16ga.com ~ View topic - 2021 citori white lightning/gran lightning thoughts

Joined: 07 Jun 2020 Posts: 224

I am going to sound like a heretic.

If the primary purpose is shooting clays, if you are not a reloader, 16 may not be the best choice.

You have to really love 16 gauge to choose it for target games and the volumes of shells required to feed it

I second that^^^

Joined: 08 Feb 2009 Posts: 1307 Location: Western WA

Same here. But I don’t mind all the reloading. I have a little reloading production line going downstairs. Kind of enjoyable actually. Chester supervises. It’s part of my skeet routine.

B.

Joined: 01 Oct 2007 Posts: 962 Location: Minnesota

Joined: 09 Mar 2016 Posts: 753 Location: Mn.

There was a time I would eat beanie wennies much of the week to shoot 2 rounds of skeet on the weekend. And reloading the 12 was the main way to do it as well as the 20. We used to use Red Dot in the 20 back then it was published data.

Bought this 12 pound keg in 83 after taking the Coral Sea around the world and was flush with cash.

Even as recently as 16-17 years ago before going to Mn. ATA State shoot with my son I loaded up 4K rounds for the 2 of us for the week. Which was good he was in several shoot offs and ended up State Class runnerup at the age of 14. Me after loading that many shells on the 9000 couldn't even lift my arm so didn't shoot, it was hard enough to drive to Alex and back. I bought one of Ben's first automates soon after which eventually became the MEC 9000E when they bought him out.

Now days I no longer load for the 12 and 20 but still do for the 16. A lot. We used to shoot 20K rounds a year between the 2 of us. All reloads.

I have no problem with the 16 ga. hulls especially Cheddites. I have thousands of old 12 and 20 ga. hulls even AA CF but am not in love with any of them. When the time comes I chuck them. Same with 16 ga. hulls. The Herters are Cheddite but thinner and don't last as long. Federals are decent enough but the Cheddite new hulls last quite awhile. Of course like everything else they are up in price and just looked they are up to almost $20 a bag now.

I have target guns and field guns. In 12, 16 and 20 and the B. Rizzini Comp 16 is my favorite. Well the Dickinson Plantation Sporters are close runner ups and shoot them more. Because they are SxS guns and more fun!

For the last month have switched over to the FAIR Isides in 16 ga.

Have a 3rd Iside DT 16 ga. not in the picture, those are what I took to the range that day ~a month ago. The Dickinson Sporter 16 ga. to use up Herters if I felt the need to. The Iside guns at 6 pounds you don't really want to shoot much in they way of 1 oz. loads. Like everyone else getting low on DR16 wads so careful how much I shoot them.

After hunting season I will sell all 3 of the Isides and custom order a 2 barrel set Iside. In 16 of course.

But another B. Rizzini, I have 4 of them all target guns two 12's, 16 and a 20, this time in the SxS BR55X configuration is never far from my mind. Maybe it is time. They are too light for a dedicated clays gun but sure would make a heck of a field gun IMO. Especially as they are built on a 20 ga. frame and can be had as a 16/20 combo. I find myself reaching for the 16 ga. guns more times than not for both clays and field. But try to take them all out to the dance.