Your perspective on handling?
 

30 years ago I got a Citori, thought it handled well. Then 10 years ago a Beretta O/U bent/cut to my dimensions, thought that was better. Then shortly after was given a Sweet 16 and oddly, that felt just very good, better in a way than the Berretta. Carried an acquaintance's Arrieta 28g, was THAT what they mean by balance? Then a couple years back shot a random guys British 24g (Greener or WS??) at sporting clays and holy crap, was this what they meant by pointability!?? Now I'm reading (again) Hughes "Double Shotguns" and he says "There are qualities inherent to a British game gun seldom found in a mass produced American double..." and he talks about balance. Then says "With the exception of some 16 and 20 gauge Foxes and O frame 16g Parkers, you don't often find this balance in an American double." I'm not stirring the pot, I'm just looking for musings, thoughts or perspectives. I am on this forum because I got a 28g Parker Repro and it carries just right and handles just right and now I'm in danger of ignoring a whole slew of stuff in my gun safe. I'm softly looking for a 16g on an O frame so the slippery slope has begun... I may have a half dozen O/U shotguns for sale soon.

I can definitely testify to the comments made about a 16ga O Frame, I sometimes have to re check and confirm that I am actually carrying a 16ga.....very well balanced indeed and very slender and nimble, no question!

I haven't handled one yet : (

My 0 frame 16 is definitely one of my very favorite shotguns, handles wicked fast. It's lighter than a lot of 20s and mine has a very nice balance with 28" barrels. A noticeable difference from my 1 frame 16s I lust after one with 26"! Still looking. Fortunately I own only 2 O/Us so no fire sale.

One thing to always keep in mind when comparing American and English doubles is that American makers did not have the protection of a proof law.The English makers could build a lighter gun for a specific load and not worry about liability.American makers had to overbuild guns to insure themselves from legal liability if someone put overloads in their guns and got hurt.That said,many Parkers,Foxes,and others were special ordered with light frames and handle and balance as nicely as any English gun.There are just not as many of them out there.You just have to look a bit harder.When you find the right one,you will know it immediately.

You think the slope is getting slippery now don’t buy any 0 frame 16 or 20ga. Parkers. Much like Crack instant addiction! Turns your brain to mush. There are signs, if you start looking at your watch to see how long it’s been since you checked the classifieds here, then GI followed by GB and AA. If you start to believe the low estimate numbers on items at 4-5 auction houses. It’s time for intervention, you won’t find that here we are a bunch of enablers wrestling our own demons and busy checking new today at 4:45 am.
My doctors not in my favorites on the phone, but there are no less than 4 similarly afflicted and the rest are mostly dealers.

You said something here that caught my attention because just in the past week I've looked at online auctions and thought, "Well, that estimate seems within reach.." so I'm watching them. So is that one of the initial phases of this ailment? I already had the GB, GI fever, have alerts set to tell me when something comes up. What is uncomfortable is thinking I'm going about this with some, but not a ton, of knowledge and potentially buying a gun that people on this board would avoid like the plague (and hence look like a fool).
I've made mistakes in old cars, don't need to make them in old guns. I guess it's the adventure that intrigues me. Maybe it's best I don't find a 0 frame 16 : (

I've bought a number of guns that people on the this board would avoid like the plague and hence I felt like a fool. Will probably do it again. Some of us never learn.

John, I knew it with this one....it feels like a 28ga in my hands...here is the Letter for this 16ga O Frame....look at the last sentence.

Malady? Sickness? .............Certainly not..........I'm going to look at a 20 ga. in the morning!