them. Certainly nothing wrong with the guage. The shot comes out of the bbl at the same FPS as it does out of a 12 (or a 20). Sometimes more, less or the same amounts of it too.
Everyone used a 12ga then and I mean everyone. There I was a young teenager w/a lowly 16. Boy did I hear it.
I used to reload for it,,a LeeLoader was all I had but it worked OK.
I do remember I got myself in trouble once using Herco powder.
The loads kicked extra hard and resulted in the action opening itself slightly after firing. I only fired a couple of those blue-darter loads.
I never did figure out what I did wrong, It was just the simple scoop load from the LeeLoader and included load chart. Card&Fibre wads, paper shells.
I couldn't ask anybody about it. I was always told I'd surely blow myself up by reloading ammunition anyway.
I switched to GreenDot IIRC and all was well again.
But I never trusted Herco powder again. It left a lasting impression on me what ever I did.
Of all the shotguns I've had, I think that was the only 16ga among them. Certainly nothing wrong with the guage. The shot comes out of the bbl at the same FPS as it does out of a 12 (or a 20). Sometimes more, less or the same amounts of it too.
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