16 gauge Question.

I would say that the 16 gauge was extremely popular during the heyday of double barrels at the turn of the century and up until the late 30's, skeet had no bracket for the 16 gauge it was pretty much 12,20, and 28 gauge. When the O/U began its popularity in 50's the 16 gauge was once again not included. I think the 16 gauge is the best all around gauge made, and will buy any 16 double that I come across that is in shooting condition.
 
I would argue that in the time frame listed above...into the 50's...ammo manufacturers really picked up their game in the post war years and gun manufactures followed.

Now...Winchester Model 21 introduced the three inch 20 gauge shell that was made available to the public in 1954 as the "Western Super-X Magnum.

So, with that, the public was introduced to a 20 ga. shell that could carry the same loads as the standard 16 ga. stuck in the 2 3/4" world. Most people do not concern themselves with bore diameter/pattern efficiency with different shot sizes or velocities or whatever. To most 1 1/4 oz of shot is the same regardless of being spat from a 2 3/4" 16 ga. or a 3" 20 ga.

In that time period the 16 simple got squeezed out between the heavy 20 and light 12 ga. loads. As far as European influence, my reading says the the 16 was made most popular in Germany. Ironically for the same reasons I (and all other 16 lovers) are fond of saying: Carries like a 20...hits like a 12.

You could make an argument the 16 might be being similarly 'squeezed' today. I'm very fond these days of carrying a light little 20 SxS with 1 1/4 oz of 3" hevishot #6 shot. Deadly and still lighter than my Sweet 16 or my BPS.
 
nastymcnarf said:
I would argue that in the time frame listed above...into the 50's...ammo manufacturers really picked up their game in the post war years and gun manufactures followed.

Now...Winchester Model 21 introduced the three inch 20 gauge shell that was made available to the public in 1954 as the "Western Super-X Magnum.

So, with that, the public was introduced to a 20 ga. shell that could carry the same loads as the standard 16 ga. stuck in the 2 3/4" world. Most people do not concern themselves with bore diameter/pattern efficiency with different shot sizes or velocities or whatever. To most 1 1/4 oz of shot is the same regardless of being spat from a 2 3/4" 16 ga. or a 3" 20 ga.

In that time period the 16 simple got squeezed out between the heavy 20 and light 12 ga. loads. As far as European influence, my reading says the the 16 was made most popular in Germany. Ironically for the same reasons I (and all other 16 lovers) are fond of saying: Carries like a 20...hits like a 12.

You could make an argument the 16 might be being similarly 'squeezed' today. I'm very fond these days of carrying a light little 20 SxS with 1 1/4 oz of 3" hevishot #6 shot. Deadly and still lighter than my Sweet 16 or my BPS.
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Good post. No doubt the coming of the 3" 20 ga. shell in 1954 really hurt the 16 ga. While a 16 ga. with 1 1/8 oz. of shot will pattern substantially better than a 20 ga. 3" with 1 1/4 oz. the public didn't really care and probably never patterned their guns back then. And the average 16 ga. was probably a little heavier than the 20's. Although the Browning Auto-5 20 ga. came out after the 16's and was actually built on the 16 ga. frame. So weight of those Auto-5's is quite similar in 20 ga. and 16 ga. And the Browning Citori 16's were/are made on a modified 20 ga. frame. So again probably not a big weight difference in the two.
 
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