Parker small bore classification

[Rick Riddell]

I know simple question, but its a curio of mine. What gauges fall under this classification? Is it 16, 20 and .410, leaving 10 and 12 as big bore?
Thanks guys!

[OH Osthaus]

Originally Posted by Rick Riddell

I know simple question, but its a curio of mine. What gauges fall under this classification? Is it 16, 20 and .410, leaving 10 and 12 as big bore?
Thanks guys!

what do you have against the 28????

the 16 was a small bore when it came out

i guess it depends on the reason for the question

i think in skeet rules a 16 has to play with the 12s, but some of the clays events i have been to include 16 in small bores


since i mostly have 10's and 12's - so 16 is small to me

[Rick Riddell]

Originally Posted by Rick Losey

what do you have against the 28????

the 16 was a small bore when it came out

i guess it depends on the reason for the question

i think in skeet rules a 16 has to play with the 12s, but some of the clays events i have been to include 16 in small bores


since i mostly have 10's and 12's - so 16 is small to me

I can't believe I spaced on the 28!! That's my go to gauge!

[C.O.B.]

In all the shoots I go to the 16 is grouped with the 12's but it is considered by many as a small bore. To me a small bore is from the 20 to the 410. I shoot a lot of 16's and always compete with the 12's which is fine by me. 7/8's is plenty of shot for a clay target or kill a bird.

[J. A. EARLY]

I believe historically 12 and larger to be big bore and 16 and smaller to be small bore. Where the 14 falls in is an unanswered question not to worry about.

[Southpaw]

What is the old saying... 16 gauge.... Hits like a 12 shoots like a 20. I think 16 is gray tipping point between big bore and small bore ideaology.

Recall reading some sxs expert that would put his customization to some newer guns coming out. He defined that 16 gauge and smaller were considered small bore guns and most adequate for upland hunting. Not trying to start a debate or argument but that was his position. BTW there have been plenty of times when grouse hunting I would not have minded carrying a light 12 with open chokes to sling more lead at grouse in thick cover.

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by Todd Poer

What is the old saying... 16 gauge.... Hits like a 12 shoots like a 20. I think 16 is gray tipping point between big bore and small bore ideaology.

Recall reading some sxs expert that would put his customization to some newer guns coming out. He defined that 16 gauge and smaller were considered small bore guns and most adequate for upland hunting. Not trying to start a debate or argument but that was his position. BTW there have been plenty of times when grouse hunting I would not have minded carrying a light 12 with open chokes to sling more lead at grouse in thick cover.

And when I was a kid cutting my 'hunting teeth' on pheasants I shot a 20 and did very well with it. Even after my friend took his Trojan 12 (that I had been using for three solid years) with him when he moved to Idaho I gladly went back to my twenties for pheasants, puddle ducks, and grouse. Never seemed to make much difference what gauge I shot but the twenties were always lighter to carry. My first 16 was a Parker in about 2005.





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[Tom Flanigan]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

And when I was a kid cutting my 'hunting teeth' on pheasants I shot a 20 and did very well with it. Even after my friend took his Trojan 12 (that I had been using for three solid years) with him when he moved to Idaho I gladly went back to my twenties for pheasants, puddle ducks, and grouse. Never seemed to make much difference what gauge I shot but the twenties were always lighter to carry. My first 16 was a Parker in about 2005.





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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.

[GH-16]

I've always and still consider small bores to be any gauge smaller than 12ga. Especially when you are talking about 16's on gauge appropriate frames like Parker 0-frames or A.H. Fox 16's sharing the same action with the 20ga.

[Randy Roberts]

Depends on whether I am buying or selling

Originally Posted by Rick Riddell

I know simple question, but its a curio of mine. What gauges fall under this classification? Is it 16, 20 and .410, leaving 10 and 12 as big bore?
Thanks guys!