Show Your Favorite 16ga!
 

Craig’s post about the 16 gauge inspired me to ask other “16ga cranks” here on the forum about their favorite 16.

I’m still on the hunt for the right Parker 16. I haven’t yet met the one that speaks to me. I do have several 16s however. I couldn’t pick just one favorite, but I’ve narrowed it to two.

One is a LeFever C grade that somehow came into my life. It handles like a wand at 6lb with 28in barrels. It’s a pretty little thing. It’s stocked a little high for me and is choked tighter than tight.. but I can live with it.

The other is a 1950s vintage Ithaca M37. It’s in very nice shape and fits me like a glove and just seems to shoot where I point it. It also weighs about 6lb. I grew up shooting a pump and using this one makes me feel like a kid again. I don’t now why but I just love this little gun.

Funny thing, the LeFever cost about 25X the M37, but if anything I love the Ithaca more. :)

How could one possibly pick a favorite --

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I have two 16ga Foxes both 30" F/F, the XE weights 6.7 and Sterly 6.4. I'm adjusting to the feel of a 16 as it is a new experience for me.

1st love
 

my first love
and someone I'm still getting to know

Absolutely beautiful, gentlemen. Clark can you elaborate on your herd of 16s?

Top is the old sxs I found in a basement closet. She started my Parker addiction.
And my latest love comes courtesy of Josh - it was easy - hammer and 16 all in one.
Another DH did not make the picture, she came from a fellow PGCA member just a few weeks ago.

I agree with Dave; how can you pick a favorite? Utica Sterlingworth ejector (my first good sxs), Parker Trojan (accounted for my only true pheasant double), Stevens marked 5100 (my very first double gun and I probably shoot it better than any of them). I gave my dad's Savage to my nephew; a story for another time. But the one I reach for most often...A.H. Fox A grade, 6lbs. 4 oz. 28" barrels...

https://i.imgur.com/ntrgfnql.jpg

Oops
 

Looks like 33.
One of the favorites is a DHE Skeet and the other one is a Lefever FE with 30" barrels. And I shoot the 30" Crown grade pretty well.
They're all fun. I wish the ammo wasn't so expensive.
X
X

Crown Grade
 

And here's the Crown grade.
X
X

My favorite Parker 16 is this DHE with 30" damascus barrels choked M/F. I shoot it a lot, but should shoot it even more.

My other favorite 16 is Gene Hill's Greener, The Woodcock Gun with 24" barrels, ejectors and a single trigger. I need to shoot this one more as well.

Just absolutely beyond cool, end to end!

CSMC FE SPECIAL 16
ITHACA CLASSIC DOUBLES 4E 20/16
PARKER BHE 16

The only 16 I own. I hunt with it quite a bit. It’s a heavily used H&H built in 1911.

https://i.imgur.com/yDVqp4X.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/wZzQxoi.jpeg

Ken

Over the last five years I found after always shooting the heavy 10’s and 12’s first as well as occasional 8 events , that once I got into the 16’s and 20’s I’d shoot a bit better not trying to horse those heavy cannons around .

Bob what length barrels are on your BHE ? All quite nice I might add :cool:

30" barrels on the BHE.
Bob Jurewicz

I'll trapse these guys out again

https://i.imgur.com/sE5Zzt3.png

Tournament Skeet over Vent Rib Trap Grade Skeet

Do british boxlocks count?

http://i.imgur.com/4KjSlhph.jpg

5lbs14, 28 tubes, 14 3/4 LOP. Made by William Richards (in their Preston shop) in 1905.

A good day in Nowhere, Minnesota and the only timberdoodle I've ever taken up there.

http://i.imgur.com/2wiVOD4h.jpg

No. 1 of a pair, somewhat plain... but effective.

Well.... My only 16 gauge. My first gun. Weighing in at an incredible 5 lbs. 11 oz. This Savage single shot has harvested more than its fair share of white wing, mourning dove, ducks, rabbits, dragonflies, and an occasional rattle snake. This thing kicks like a jack mule and will knock the boogers clear out of you. I think Mike called it a "booger breaker". This Savage was purchased new in 1964. The finish in the grip and the rear of the fore end is about gone from hunting with it. A piece of the grip is missing and there are several cracks in the grip as well. It was a great gun to have growing up as the neighbor kids were all too scared to shoot it! They all wanted to shoot the other kids 870 and 1100s. Great memories! While not worth $35 in a pawn shop, I would never part with it. I probably have not shot this in about 45 years. Pulling it out for the pictures was the 1st time I have seen it in about 15 or 20 years.

Thanks for this thread topic and the memories!

apologies for pictures not opening...

Where do I begin...?

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I don't have pictures, but my favorite right now is a Remington Sportsman 58 made between 1956-1963. It was replaced by the 1100. Hopefully someday soon I will find and buy a nice original 16 ga. Trojan or VH/VHE

A few Parker 16s I enjoy hunting with:
DHE 16 26 in
O Grade 16 hammer gun 26 in
PH 16 -- Would like to find another set of barrels for this one.

What do you need for barrels Harold?

I have a set of 0-frame Damascus ejector barrels cut from 28” to 26” that Breck refinished for me last year.





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A few 16’s
 

A pair of 16 Lifters (consecutive serial numbers) ordered by a gentleman who was an architect in the New England area.
The facts regarding these 2 16’s were discovered by a fellow member who then reached out to me and invited me to hunt with him, they are special Parkers. This great friend suggested we enter them in the 2025 People’s choice award in Sanford, they placed 3rd.
PS.The lower 16 has been restocked to correct some of the mistakes of a former restock, as you will note in the last picture.

Stan, just superb.. like so many others in this thread. It’s 16ga “heck” around here!

Dean, the bores on that PH are rough. Measured them at Brett Hoops house, but need to have them looked at by John Hosford or someone else knowledgeable. The barrels on that gun are extractor, Twist steel, and were already cut to 26", can't remember the original length, if I ever knew it.
I have hunted /shot it with light low pressure loads.
Ser # 64366

For looking at the little Rem era GHE 16 with 28" barrels is kinda pretty with its original A&F case.
As far as hammer guns go this little Quality U Top Action with 32" Twist barrels on a 1 frame is fun to shoot.
The 2 frame 16 DH with 32" Titanic barrels would have to get the nod as my personal favorite though when it comes to shooting.

Wood
 

That wood on that top action hammer gun is incredible!

It's not original Larry but it is pretty.

You're forgiven.:)

There certainly are some beautiful 16's in this thread! So just to show that the ol' "Plain Janes" can be favorites too...

Springfield (Stevens) marked 5100; pre-1949...
https://i.imgur.com/NNnoVqCl.jpg

Savage Fox Sterlingworth ejector...
https://i.imgur.com/6X2OSGml.jpg

Parker Trojan...
https://i.imgur.com/gmXnLswl.jpg

Here is my Ithaca Model 37 in 16 gauge. 28" barrel with a Modified choke. I have used it for grouse, woodcock, ducks, geese, and deer growing up in Central NY.

While stationed in Maine, I carried it for grouse, woodcock, and really enjoyed hunting the marshes for black ducks.

Originally manufactured in 1956, I sent it to Ithaca Gun at their new place in Ohio back in 2012 to be reblued. Just about all of it was worn off of the frame or receiver.

I still use it every now and again. The images are from the last day of Duck Season here in Virginia a few years ago. It was -8 when I walked down to the marsh. It was pretty much frozen solid, but the river was still open.

I shot this lone Gadwall from a makeshift blind and called it a season.

I posted a picture of this gun's butt stock on the other 16ga thread, But I guess you can see why I don't make too much effort to get it back. I kinda like this kid.

“Please send picture of boat.”

Nice gun….

What am I sayin’?… Pretty Lady!! :whistle:





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thought I would post something a little different than most of the great guns that have been shown - i had some luck with this Browning - Citori Gran Lightning 16 Gauge - was one of the 2024 Browning Shot Show Special guns. Not sure how limited it really is ... but the marketing hype must have been just good enough to win me over.

She bought the little one for Inshore, when Offshore is slow. The other pic was in Fiji

Yeah,

But, but we need a picture of her with her proud father:corn:

I LOVE that boat!!!





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Phil- I think many of us follow Billy Preston's advice (at least I think it was Billy Preston,) "If you can't be with the one you love - then love the one you're with."

Many of us dream of a certain Parker we would love to care for, but we simply can't afford her...

If I could ever afford it I’d love to have an early 0-frame sixteen gauge AHE with 28” Bernard barrels choked CYL/FULL with twin ivories. It would have double triggers, straight grip with a skeleton butt plate. It would have 14 1/4 LOP beautiful marble cake imported walnut with a 2 3/8” drop. A fully checkered forend would top it off I think.
I’m very sorry I don’t have a picture except in my mind’s eye.




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