Nope. The 12-gauge is far more versatile for waterfowl, and a 20-gauge with 3″ loads can essentially match the 16’s best-performing nontoxic ammo options.
What is a 16-gauge best for?
One obvious advantage the 16 gauge has over a 12 gauge is that it weighs less, and guns chambered for this bore size are extremely well-balanced, the best choice for walked-up and migratory hunting, or when hunting with a gun dog.
What gauge is best for duck hunting?
12 gauge
What gauge shotgun do you prefer while duck hunting? The vast majority of those who responded to the survey preferred using a 12 gauge rather than a 20 gauge. In pattern density and shot stringing, the 12 gauge offers a slight advantage over the 20 gauge, especially with larger steel pellet sizes.
What can you shoot with a 16-gauge?
With the advancements in bismuth and tungsten shotshells and choke technology, the 16 can handle any kind of wild game you can legally shoot with a shotgun. Waterfowl, turkeys, grouse, pheasants, rabbits, squirrels, and even deer are all a good fit for the 16-gauge shotgun.
Is 16-gauge or 20 gauge better?
The 16 gauge can pattern heavier payloads better than a 20 gauge. It can handle larger shot sizes with excellent performance where the 20 gauge is stuffed way beyond bore capacity. Most any 16 gauge can handle 1-1/8 oz.
Is the 16-gauge shotgun obsolete?
First, the (sort-of) good news: the 16 gauge shotgun has been dying the same slow death now for about 50 years and it’s not dead yet. It has just made a strategic withdrawal, becoming more of a cult gun and a favorite of smart upland hunters and those willing to load for it.
How powerful is a 16-gauge shotgun?
The 12-gauge shell has a listed muzzle velocity of 1,290 feet per second, while the 16-gauge, which also has an ounce of #6 shot, fires at 1,165 feet per second.
What is the best gun for duck hunting?
- Benelli Super Black Eagle 3 Shotgun. See Photo Gallery.
- Stoeger Industries M3500 Snow Goose Shotgun. See Photo Gallery.
- Franchi Affinity 3 Cerakote Shotgun.
- Mossberg 940 Pro Waterfowl Shotgun.
- Retay Masai Mara Cerakote Shotgun.
- Retay Gordion Extra Black Shotgun.
- CZ 612 Magnum Waterfowl Shotgun.
- Savage Renegauge Prairie Shotgun.
What gun should I use for duck hunting?
For a lot of duck and goose hunting, you’ll use shotgun shells loaded with 1 ¼ ounces of shot or more. These loads generate a lot of recoil. To make their recoil bearable, you’ll want to use a shotgun that weighs at least 7 pounds. If you plan to shoot heavy loads often, close to 8 pounds is better.
Is a 12 or 20-gauge better for duck hunting?
In pattern density and shot stringing, the 12 gauge starts to offer a slight advantage over the 20, especially with larger steel pellet sizes commonly used for waterfowl hunting. All else being equal, a load of pellets started in a proportionately longer column stays in a proportionately longer column.
Are 16-gauge shells hard to find?
While the shells have a reputation for being impossible to find, this is simply not true. You can generally find 16 gauge shells online without a lot of trouble. Anyone living near a population center or a large, big box sporting goods store likewise will probably not have trouble finding 16 gauge.
What happened 16-gauge shotgun?
In the United States, the 16’s loss of popularity is generally blamed on the originators of skeet. When the rules for skeet were drawn up, in 1926, it was decreed that the game would be officially shot with four gauges—12, 20, 28, and . 410—and that left the 16 an orphan.
Is 16-gauge coming back?
After teetering on the edge of obsolescence, the 16-gauge is making something of a comeback, and that’s good news for upland hunters.
What kicks harder a 16-gauge or 20 gauge?
Nearly everyone perceived a bit more kick from the 16 gauge. Many of the more experienced clay shooters noted it was easier to get back on target faster for the second shot with the 20 gauge. There are certainly more shotguns we can test as additional manufactures seem bought into this 16 resurgence.
Is a 16-gauge good for pheasant hunting?
Most 16-gauge loads carry 1 or 1 1/8 ounces of lead shot, which is perfect for everything from quail to pheasants. The biggest advantage, though, is that a 16-gauge shotgun on a 20-gauge frame really is a fantastic compromise for upland hunting.
Is a 16-gauge good for squirrel hunting?
For the upland hunter, the 16 is in my opinion the perfect all species gun. It’s a great gun for the rabbit hunter behind a group of hounds, for the squirrel hunter preferring scatter guns and for the smaller quail and woodcock, grouse and even pheasant – the 16 excels.
What caliber is 16-gauge shotgun?
Sixteen one-ounce lead balls measure . 662 inches, and that is where the 66-caliber 16-gauge gets its name. Modern 16s come in 2 3/4-inch chambering only, while in the past 2 9/16-inch and shorter shells were also popular.
Why is 12-gauge so popular?
The 12 gauge is so popular because it’s powerful enough to hunt most species of game, but the recoil of a 12 gauge is much more manageable than the 10 gauge. A 12 gauge shell also has advantage over the smaller gauges because it has a shorter shot column.
Is there a 4 gauge shotgun?
A 4 gauge shotgun would have a diameter of 1.052″. Compared the 12 gauges .
Which is stronger a 12 gauge or 16-gauge?
A 12-gauge takes a dozen lead balls the size of the barrel. A 16-gauge requires 16, and 28-gauge takes 28 of course. The larger diameter shells of the 12-gauge can hold more powder than the 16-gauge, offering more power down the business end of the shotgun.
What’s the lowest gauge shotgun?
Common shotgun gauges are 10-gauge, 12-gauge, 16-gauge, 20-gauge, and 28-gauge. The smaller the gauge number, the larger the shotgun bore.