504 
FOREST AND STREAM November, 1921 
THE SIXTEEN GAUGE SHOTGUN 
MUCH OF THE POWER AND RANGE OF THE TWELVE IS COMBINED 
WITH A GOOD SHARE OF THE SNAPPY HANDLING OF THE TWENTY 
By C. S. LANDIS 
T HE 16-gauge gun seems to have 
been especially designed for the 
field-shot of conservative ideas 
who likes a light-weight piece. 
When built to average dimensions it 
combines much of the power and range 
of the 12-gauge with a good share of the 
light weight and snappy handling quali- 
ties of the 20. For these reasons it 
makes a very satisfactory weapon for a 
hunter whose sport does not contain too 
high a percentage of long-range duck- 
shooting and who is not a trap-shooter. 
Its average field-loads of 2)4 drams 
l oz. and 2)4 drams % oz. correspond 
almost exactly in velocity with the 3 
dram ij4 oz. and 3*4 1 Vs oz - charges 
in the 12. The difference in shot charges 
is not enough to give the wide difference 
in density of patterns that is always ob- 
servable between the common field loads 
in the 12 and the 20. In addition a 6^4 
to 7-pound 16-gauge is almost the ideal 
weight of field-gun for many men to 
carry. It is heavy enough to hold 
steadily and is yet not so heavy that it 
is likely to become a burden in hot 
weather or when hunting in hilly coun- 
try. 
In appearance it is ideal. It lacks the 
barrel size and clumsiness of the 12, 
which to many is not overly beautiful 
and yet at the same time it does not go 
to the other extreme of small size and 
stunted barrel proportions noticeable in 
many 20’s. A large man who uses an 
average size 16 does not look as if he 
were shooting a boys’ air rifle as is the 
case with some of the smaller gauges. 
He can use a comfortable weapon and 
yet not feel out of place. 
While the 16-gauge is the ideal field- 
piece in size and handiness of gun and 
shell and in ballistics, it has not attained 
the popularity in the United States of 
the 12 or the 20. Possibly this is because 
we are a radical people. We usually go 
to extremes in our sports as well as in 
our national affairs. We either make 
war without regard to expense or else 
snend our time finding fault with the cost 
of the last one. We have boom times, 
or a panic. Normal times, practices, or 
ideas are too tame for most of us. W e 
go the limit when we do anything and 
therefore most of our sportsmen 
who want a light gun buy a 20. 
For all-round shooting nothing 
can compare equally with the 
12-gauge. For most field shoot- 
ing in hilly countrv it is doubt- 
ful if a better choice than a 16 
can be made. It has quite a 
noticeable advantage in density 
of pattern over the 20 and is a 
close second to the 12 in effec- 
tiveness. 
Probably the greatest draw- 
back to the 16 is the difficulty 
of obtaining ammunition in a 
variety of loads. This is particularly 
so in small towns or in hunting country. 
Nearly every shooter runs out of shells 
occasionally and the owner of the 16 
will be worse off under these circum- 
stances that if he were using either a 
12 or a 20. It is harder to obtain the 
shells at the stores and also more diffi- 
cult to borrow a few from a companion. 
Half choke, 1 oz. No. 7 at 35 yards 
A N examination of a velocity table for 
the 16 shows good velocities for the 
standard factory loads. The accompany- 
ing table was prepared by a leading shell 
concern and shows the following results : 
16-GAUGE VELOCITY TABLE 
Results secured over a range of 40 yards 
with factory-loaded shells with 
<u 
N 
Hercules E. 
CO CO 
C. Powder. 
u u . 
CO 
u 
O <L) 
JZ O A3 
‘"Jo 
Q J5 
O 
XO 
Q N 
CM ^ 
Q ^ 
CGCGU 
CM 
CM 
CM -H 
C\J r-H 
2 
1011 
991 
971 
1031 
1011 
3 
993 
973 
953 
1013 
993 
4 
973 
953 
933 
993 
973 
5 
955 
935 
915 
975 
955 
6 
937 
917 
897 
957 
937 
7 
918 
898 
878 
938 
918 
714 
908 
888 
868 
928 
908 
8 
899 
879 
859 
919 
899 
10 
862 
842 
822 
882 
862 
By comparing this table with the 12- 
gauge tabulation printed in the October 
number of Forest and Stream, we can 
form definite conclusions as to the rela- 
tive killing-power of the various 12 and 
16-gauge loads. In making this com- 
parison we will use No. 7/4 shot in 
field-loads. A charge of 2 J 4 drams and 
Y & oz. of shot develops a velocity over 
40 yards of 888 foot-seconds. In the 
12-gauge it is equalled by the 3 dram 1 
oz. load, which gives us a velocity of 
891 foot-seconds. The 12-gauge charge 
has an advantage of oz. of shot 
which gives it a 15 per cent, advantage 
in killing-power. The respective kill- 
ing-powers of two loads of shot of equal 
size compare as the patterns, if the 
velocities are equal. This is true irre- 
spective of the gauges in which they are 
fired. 
The 2*4 x oz. load of y/i's develops 
868 foot-seconds velocity. It is equalled 
by the 3 dram iji oz. 12-gauge load, 
which is credited with 872 foot-seconds. 
The 12, however, has a 13 per cent, ad- 
vantage in killing-power on account of 
the greater density of pattern. 
In heavier loads we will use No. 6 
shot as a basis of comparison, as they 
are the size most commonly employed 
in charges of this nature. The 2)4 
dram % oz. 16-gauge load goes down the 
line at the rate of 957 foot-seconds. 
This is a snappy load. It develops 18 
foot-seconds more than the 3%. 1 l /i 
12-gauge load, but the 12 has a 29 per 
cent, advantage in pattern. In velocity 
it would be about equal to a load of 3% 
1 oz. or 3 y$ drams i}i oz. in the 12. It 
is a good duck load in the 16 but is one- 
third less powerful than the 3 ) 4 , 1 l /z\ 
load in the 12. 
The 2 24 dram, 1 oz. 16-gauge charge, 
the heaviest one commonly supplied in 
factory loads, which are what 99 per 
cent, of us use, develops 937 foot- 
seconds with 6’s. This load gives us 
919 foot-seconds or 18 less, when used 
in' the 12. As it is a heavy-powder, 
heavy-weight-of-shot load, it should be 
compared with the 3 ) 4 , 1/4 oz - 12-gauge 
load, which develops 959 f- s. velocity 
with 6’s. In addition to being 
22 foot-seconds faster, this 12- 
gauge duck-load has a 25 per 
• cent, advantage in pattern and 
an even greater advantage in 
killing power, because energy 
increases as the square of the 
velocity and directly as the 
weight of the shot charge. 
The 3 %, i % oz. 12-gauge load 
is 2 foot-seconds faster than the 
16-gauge load mentioned and 
has a 12 per cent, advantage in 
pattern. 
( Continued on page 527 ) 
