16 gauge what a Pheasant round

dustin mudd

dustin mudd

Active member
When I started as a kid , like most of you with an 870, in 12 gauge... 20 years ago, when I got my first lab,and wanted to treat myself I purchased a light weight benelli 20 ga... EASY carry, however about 7 years ago I realized I wounded, and lost too many birds....

So not only did I go back to an 12 gauge , but took some professional shooting instruction.
Both fronts help me bag more roosters, the citori white lightening is a BEEG gun to pack all day. This fall I traded for a Citori 16 gauge, and have been shooting 1 1/8 oz. loads.... the power of 12 in a package and weight of a 20..... it seems to be the PERFECT medicine. My opinion!
 
I'm trying to decide how much cash I can let go of before momma realizes, on a 16 sxs.
 
My feather lightning in 16 has quickly become my favorite bird gun for most applications. Knocks them hard.
 
That is my favorite browning in any configuration, glad your knocking them down.:thumbsup:
 
Gotta love those 16's! :thumbsup: That's all I have shot for the past 4-5 years. Been killing pheasants just as dead with 1 1/8 oz. of #6 shot at 1,295 fps as I did with a 12 ga. 1 1/4 oz. of #5 copper-plated shot at 1,500 fps.

I've got 3 now:
Browning Citori White Lightning
Browning Sweet Sixteen (1960)
Winchester Model 12 (1954)
 
I've been keeping my eye open for the right SxS 16ga for a while now. There is a nice Welby and Scott Mdl 700 on gun broker right now but just a bit out of my price range.

How is the model 12 George?
 
quail hound said:
How is the model 12 George?
Click to expand...

I really like it. Nice and light to carry. The Model 12 16's were actually built on the 20 ga. frame. I haven't had a lot of opportunities with it yet. Works good if I remember where the safety is and to pump it for the next shot! :) I still think I'd like to get a 26" barrel for it. I have my eye on a 26" Mod that is like new. We're about $20 apart right now.
 
Big fan of the 16 gauge for pheasant! They are just nicer to carry, but just hefty enough for good shooting, and they have plenty of killing power for all reasonable shots. I just had a heck of a good time with my ancient (1933) Remington 11 and some MN and IA birds. I also have an OU and a couple SxS's that are now in line for some action. I'll take one of the SxS's out tomorrow!
 
I used my 16 gauge model 24 exclusively this past trip to SD. I was using Kent Tungsten #5's when I needed non-tox and it is deadly!
 
Two sxs---Uggie which I carry most of the time and an AYA Roundbody #2. Do not shot the AYA much unless I am in a situation where I am not going to be crossing a lot of fences, jumping in and out a lot etc. Used it two days and shot 6 birds second weekend. Fiocchis, regular 1 1/8 or the Golden pheasants are more than adequate.
 
The 16 is sweet!

The availability of the 16 ga. shotshell has been increasing over the last few years or so, which makes it a little more appealing to make it an option for pheasants. I agree that the 16ga. Is ideal for pheasant hunting.
 
have a citori gran lightning 16, an Uggie grade 3 16, an Uggie/Aspen Outfitting Company 16, and now a Fox Sterlingworth 16...love them all!
 
I love my Feather Lightning with 28" barrels for pheasant. I just picked up a well used AYA SxS with 25" Cyl/Cyl barrels which will be a good woodcock jungle rainy day gun. I also have found that pheasants are stone dead in the air when hit with a 1 1/8oz load of #6's.
 
terrym said:
I love my Feather Lightning with 28" barrels for pheasant. I just picked up a well used AYA SxS with 25" Cyl/Cyl barrels which will be a good woodcock jungle rainy day gun. I also have found that pheasants are stone dead in the air when hit with a 1 1/8oz load of #6's.
Click to expand...

That woud be a Churchill model? Sounds like a great woods gun.
 
I have been using a 16b SXS for several years now. I occasionally dig out a 20b SXS but always come back to the 16. I've been using the Kent FastLead 1 ounce loads in #6 and find them deadly when I do my part. I also bought some Fiocchi that Lion Country had on sale around Christmas and they seem to work well.
My favorite 16 is a Fausti DEA roundbody that weighs 6 pounds even. It's a delight to carry and shoot and I wouldn't trade that gun for anything else.

AM
 
I added another 16g to the lineup this winter. A JP Sauer Royal SxS. It has 27.5" bbls and Imp/Mod chokes. Love the thing. Now have 3 sixteen gauges, yeah you could say I'm a fan of the classic 16g.
 
Am wondering what an A5 Browning 16 would weigh? My current A5 is about 8lb.

Would there be much effective difference between a 16ga, 1.25 shell and a 20 ga 3" shell on pheasants?
 
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