16 gauge Help

[CementFinisher]

I've never been duck hunting and have a newer hunter who wants me to help them get into it, since I've taught them to hunt big and small game. They want to stick with a 16 gauge probably 2 3/4 shells. so my question is with that ammunition and also with function, what barrel length would you recommend, 24, 26, 28?

[bobcat]

It kind of depends if the gun is a double barrel or a pump/semi-auto. With a double barrel you don't have the extra receiver length, which is around 3 inches. So a pump or auto has a longer sighting plane than a double with the same length barrel. For that reason I like 28 inch minimum on a double barrel, and 26 for a pump or semi auto. For duck hunting I would still prefer a 28 even with the pump or auto. It just makes the longer shots a little easier to make. There's no significant difference ballistically.

[CementFinisher]

its the browning bps hunter 16 gauge.  DO you find the 28 barrel being slow to shoulder or getting in the way of blinds?

[bear hunter]

No its not slower nor does it get in the way hunting in a blind. 28in is the way to go. You get a better pattern at longer distance with the longer barrel. I have 12g's in 26 to 30in with 1 3/4" extended choke tubes. But if your going to use the 16g for big game and duck. I would get it in 28in barrel. 

[CementFinisher]

Thanks guys. this is what makes this site great!

[bear hunter]

If they are going the hunt big game I would use buck shot #1 ,0,or 00 buck. The max distance for best pattern is around 35 yards or so. If you do shoot passed 30 yards you must be ready to shoot and shoot again.  Animal that are shot with buck shot don't leave much of a blood trail. I always try to put two rounds in my animal so he wouldn't run off. I would practise with chokes,buck shot size,and slugs at diffant distances. To get use to how the shotgun patterns. Good luck I have been hunting deer with a shot gun for 18 years and we have taken 70+ deer of the islands. I have seen to many people not flow up a 2nd shot after the deer dropped and jumped up. Then ran off with no blood to track. That's why I shoot and with out even thinking about it. I pump the shotgun for a 2nd shot so if the deer jumps. I am ready to shoot again to finish him off. Hope that helps. Also 1 pellet of 00 buck puts out about 204 foot pound of energy at the muzzle. So One pellet hitting a deer not going to knock him down. So the more pellets on target the better. If you get 9 pellets in the chest of a deer. That's 204 ftp x 9= 1836 ftp energy. So do the math the more pellets on target the better. I like to find shot shells 2 3/4 that have 12 to 15 pellets in them but 9 pellets will work.

[CementFinisher]

it will be for waterfowl only

[bear hunter]

Then I would use steel 4 shot over decoys and 2,1, to BB for pass shooting. For me I use 4's 1's and BB's for waterfowl.

[Stilly bay]

#5 kent tungsten matrix out a 16 is deadly on ducks.

[fethrduster]

#5 kent tungsten matrix out a 16 is deadly on ducks.

+1

TM may be expensive, but you shoot half as many shells because they are so much more effective.  My last time out I got 6 ducks with 12 shots using Kent TM.  Good luck doing that with steel.

[Encore 280]

Where are you finding 16ga. ammo? Whenever I go to Sportsman Whorehouse they don't have it. Never seen any anywhere.

[h2ofowlr]

Where are you finding 16ga. ammo? Whenever I go to Sportsman *censored*house they don't have it. Never seen any anywhere.

Cabelas, SKAGIT, Kesserlings has 16 gauge ammo.  Or order it through Rodgers Sporting Goods and it will ship for free and be on your door step in 3-4 days.

[good2go]

I'm guessing that is a fixed choke gun. Not knowing what the choke restriction is the only thing i have to say is don't push steel shot through a full choke. There is a good chance of damaging the gun. Also if the gun is old enough the barrel may not be proofed for the high pressures of the high velocity steel.

I just went over the post again. For some reason I thought you were talking about an A5, my mistake. Still good points if it's an older gun though.

Without a doubt a .16 will put them down just fine.

[fethrduster]

Where are you finding 16ga. ammo? Whenever I go to Sportsman *censored*house they don't have it. Never seen any anywhere.

If you can use a computer, you can find 16ga ammo from a myriad of sources.  Even so, I see it in almost every shop I go to.  Let me introduce you to the wonderful world of the 16ga society:  www.16ga.com

[huntingfool7]

Since you're asking about barrel lengths, I'm guessing that this will be a new shotgun.  Don't know where you would go and have a choice of USED 16 gauge guns.
That said, I'm interested in why your new to hunting friend is sold on a gauge that is gasping?

Don't get me wrong, sweet 16 is a great gauge.  But if you're starting out, why pigeon hole yourself into a small handful of loadings that will always be hard to find?  I have a neat little 28 that I use for upland birds and dog training.  It's a fine gauge but like the 16.  She is tough to find shells to feed her, there are no bargain practice shells and with lead bans looming she is not able to play on a lot of this states land. 

[Bwana Bob]

I have a few boxes of 2 3/4in mag 16gs shells. They are no longer made. They would be great for ducks but there lead, would make a great pheasant load though. $12 a box

[fethrduster]

Since you're asking about barrel lengths, I'm guessing that this will be a new shotgun.  Don't know where you would go and have a choice of USED 16 gauge guns.
That said, I'm interested in why your new to hunting friend is sold on a gauge that is gasping?

Don't get me wrong, sweet 16 is a great gauge.  But if you're starting out, why pigeon hole yourself into a small handful of loadings that will always be hard to find?  I have a neat little 28 that I use for upland birds and dog training.  It's a fine gauge but like the 16.  She is tough to find shells to feed her, there are no bargain practice shells and with lead bans looming she is not able to play on a lot of this states land.

This is why God invented reloading.

[Stilly bay]

Since you're asking about barrel lengths, I'm guessing that this will be a new shotgun.  Don't know where you would go and have a choice of USED 16 gauge guns.
That said, I'm interested in why your new to hunting friend is sold on a gauge that is gasping?

Don't get me wrong, sweet 16 is a great gauge.  But if you're starting out, why pigeon hole yourself into a small handful of loadings that will always be hard to find?  I have a neat little 28 that I use for upland birds and dog training.  It's a fine gauge but like the 16.  She is tough to find shells to feed her, there are no bargain practice shells and with lead bans looming she is not able to play on a lot of this states land.

This is why God invented reloading.

and Walmart.... and the internet...

[huntingfool7]

Stilly, too much of that will give you flat spots 

Don't expect to be able to order your ammo online long term.
Bill: Federal H.R. 142 – Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY)
Summary: “To require face to face purchases of ammunition, to require licensing of ammunition dealers, and to require reporting regarding bulk purchases of ammunition.”
Position: OPPOSE

From the OP statements, this gun is for a new hunter that sounds like he does not currently own a shotgun (and probably does not reload shotshells).  The 16 is a great bore but it is dying.  If the OP's buddy wants to have a 16, more power to him.  But a 16 doesn't throw shot any harder than a 20 or a 12.  For a 1 shotgun guy, it is a poor choice.

[Stilly bay]

Don't expect to be able to order your ammo online long term.
Bill: Federal H.R. 142 – Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY)
Summary: “To require face to face purchases of ammunition, to require licensing of ammunition dealers, and to require reporting regarding bulk purchases of ammunition.”
Position: OPPOSE

From the OP statements, this gun is for a new hunter that sounds like he does not currently own a shotgun (and probably does not reload shotshells).  The 16 is a great bore but it is dying.  If the OP's buddy wants to have a 16, more power to him.  But a 16 doesn't throw shot any harder than a 20 or a 12.  For a 1 shotgun guy, it is a poor choice.

the 16 has been dying for a long time now, Im sure it will continue to linger well on into the late 2K's. I got my first 16 close to twenty years ago and ammo wasn't any more plentiful back then. in fact there are more 16 gauge options available to me locally than there were back then, especially in non-toxic.

sure there aren't loads A through Z to choose from like in the 20 or 12, but thats because the 16's a perfect all a rounder since it does one thing very well, and thats throw an ounce of shot- which by all accounts is the perfect amount for upland and most duck ventures, why fiddle with other loads? thats what the 20 and 12 are for.
besides when was the last time you heard someone discussing proper load size on this site?

from a beginners stand point 16 might be ideal, it throws a lot of shot and the recoil is more than manageable. unlike many 12 and 20 gauge loads. or 28's that don't have much recoil but don't have much of a payload, excellent patterning notwithstanding.

if mail order ammo becomes a thing of the past its going to make things more difficult for sure, thats not going to be the final nail in the 16's casket. Im sure it will suck for the vintagers  who need specialty ammo, but more people will have to take up reloading, which might not be a bad thing.

[fethrduster]

Most of the people who say the 16 is dying and how it's a poor choice have never used one, don't realize they are actually becoming more popular with more ammo and gun choices than ever before, and don't understand how wonderful they are as bird killers.   The "carries like a 20 and hits like a 12" adage wasn't born by accident.  Just sayin'.