Thread: Upland Shotguns and Chukkor

Originally Posted by WallyR

Pity 16ga 'died' due to lack of support outside of Europe, and US fixation with 'bigger is better'.
Used to shoot clays with a 12, but have always thought a 16 would be ideal clay/duck/upland gun.
Can't find 16 ammo/reloading components anywhere and guns are usually old/clunker SxS hammer guns.
If 12 isn't your bag, looks like 20 is the next best thing.
Plus lead isn't 'verboten' for sub gauges - YET.
Just my 2c worth

I love the 16. It has the power of a 20ga and the heft of a 12.



Did I get that right???

I'm a bit of an anachronist. I have a bunch of 16s...several drillings, a Gbr. Adamy SXS, a Rem 870 old corncob, and a Rem 11-48 that looks new, an old single shot Savage 220, and a Stevens bolt action, all in 16 gauge.

I realize that the 3" 20ga will do what the 16 does, but the 20 has become as dull as the 12ga. ...just joking...I love all sporting shotguns that are blue steel and wood.

That boy learned to shoot chuckar with a Savage 220 20ga 64 years ago.

I've been a fan of the 20ga for a long time but have pretty much fazed them out of my collection, instead going with light weight 12's shooting an ounce/28gram loads of 6's. I have a Bernardelli copy of a Churchill XXV all steel and walnut that weighs in a 5 lb 15 oz and a Darne at the same weight that are just a pleasure to carry and lightning to mount. I still have a smattering of 16's but mostly in Drilling and a pretty little Spanish sxs.

I’ve used a Winchester pigeon grade on all in 12 bore. I keep the load size brown never more than 6 32gram, have even used 7.5 24gram as there a load more lead in the air
Have tried 20 and 16 but I like the 12 it’s not that much more in weight.

I have two 16 gauges a browning sweet 16 and a cape gun, the a5 is a beauty to carry and shoot, normaly i use eley trap ammo which is plenty for quail and pheasent. Last season it was my duck gun for a last outing before leads banned.
Browning started making 16s again a few years ago too i see.

I run a U/O 20g for a number of years. It wasn't expensive either, but at 2.6kg, it was ideal for long days climbing around the tops chasing Chukar for days in a row. This year I'm going to run a two and half inch 1936 BSA 12g Side by Side with black powder loads. The gun is proofed, so likely to have a handful of smokeless rounds in my vest too.

Originally Posted by Uplandstalker

I run a U/O 20g for a number of years. It wasn't expensive either, but at 2.6kg, it was ideal for long days climbing around the tops chasing Chukar for days in a row. This year I'm going to run a two and half inch 1936 BSA 12g Side by Side with black powder loads. The gun is proofed, so likely to have a handful of smokeless rounds in my vest too.

The 20g I was shooting for a Yildiz and regreat selling it. I would buy another tomorrow if I needed one.