Who is hunting with 16 gauge???
 

Seems like I'm hearing, reading about more hunters shooting 16 gauge SXS guns for upland gunning in the now times. Several of the guys I rub shoulders with hunt 16-s for upland. Top choices are Fox, O-frame, one frame Parkers, Ithica and several other makers too. Six to six and one half lbs seems the norm. I shoot 16-s for all my upland gunning. Two Parkers and a Fox will be going to Kansas on the 29th for a week of wild roosters and quail. Shot sizes that I will use are number 4,5 and 6 all field loads and some HV shells too. The number six loads will be for quail. Quail numbers are way up this year so we may be hunting them intensely. The rooster for-cast was not as good as they had lots of rain for the whole nesting season...)-:

most of my favorite grouse guns are 16s, Parkers, Foxes or JP Sauer

never had an Ithica :banghead: nor an Ithaca 16

but, unfortunately - they see little use with the lack of grouse around here. I had planned to take the old setter out for what will likely be his last hunt after duck ended last weekend (woodcock ended here yesterday) but mother nature decided we should give winter an early try and i did not want him to struggle in this stuff

Both my Parkers are 16ga, 28” barrels, 0 frame and most of my hunting these days is for released pheasants. I’ve always used #6. I agree Kenny, it’s the best all round gauge for upland birds.

A 1935 double trigger straight grip Model 21 with 28” barrels bored cylinder and modified. No better upland gun ever. It’s been all over the mid-Atlantic states, Maine, Montana, Uruguay and Argentina. A buttplate gun with factory 14 3/4 inch LOP. Perfect for my 6’4” frame. It’s never let me down!

Sterlingworth and A grade Fox 16 for grouse and woodcock. Both are open choked and do the job well when I do mine. They are both 5 - 8 so are a pleasure to carry all day and pleasant to look at.

Over the years I've done a lot of hunting with 16-gauge guns. When I still lived in Virginia I shot a lot of Doves with a 16-gauge KE-Grade Remington --

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On that same farm I had a great pass where this 32-inch barrel A-Grade Ansley H. Fox was quite the performer --

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While I very seldom hunt with a pump or autoloader, one day I took out a 1938 vintage Remington Sportsman 16-gauge. The first Rooster up I missed cleanly three shots. Later that day Skitso went on point right at the edge of a bluff. Three Roosters took off into clear blue sky 60 or 70 feet above a stubble field, and I shot the only triple of my life.

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Late years my go to gun when I need to used non-toxic shells when upland hunting on public land, my RBL-16 gets the nod --

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I don't own a Parker Bros. 16-gauge. Likewise, I don't own a late Remington Parker Gun. A 16-gauge with open choke barrels in the 241xxx/242xxx range could find a space in my gun room!!

I like my 1 frame and 0 frame VH's for grouse. Both equally effective...

all of my quail hunting is done with 16 gauge side X sides.

16's are my hands down favorite pheasant guns. I own several but I love the Philadelphia Sterlingworths for carrying.

For 20 years most of my grouse hunting was with a host of 16ga s/s and a Merkel O/U which I still have it has 29 1/4 " barrel ,solid rib and double triggers. A 16ga 0 frame has been on my want list for a while. A light 16 is the ultimate Grouse gun. Trouble is I am hooked on 20ga Parkers and 20ga Win. 21's.

I admit that I'm addicted to 16s and they are my gauge of choice for all upland birds.

A smattering of my addiction. All used on wild birds with great results:
1. Cogswell and Harrison back action 30 inch Damascus barreled gun that weighs under 6 lbs.
2. GH Damascus O frame. 6 lbs. 3 oz with original cylinder/modified chokes.
3. CSMC XE with 29" barrels that weighs 5 lbs. 13 oz.
4. AyA No. 2. 6 lbs. 8 oz. Great on wild pheasants with heavier loads.
5. AH grade with 28 inch barrels. A No. 1 frame gun that weighs 6 lbs. 3 oz.

Kenny,
A couple of months ago I got my first parker a vh 16 gauge on a 1 frame (I think) with 26" barrels, improved cylinder and improved modified. I also recently purchased a fox 16 gauge sterlingworth with 28" barrels and improved cylinder and modified. Today we went to a pheasant farm and I was 5 for 5 on pheasants with the fox. My parker has all been refinished, the safety on it is the nicest safety I have ever had on a gun. I have taken grouse and woodcock with the parker this hunting season. The fox is getting the nod because its more of a shooter than the parker which seems almost to nice to drag through the woods. I am very happy with both 16 gauge guns, I may be selling a 20 gauge beretta over/under soon I am so happy with the side by sides. This was my first woodcock taken with the fox. I am looking for a parker picture to upload too, that whole gun was completely redone, it looks almost new.

Ooops, I almost forgot my "new" DH 1 frame 26 inch barreled grouse gun.

I love 16s

Sage grouse with 16 ga

I hunt ducks everyday with my 16 DHE.

Nice Garry, an AH 1 frame 16 with 28" barrels at such a light weight. The stuff that dreams are made of, sweet ! My go to pheasant crusher is a VHE 16 with 32" barrels, did you expect anything less:) It's got a lot of wear but it's a solid gun mechanically with a lot of choke and I shoot it well most days. At 6-11 it's heavy by most folks standards but I don't mind it and our pheasant/sharpie hunts are not usually grinding marathons. I have only 2 other 16's and both are DHE's with 32" barrels. One on a 1 frame and the other a 1 1/2 frame which is over 7 pounds and a delight on the clays course. Happy hunting all !!

GH 1 frame 27” , VH 1 frame 28” , VH 0 frame 26” , Belgium 30” guild gun , three drilling’s all are 16’s . Wanna add another VH 16 with 30” F&F barrels , a DH 16 and perhaps a GH 0 frame 16 . The GH 27@ had an inch relieved from the muzzle many moons ago and that one is pure poison with my handloaded#1 buck and home cast Handloaded slugs .

I'm not really an avid 16ga fan but my 24" open-choked PHE16 with light small shot loads is the best woodcock and ruffie over pointing dogs in hvy cover gun I've ever used.

The 16 gauge has become my main hunting gun, mainly a Browning O/U, although my grandson uses it when he joins me. On Monday and today I took two nice rooster pheasants with my 16, using Kent Bismuth Upland ammunition and the shells worked well, I’m hoping to use them on some puddle ducks in the upcoming weeks when the second half of our duck season opens.

I like 16s too! I only have one, DHE 16 transitional gun, 30" vent rib. I wouldn't call it an upland gun but I expect it would be nice on a sporting clays course or dove field or maybe even a duck blind.

I love the 16! I don't discriminate I shoot: Parker, Fox, Ithaca, RBL and AYA.
This is my favorite little VH 0 Frame factory 28" Cyl/Mod.
Bob Jurewicz

I am also a big fan of the 16. I hunt and shoot with 2 Trojan guns, one completely original and in pretty good shape, the other was completely redone. A VHE skeet gun, a PH with 32” barrels and lovely 0 frame GH w/ 28” barrels. A 20 gauge VHE gets thrown in the mix also, I really like a 0 frame gun for carrying in the grouse/woodcock woods.

Pretty much all of my grouse hunting is with a 16ga. DH (circa 1894). Why? Romance, history, lore, mystique. 16’s seems right for old upland guns. The first shotgun that I ever covered was a used 16ga M12 in the rack at the local sporting good store when I was 15. (I now have one in my safe, just because). I don’t think there is any technical, performance-related reason to shoot a 16, but an old Parker in 16 just seems right.

I've managed to put together a few 16's..3 VH O frames. Straight and Pistol. 2 GH O frames..Straight and pistol..Top lever Hammer with cut frame....and a nice Trojan. I have more 16s than the number of quail that I've seen on my farm this year..But...just in case..I won't turn down another !

I agree with Setter Man. My go to grouse/woodcock gun is a 16ga DH of 1902 vintage. It is an O frame with 26' barrels choked SK and Lt Mod with double triggers. I figure who ever ordered this gun new what he was about when it came to upland hunting in New England. I do have a Fox A grade 16 that is my early season gun when the leaves are thick. It has 26" barrels, cut from 28" by a previous owner, with the resulting chokes of Cyc and Sk. With a weight of 6Lbs it is a joy to carry.

I've said for years now that if for some reason I could only have one shotgun, it would be a sixteen gauge!!

Without a doubt, The 16 is my favorite gauge!!!!!!

I too love the 16. I must because I have a few of them but nary a one is a Parker. I've looked for a Parker 16 G grade or higher for years but when I had the money I couldn't find the gun and of course when I found the gun no money. Here's my well used Remington 1894 with a couple of timber chickens.

I'd hate to admit how many 16's I have but it's a favorite for both clays and game. My go to sporting clays gun is The Hollywood gun a two barrel set straight grip with all the options. Upland guns used this year included a Fox Sterlingworth, Purdey, LeFever Optimus, GHE, VHE. I didn't hunt with more of them than I did use:banghead: A hammer gun will definitely go to Georgia quail hunting.

All my upland hunting is now with a 16 ga Cogswell and Harrison hammerless with 28 in barrels, choked M/F. Or, a 16 ga Jules Pierre Belgian hammer gun with 30 in barrels, choked IC/F. Both are light, pleasant to carry and hit hard with the appropriate 2 1/2 in RST loads.

I have a bunch of 16s, but my favorites are a three barrel GHE composed set, original 28" Damascus, the second set 26" Parker Special Steel, the third set being a 32" 20 gauge Vulcan Steel, and a three barrel factory GHE Damascus set, 30", 28", and 24", each with its own forend. The factory gun was purchased as a scarce 24" gun at a local show. A year later, the seller told me he had discovered two more sets of barrels for the gun I had purchased. "Would I be interested in purchasing the two additional barrel sets?" Other 16s are a DH 28" Titanic #1 frame, a DHE #1 frame Damascus, cut to a handy 24", and a high condition 32" VHE, the last two purchased on this forum. I guess its about time I went shopping.

I'm a complete newbie to 16ga. The last one I shot was my dad's browning pre war auto 55 years ago.
Anyhow I bought a DHE 16/28 from a member. In a week I plan to give it a try on preserve pheasants with my son and our three labs. Hopefully I can get back to SD and give it a go on wild pheasants.

The Old Sixteen
 

Counting my Dads Sweet Sixteen Browning A5 my mother and I got him many years ago for $265 at Osmans Spt Goods Houston. I own 8 including another DHE on the way. VHE 30", GH 26" Damascus , DHE 30",DHE 28"Damascus ,Win Model 21 Skeet Grade 28", Belgium Deforney SLE. I shoot them all and never get tired of the 16 which is what I started with when I was 10. Glad it is still around and being enjoyed!!

Bob, that's a beauty!

Back when 20 boxes made a case, my dad bought a case of Remington 16ga. field loads, fearing it was destined for the history books. That was back in the early ‘80s. I think there’s still 17-18 boxes.

I have a question, I have a few partial boxes of 20 gauge shells I had from back in the 70's, when I quit hunting, I did not even think to try shooting them because of their age. I purchased new shells a couple of years ago when I started hunting again. Would those 40 plus year old shells still be ok to shoot?

I forgot to mention a pair of 0 frame hammer guns, one a Grade 2 30" gun and another, a Grade 2 project gun waiting for barrels. This one is the last graded hammer gun made by Parker Brothers and the last 16 gauge hammer gun. I bought this beauty in a box of parts with ruined barrels. I have a couple of sets of barrels for it, but I never seem to get around to fitting them.

I'm late to the game -- bought me first 16 this year. A 0 frame GH 28" damascus barrel IC / Full. Use 1 oz hand loaded 2.5" shells--everything I've hit so far has been bagged (half dozzen pheasants and a woodcock). It carries easily, comes up quickly, and fits me well. It's a great upland game gun.

Still looking for my GH 16 0 frame. Met a little lady at a show outside of D.C. carrying a leg of mutton case and people were following her around. I asked if she needed help and she said yes, she did not know about guns and people were wanting to buy her gun but she didn't really want to sell it. I opened the case and out came a beautiful GHE 0 frame 16. I took her over to a dealer from N.C. who always had Parkers and he told her what it was and what it was worth. She smiled and said she thought she would keep it and give it to her son, to my knowledge he still is the proud owner and what I got out of it was this story and a quest to find one like it. Still looking.....

Alfred Greeson,
Good for you helping that lady out like you did. I will send you a pm if I locate one for you.