The 16

[jordanz7935]

I lucked into an 870 compact 16 ga a few years ago. Sweet gun. I've got it set up with Knox stock and red dot. Been shooting Apex #8s out of trulock .630 & .610 chokes. Throws a great pattern.  Haven't hunted with my 935 since ive owned the 16. The 870  16's are built on 12ga frames so it's not all that light but the plus side they take any 870 12 ga stock or forearm. The Browning bps 16ga were built on 20 ga frames so they are pretty handy guns. either Stevens or tristar O\U's would fit the bill also.

[Tom007]

I lucked into an 870 compact 16 ga a few years ago. Sweet gun. I've got it set up with Knox stock and red dot. Been shooting Apex #8s out of trulock .630 & .610 chokes. Throws a great pattern.  Haven't hunted with my 935 since ive owned the 16. The 870  16's are built on 12ga frames so it's not all that light but the plus side they take any 870 12 ga stock or forearm. The Browning bps 16ga were built on 20 ga frames so they are pretty handy guns. either Stevens or tristar O\U's would fit the bill also.

Sounds like a great set up. You sure did luck out getting that 870 16. They are rare. Even though it's not considered a compact, the new Sweet 16 Browning has a slim action, and at around 5 .5 pounds, it's very light. There are some good options for the 16 now. Be safe, good luck...

[captfire]

 I LOOKED FOR A 16 GA. FOR A LONG TIME I WANTED A 28 INCH WITH FULL CHOKE I FOUND A FEW AND I MEAN A FEW WITH MOD BARREL BUT I KEEP LOOKING AND FOUNR ONE LAST SUMMER A MOSSBERG 500 BB WITH FULL CHOKE IAM A HAPPY CAMPER NOW GOING TO TRY TO SEE IF I CAN GET A GOBBLER WITH IT THIS YEAR....

[Yoder409]

It's also on my bucket list to take a gobbler with a 16 gauge.  But I have a bit of a different take on it.

  I can see little to no reason to trick out a 16 as a lightweight, dedicated turkey gun.  Considering operating pressures and shotshell technologies........the 20 gauge 3" beats the 16 for weight AND performance. So the 16 kinda gets left out in the cold.

But there's so much history...........so much nostalgia.......so much "cool factor".......in a purple shotgun shell !!!  I want to leave TSS and red dots and choke tubes and camo paint jobs for my dedicated, balls-out head wrenchers.  I'm envisioning a sunny day of "stroll and gun" calling........carrying a classic 16 bore by the muzzles......... cracked open over my shoulder............hoping to get a response from a lonely player.

Coming soon to a turkey woods near me..............

[Tom007]

It's also on my bucket list to take a gobbler with a 16 gauge.  But I have a bit of a different take on it.

  I can see little to no reason to trick out a 16 as a lightweight, dedicated turkey gun.  Considering operating pressures and shotshell technologies........the 20 gauge 3" beats the 16 for weight AND performance. So the 16 kinda gets left out in the cold.

But there's so much history...........so much nostalgia.......so much "cool factor".......in a purple shotgun shell !!!  I want to leave TSS and red dots and choke tubes and camo paint jobs for my dedicated, balls-out head wrenchers.  I'm envisioning a sunny day of "stroll and gun" calling........carrying a classic 16 bore by the muzzles......... cracked open over my shoulder............hoping to get a response from a lonely player.

Coming soon to a turkey woods near me..............

You are 100% correct. The 20 gauge is a better alternative to the 16 with most the characteristics. I just wanted to give it a try for something different. I used my 16 for upland birds, I don't do a lot of that anymore. Taking it into the turkey woods gets it out of the safe, I love the way it shoots. Your classic 16 is a real beauty, that will be a real nostalgic hunt. Best of luck with that heirloom treasure......

[Yoder409]

Thanks for the compliment, sir !!  I've really taken a shining to this gun.  I have it's virtual twin in 12 gauge.  But the 16 just feels so much better to my hands.

And I totally get the "something different" part.   There comes a time in many hunters' journeys where a diversion from the "same old, same old" is welcomed and refreshing.  That's where this old 16 gauge double gun is going to enter the stage.

[Tom007]

Thanks for the compliment, sir !!  I've really taken a shining to this gun.  I have it's virtual twin in 12 gauge.  But the 16 just feels so much better to my hands.

And I totally get the "something different" part.   There comes a time in many hunters' journeys where a diversion from the "same old, same old" is welcomed and refreshing.  That's where this old 16 gauge double gun is going to enter the stage.

Amen brother, that is a beauty and please share a photo of a "big old head" and waddle draped across those barrels... be safe

[Dtrkyman]

I get it for the nostalgia, I used my Uncle's 20gs o/u who had passed away years ago, it was his primary and favorite gun, he was my hunting mentor and I borrowed it from my cousin one spring.

Other than the Federal heavy weight 7s there was nothing turkey about the gun, fixed chokes full/mod and a double trigger, dropped 2 long beards with it.

I think it would be awesome to just grab an old 16 and shoot a high brass shell, probably a 30 yard gun but I can live with that!   

[Tom007]

I get it for the nostalgia, I used my Uncle's 20gs o/u who had passed away years ago, it was his primary and favorite gun, he was my hunting mentor and I borrowed it from my cousin one spring.

Other than the Federal heavy weight 7s there was nothing turkey about the gun, fixed chokes full/mod and a double trigger, dropped 2 long beards with it.

I think it would be awesome to just grab an old 16 and shoot a high brass shell, probably a 30 yard gun but I can live with that!

Amen my brother, it is something different.. be safe good luck

[Yoder409]

I think it would be awesome to just grab an old 16 and shoot a high brass shell, probably a 30 yard gun but I can live with that!

Over the years............ I've killed a WHOLE heck of a lot more turkeys that were IN high brass 16 gauge range than were past it. 

Yep.

[jordanz7935]

Thats a beautiful SxS 16 ga yoder. I get the whole nostalgia aspect of it. And your right about the whole high brass 16 ga range! I killed my very first turkey @ 13 with my uncles 16ga Ithaca 37 featherweight Mod choke shooting Federal magnum #5s. Remember it like it was yesterday! I remember looking through the remington catalog and picking out the 870 youth 16 ga for my first gun. But even back in 02-03 my uncle knew that the 870 20 ga would be a better choice due to the 3" 20 ga. I can remember being a little bummed not getting the 16, but my uncle made the right choice getting me the youth 20. I quickly forgot about the 16 once i received the 20 ga and started terrorizing the local populations of small game. For me i had to trick out the 16 ga to even make it worth hunting over my other turkey guns. Now its top dog in the stable and the only gun i shoot tss in.  Also will be my protege's first turkey gun when he gets older. While not nostalgic, still very sentimental!

[Tom007]

Thats a beautiful SxS 16 ga yoder. I get the whole nostalgia aspect of it. And your right about the whole high brass 16 ga range! I killed my very first turkey @ 13 with my uncles Ithaca 37 featherweight Mod choke shooting Federal magnum #5s. Remember it like it was yesterday! I remember looking through the remington catalog and picking out the 870 youth 16 ga for my first gun. But even back in 02-03 my uncle knew that the 870 20 ga would be a better choice due to the 3" 20 ga. I can remember being a little bummed not getting the 16, but my uncle made the right choice getting me the youth 20. I quickly forgot about the 16 once i received the 20 ga and started terrorizing the local populations of small game. For me i had to trick out the 16 ga to even make it worth hunting over my other turkey guns. Now its top dog in the stable and the only gun i shoot tss in.  Also will be my protege's first turkey gun when he gets older. While not nostalgic, still very sentimental!

Hard to beat those 870 20 gauges. Best of luck....

[Dtrkyman]

I rarely shoot a bird past dove load range, but I'm sure not bringing dove loads!


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[Swather]

So I'm getting interested in the diy TSS game. I love the idea of a youth or compact 20 for a turkey gun. I have since had the thought that I really would like a 16 gauge compact. Through my research this far I haven't found anything in the 16 that is also a youth. For the most part I don't find anything that is 16 that isn't made pretty much with the competition/Upland shooter soley in mind. If franchi made the affinity 3 compact in a 16 I would buy it in a heartbeat. Does anyone know of something that might peak my interest?

I grew up shooting 16 gauge guns on the dove field and like the gauge, but ammo has gotten harder to find over time.

Copper or nickel plated pheasant loads are probably the best factory option for a 16 gauge used to hunt turkeys.  I use them in a 12 gauge from time to time because I have them left over from hunting trips on the plains, and they kill well [if they pattern well in your gun].

One can still find single shots in 16 ga. here and there, and that is one option.  A Browning Citori O/U is still made in 16 ga., but is a fairly expensive option.  The Italians still make O/U's in 16 ga., but they are even more expensive.

And it's "pique" interest, which means to stimulate.