Member
Joined: 12 Mar 2005
Posts: 6535
Location: massachusetts
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Larry Brown wrote this in another thread.
Remingtons . . . if you go back far enough, they actually made a 16ga target hull. However, it also took a different size primer no longer available (unless you can scrounge around and find some in a dusty corner of a gunshop, or at a gun show). I bought 500 of them, primed and unfired, back in the late 70's I think. Reloaded those for quite some time..
Actually, the 16 gauge was commonly used for target work before Winchester and Remington agreed to kill it just after WWII. It was the choise of many top pre-war skeet shooters. A number of championships were won with the 16 over the twelve. the 16, being a tad lighter, was less tiring to shoot for extended matches than a 12, yet every bit as effective with 7/8 ounce loads. This fact is one of the reasons Winchester brass decided it had to go to make room for their 20 ga guns and ammo.
Annie Oakley used the 16 ga. for nearly all of her trap shooting including the famous 1000 target doubles match when she defeated the English champion on his own turf. She knew that there was no real advantage of the 12 over the 16 if 1 ounce loads were used. Her doubles gun was a bit lighter, quicker, and less tiring to shoot than a 12 ga. doubles gun. she just plain wore him out.
Today, the advantages of a 12 gauge gun over the 16 ga in handicap trap targets is obvious. However, for singles and doubles targets, there is no real advantage. The 16 could very well have an advantage over the 12 in quickness if the gun is scaled down slightly and the right ammo is used. don't hold your breath though. American trap is a 12 ga game and always will be. It would be relly something to see someone take a national event with a 16 though. |
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