Home Forums Birds & Dogs Upland Game Any 16 guage users.

Any body have any experience with Polywads Vintager, 16ga, 2 1/2" shells? They're light, low pressure loads for old shotguns with 2 1/2" chambers.

Eldorado, if you ask this question over at the DoublegunsBBS forum on www.Gunshop.com, you will get a quick answer, I'm sure. Lots of short-chambered 16s in use by people who post there. Wait a bit; the forum was down for service when I tried earlier today.

An article that I read recently stated the short chamber really isn't a problem as far as pressure goes. The almost new NEF I just looked at had a 2 1/2" chamber.

I'm 46 and have two, a model 12 and just picked up a beautiful Sweet Sixteen (spotless, round knob, vent rib, mod. choke). I haven't carried the A-5 afield yet, but a few rounds of Clays reminded me of my daddy's old A-5 12 gauge that he used for everything from squirrels to ducks.....I don't think he ever knew the choke). That action bring back good memories. I've never mastered the pump, but it's a cool vintage slider.
Don

I very much need a 16 guage Model 12..

Am thinking you need an A-5 Sweet Sixteen more... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Though the M-12 is never bad.

I went back and bought the 16. It has a 2 3/4" chamber. Sorry!

I have a 1941 vintage M12 and a 1950 vintage Ithaca 37...

Steelhead..If you're looking for a shooter M12 16 gauge, I know where there's one for $275 with a solid rib...

Somebody put a POS trap style aftermarket buttstock on it, but if you bought it right and replaced the stock with a more proper one, it would make a nice shooter..

Had not thought of it that way Kid but I am a Mac Computer guy also...

My LC Smith now wear's a custom fit straight grip English walnut by Wenig Custom Gunstocks. Made the trip a couple weeks ago with my Dad. Wonderful people at Wenig's. Great experience all around.

Just gotta get busy with the finishing on it.

Later
KDK

I don't shoot 16 ga anymore <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> but I have used Polywad Vintagers in 12 ga. Good, low recoil and low pressure loads.

I also like Polywad's Doublewide shell. It is a low pressure load that is intended to give a pattern at least twice as wide as a non-spreader shell, and it does. I have a 12 ga that is bored .044 x .040, and the Doublewides turn it into a skeet gun. No. 8 shot only in the DW, but what else do you want for woods quail, woodcock, or ruffed grouse?

16 ga is my favorite, as well as my Dad's favorite. He's got a pair of SxS 16's. I'm alternating between a 60's era Ithaca 37 and a 20's era Browning A5, both in 16. Got a limit of pheasants here in NE late last year with the Ithaca, and nailed a rabbit late last year with the A5.

Here's mine and a big Rio tom I took with it last spring. Called him into about 25 yards and rolled him with a load of 6's.
[img][image]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v282/Blacktail53/Allen06bigtom.jpg[/img][/image]

It's an old Win 1897 made in 1900 and gifted to me by my late elk hunting mentor.

Other than browning, who makes a nice 16 gauge over and under?

Anybody using one? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Nice bird! Killed my first with a Winchester 97 about 17 years ago.

I use two 16 gauges, both inherited from my dad. One is a Model 12 full choke and the other is an A-5 also full choke. The A-5 fits me like it was custom made and I use it for pheasants, chukar and quail. Last Saturday I shot 8 pheasant, 9 chukar and 6 quail with it with one box of shells. These were club planted birds that held tight for my Brittany. If they were wild birds, I probably would have used three boxes and got half the birds. FYI - I am 49 years old.

P.S. I missed a shot at a running jack rabbit and cut loose with three wiffs at a crow.