Author Topic: 16 Gauge followed me home (Read 2462 times)

Doublebass73 · « **on:** April 02, 2010, 12:47:59 PM »

I couldn't resist taking this one home with me. H&R Topper Model 88 16 gauge MOD choke and a 28" barrel. The blueing is excellent and the case coloring is in decent shape. It looks like the stocks have been refinished. It has an AU serial number. I'm going to head to the range now and try some Remington #6 1 1/8 oz. loads. If I can find a load that patterns well I might just have to use it for turkey season this year!

zoner · « **Reply #1 on:** April 02, 2010, 12:49:01 PM »

30-30man · « **Reply #2 on:** April 02, 2010, 01:03:04 PM »

I hope you reload as shells in 16ga are getting very hard to find in my area.

MSP Ret · « **Reply #3 on:** April 02, 2010, 01:09:33 PM »

Great find buddy, and a Modified no less, that's great. I love my 16 and I am sure you will too. 16 gauge shells are everywhere and easy to find around here. Get a turkey with it buddy..16's are THE classic american field and woods guns....<><....

P.S. - if I had seen it first it would not have been able to follow you home...congratulations..

matthew_h · « **Reply #4 on:** April 02, 2010, 02:08:17 PM »

Very nice . i just had a very old(no serial#) stevens 94 16 gauge follow me home Wednesday .... gota love the 16 gauge i killed my first duck a few years ago with my step dad's a western arms long rage sxs and have been looking for an oldie for myself for some time .

Doublebass73 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 02, 2010, 02:57:36 PM »

I just got back from the range and busted a bunch of clays with it, it works great! Wal-Mart had some Remington Express Long Range #6 1 1/8 oz. loads. My shoulder is feeling it from those.

I also patterned it with those loads and would feel comfortable out to 30 yards on turkeys. I'm going to try whatever I can get my hands on and see what patterns best. 16 gauge ammo is plentiful around where I live. My local convenience store even has 16 gauge slugs behind the counter. Even if it wasn't available around here Cabelas is only an hour away and they have a big selection of 16 gauge ammo.

I do plan on reloading for the 16 gauge just for cost and the fact that I can load them down to a comfortable level for breaking clays. 7/8 oz. loads should be just the ticket for doing that and for partridge hunting.

Andy,
You were right about that weight on those. I haven't weighed it but it's either the same or lighter than my 20 gauge just doing a side by side test. The balance is great, also. You're right, once I saw that it was MOD choke I knew It had to go home with me. That seems to be just the ticket for an all around, do everything shotgun. I can't wait to get it out in the woods in May. Now I just need to install my straight grip/Schnabel forend setup on it.

Swampman · « **Reply #6 on:** April 02, 2010, 02:58:47 PM »

Great guns! Mine has a walnut stock.

MSP Ret · « **Reply #7 on:** April 02, 2010, 05:02:05 PM »

Buy some of those slugs and try it. I don't know why but my H&R 16 (full choke) shoots regular old slugs great. With just the bead it's very accurate. Try it you might just be surprised. Those winderful 16's have a lot going for them....<><....

Doublebass73 · « **Reply #8 on:** April 03, 2010, 04:50:23 AM »

I will definitely try some slugs through it. During deer season I like to take a shotgun when it's raining or foggy out since the shots are in close anyway and it's so easy disassemble the barrel/forend at the end of the day to oil everything. If it shoots slugs well enough then it will be my go to shotgun for everything that I hunt.

ohiobenito · « **Reply #9 on:** April 03, 2010, 02:16:04 PM »

how is it that I can find 28 ga shells easier than 16? weren't they refered to as the "light 12" back in the day?

I have a soft spot for them. the first long gun I shot was an old stevens singleshot 16

Doublebass73 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 04, 2010, 06:16:15 AM »

28 is more popular than 16. 28 is popular in skeet shooting which keeps it alive.

MSP Ret · « **Reply #11 on:** April 04, 2010, 06:37:40 AM »

I'm sure it has to with what part of the country your in as well. Here in old fashioned New England the 16's are still around and you can get shells easily....<><....

Doublebass73 · « **Reply #12 on:** April 04, 2010, 09:13:00 AM »

That's true Andy. I've never gone into a gun store in New England that didn't have 16 gauge shells. When I ask most of my friends what they killed their first deer with they sat the same thing - 16 gauge singe shot with a slug.

30-30man · « **Reply #13 on:** April 05, 2010, 03:12:53 PM »

Around SC and Ga the old 16ga is about dried up. I own two Browning Sweet 16s and can't find shells for them anywhere. I have several Walmarts, Dicks, Pro Bass Shop, four mom and pops, and even an Academy Sports and nobody stocks 16ga except the expensive turkey loads. I have to mail order and then sometimes it is hard to find shells.

plumberroy · « **Reply #14 on:** April 05, 2010, 03:32:07 PM »

I have bought 16 ammo at wal mart and kmart lately I had a 16 follow me home a month or so ago it breaks open but has two holes

stevens 311
Roy

Doublebass73 · « **Reply #15 on:** April 05, 2010, 03:51:38 PM »

The old Stevens 311 is a classic.

hillbill · « **Reply #16 on:** April 05, 2010, 04:04:20 PM »

ammo for the 16 is a little scarce and high here in MO. ive picked up most of mine at flea markets and yard sales and some slugs at gun shows.i get it when ever it shows itself for a resonable price.i only have a couple of them and dont shoot more than a couple boxes a year.

Doublebass73 · « **Reply #17 on:** April 10, 2010, 06:40:34 AM »

I put my stock set that Andy cut into a straight grip for me on the 16 yesterday. I'm a straight grip junky now, it's all Andy's fault!

MSP Ret · « **Reply #18 on:** April 10, 2010, 07:26:15 AM »

I have to tell you buddy, that is one sweet (16) looking classic shotgun, especially with the schnabel forearm and the straight english field style stock. I'm sure it's fast to the shoulder and a natural pointer as well. Congratulations on the nice job you did on setting up your gun....<><....

Doublebass73 · « **Reply #19 on:** April 10, 2010, 08:22:10 AM »

Thank Andy, it definitely points and handles very fast. It's very light, no problem carrying this thing all day. I'll let you know how it does once I try some slugs through it. I can't wait to carry it this fall through the beautiful New England woods.

Doublebass73 · « **Reply #20 on:** May 03, 2010, 03:10:22 PM »

I've been out of commission for the last 2 weeks, I had hernia surgery but I finally felt good enough to at least pattern the 16 today in case I'm able to go turkey hunting later in the season (end of May). I tried some Winchester 1 1/8 oz. high brass #4 shot, Remington 1 1/8 oz. express long range #5 shot and Remington 1 oz. game loads #6 shot. I actually got the best pattern with the Plain Jane Remington 1 oz. game loads #6 shot. These were good out to 30 yards which is all I need for range. I like the fact that the lightest kicking loads patterned the best, too

MSP Ret · « **Reply #21 on:** May 03, 2010, 04:16:14 PM »

Thats great to hear buddy, both you being OK after the surgery and the way the 16 patterned with the field loads. Believe me the Turkey you bring home will never know the difference. I have always been one to avoid "Magnumitis", and I am not recoil shy, just don't need it, also I have always seemed to get my best patterns and accuracy with less than maxed out magnum loadings, in rifles, shotguns, and handguns as well....<><....

jlchucker · « **Reply #22 on:** May 04, 2010, 03:31:37 AM »

Quote from: 30-30man on April 05, 2010, 03:12:53 PM

Around SC and Ga the old 16ga is about dried up. I own two Browning Sweet 16s and can't find shells for them anywhere. I have several Walmarts, Dicks, Pro Bass Shop, four mom and pops, and even an Academy Sports and nobody stocks 16ga except the expensive turkey loads. I have to mail order and then sometimes it is hard to find shells.

A few years ago I bought a 16 ga side by side (Baikal). It's my go-to gun for bird hunting. Since I reload for everything else, I sprung for a Mec 600 press for the 16, and discovered that the wads marketed by BPI work just fine and dandy. BPI also sells primed 16 ga hulls, and a book chock full of loading data for lots of loads for this ga. You may want to look into loading your own. BPI is a good outfit to do business with, and you can set yourself up with components that work really well in 16. I did use one of those Lee shotshell presses for a while--had decent luck with one in 12--but for 16 it didn't work for me because there was no adjustment. I'd forget the Lee Load-all option for 16 and go with a Mec.

Doublebass73 · « **Reply #23 on:** May 04, 2010, 04:56:43 AM »

Quote from: MSP Ret on May 03, 2010, 04:16:14 PM

Thats great to hear buddy, both you being OK after the surgery and the way the 16 patterned with the field loads. Believe me the Turkey you bring home will never know the difference. I have always been one to avoid "Magnumitis", and I am not recoil shy, just don't need it, also I have always seemed to get my best patterns and accuracy with less than maxed out magnum loadings, in rifles, shotguns, and handguns as well....<><....

Thanks Andy, the surgery went well. I'm going to a follow up visit with my doctor tomorrow and I'll ask him about going hunting. I've found the same thing, if you spend some time at the range trying different things you can find loads that are both very accurate and pleasant to shoot.

I plan on getting into reloading the 16 at some point. I will probably save up and spring for the MEC that way I can also use it for reloading .410 also. I started saving my empty hulls for when I get into it.