I like to think of small bore Parker’s being anything below a 12 gauge, especially since I would only have 1 small bore Parker if you didn’t.....:eek:

Can’t say much about the spacing of jail cell bars never having been close to them. But I imagine they look pretty close together from the inside... much like the spacing of sapling stems in a fine woodcock covert.






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I've used 20 bores extensively and believe that the best all around upland gun is a 16 bore shooting an ounce of shot. My grouse guns are 20 bores and a 28 bore, but I shot a 16 for years on grouse and it was damn near perfect. The only disadvantage that I see to the smaller bores, 16 included, is that, from a practical perspective, they are limited to size #6 or smaller, in my opinion, after patterning many small bores. You can get away with 5's in the 16 bore if you feel you need them, but my guns threw much more effective patterns with smaller shot.

I have taken many close range ducks in Saskatechewan playing with a 28 bore taking only ducks at 25 yards or under. Size 6 shot is a bit large for a 28 bore but the gun patterned them reasonably well at 25 yards. It was a real kick taking ducks with the little gun.

I shoot 7/8 oz. hand loads in my 16’s with either 7.5 or 8 shot. I shoot #6 shot at puddle ducks �� under 30 yards or so. Never have used #5 for anything, ever.





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Never been behind bars myself. But toured an ICE facility that had temporary holding cells.

Actually I thought we were going into a woodcock den because that is what it felt and looked like but for some reason no woodcock were holding there. Did find some in another area that looked same as other cover thinking that was where grouse were holding, but it only had a few woodcock. Go figure.

I use 5's out of a 12 bore for early season and late season pheasants. I use only a 12 bore late in the season but early on I might use anything. I like to rotate my guns. The reason I use 5's on early season pheasants is because this is typically close range shooting and I have less pellets in the bird than with 6's. I don't shoot pen birds but I would imagine that 5's would be perfect for them also for the same reason. Shooting pen birds is a lot like early season wild bird hunting.


My perspective on shot loads for hunting is a bit different than others. If I am going to use 1 oz., I use a 16, 7/8 oz. I use a 20 and 3/4 for the 28 bore. For hunting I use the standard load for the gauge. If you're going to carry around a heavier 16 bore, you might as well use standard loads for it. I consider 1 oz. the standard load for a 16.


By the way, not to start a debate, but I would not take a 410 hunting. It has no use in the field in my perspective. The 28 bore, however, is a good hunting gun used within its limitations. It's not a serious game gun, but a seasoned and careful hunter can have a lot fun with it. The 410 shoots 3/4 oz. like crap. Put that 3/4 oz. in a 28 bore and you have a real gun.

IF your going to use 1oz of shot in a 16 then you might as well carry a light 12. The only 12 I have hunted with in decades is a British light game gun and as it comes in under 6lbs I have only used RST 2 inch shells and 3/4 0Z of 7's.

I used to use #5 for pheasant way back in the day when we actually had pheasants but haven't used anything larger than 7's in a very long time.

Maybe we should think of the 16 as an in between bore, not a large bore but not really a small one either. It is however just about perfect.

16 Gauge- Hits like a 12 and shoots like a 20. It's an old slogan or cliche` but it still means something and rings as true today as it has for years.

It was such a popular gauge as a do all gun but fell out of favor. Myriad of reasons and most of them have nothing to do with performance. I like shooting mine and its on a 1 frame and I don't really notice it being any heavier than any 20 gauge.

I like shooting a 28 gauge on plantation quail and even some put out pheasants and chuckers using 7.5 shot. It is not a Parker but its great little shooter to play with. Bruce Day enlightened me with some pages from his Parker Story about patterns, shot count and velocities of gauges on a table or chart. The 28 gauge patterned well and the shot velocity was outstanding. It delivered a great pellet count with a lot of energy. After reading that could really see the keen interest and attraction of using a 28 gauge. Gun is so light and lively it feels like a sissy gun but its fun to shoot.

I tend to agree with Tom on .410 which is calibre not a gauge. I don;t know why they don't call it what it is, a 67 gauge. I know some guys that if talk about their 410's, the next answer your giving is "Honest officer that is all I said before the fight broke out".

i thought it was hits like a 12, carries like a 20

British light 12 bores are a whole different category. I consider the best London game guns to be unsurpassed in every way. The light 12's built by the best British makers and proofed for light loads are wonderful. I have a case of 12 bore Eley 2" shells (full 20 two piece boxes roll crimped) given to me by my grandfathers close friend. His name was Elliot Bell and he ordered a Purdey 2" game gun back in the twenties and killed a lot of game with it including pheasants. When he had the early stages of Alzheimer's, he gave me a case of 2" shells for the Purdey and a light Belgian guild gun that was his knockabout and rainy day gun. I never got the Purdey. His wife sold that even though they didn't need the money. He was the founder and owner of Business Week magazine and was the banking commissioner of New York state in the 30's. I had always hoped to get the Purdey since his only child was a girl not interested in guns, but it didn't happen.