Bob M
New member
Pretty new here and this has probably been beat to death before, but.....
I grew up in SW Arkansas hunting bobwhites and other small game with a M11 Remington 16ga. and have never got away from the bore size. I have two older Merkel sxsides, one a 12 and the other favored one a 16. I use it for most all my scattergun chores other than hardcore duckhunting.
I'm known to take a bath with my gear and waders on a regular basis when in the duck marsh and I normally carry my old 390 Beretta when duckhunting if any baptizing is possible. It can be stripped and cleaned pretty easy and the syn. stock is a snap to get back in shape.
99% of all other shotgun hunting is done with the little 16 sxs. It is a joy to carry, points and swings like an extention of me, and hits with respectable power at all sensible ranges. I do use it for some blind locations on waterfowl and it serves very well on decoyed ducks.
The 16 is not, and never will be a 12 gauge, but I find no difference in killing ability as long as the hunting criteria don't call for shot loads greater than 1 1/8oz. shot and that load has sufficied well on pheasant for me. When nothing else is happening I can just sit down, rub the stock, and look at those sleek twin barrels and be happy!
That's my reason, what's yours?
Bob M.
I grew up in SW Arkansas hunting bobwhites and other small game with a M11 Remington 16ga. and have never got away from the bore size. I have two older Merkel sxsides, one a 12 and the other favored one a 16. I use it for most all my scattergun chores other than hardcore duckhunting.
I'm known to take a bath with my gear and waders on a regular basis when in the duck marsh and I normally carry my old 390 Beretta when duckhunting if any baptizing is possible. It can be stripped and cleaned pretty easy and the syn. stock is a snap to get back in shape.
99% of all other shotgun hunting is done with the little 16 sxs. It is a joy to carry, points and swings like an extention of me, and hits with respectable power at all sensible ranges. I do use it for some blind locations on waterfowl and it serves very well on decoyed ducks.
The 16 is not, and never will be a 12 gauge, but I find no difference in killing ability as long as the hunting criteria don't call for shot loads greater than 1 1/8oz. shot and that load has sufficied well on pheasant for me. When nothing else is happening I can just sit down, rub the stock, and look at those sleek twin barrels and be happy!
That's my reason, what's yours?
Bob M.
My buddy has a 16 that he doesn't want to trade since it was his grandpa's but he really likes my Beretta Model A301. I've been after him for quite some time to trade, I even told him I'd give him some extra cash. I'm just playing the waiting game right now.