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<  16ga. Guns  ~  Got my first 16ga. Hungarian FEG Monte Carlo
thegentlemanssidekick
PostPosted: Mon Nov 30, 2020 7:42 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 12 Aug 2020
Posts: 9
Location: Fayette-nam

Growing up in rural Ohio, I was exposed to the 16ga from a young age. My Grandfather always had a 16 gauge. After he passed, my dad held onto my grandpa's Iver Johnson single shot 16. I always loved walking around the countryside with it in tow. It made me feel more connected to my grandpa even though he was gone.

I enlisted in the Army right out of high school and got stationed at Bragg in NC. I didn't trust the unit armorers to hold onto anything of value so I didn't get any firearms for a while. My contract finished this year and I sold a bunch of leave days back and decided to get a 16 gauge of my own.

I spent a while looking for a SxS and I almost got a Tula from the 1920s but the guy sold it before I could make an offer. Then I found this FEG Monte Carlo.





By my research, it appears to be early 50s manufacture. The wood is in great shape and the barrel is in decent shape. I took it to the clay range and it points really well. I'm a smaller frame guy (5'6" 150lbs) and the length of pull is perfect for me. I will say, after going through a box of shells... my shoulder was not happy. Had a nice stock shaped bruise for a couple days.

Overall, I really like the gun, both for the classic look and the nostalgia.

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"16 gauge was ordained by God to be the Superior Race." -Thomas Jefferson... probably.
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Carlos
PostPosted: Mon Nov 30, 2020 9:15 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 21 May 2010
Posts: 602
Location: Victoria BC Canada

Stock bruise from a 16 ga.? I suspect you were not shouldering it snug enough? You are quite used to 5.56mm recoil, I'll bet.
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thegentlemanssidekick
PostPosted: Mon Nov 30, 2020 10:09 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 12 Aug 2020
Posts: 9
Location: Fayette-nam

Carlos wrote:
Stock bruise from a 16 ga.? I suspect you were not shouldering it snug enough?


Probably. I admit, I am a shotgun amateur. I need to practice more. Next time I'll try and shoulder it with puissance.

Carlos wrote:
You are quite used to 5.56mm recoil, I'll bet.


Or lack thereof. Haha. Though most of my time was spent on a radio talking to some deaf arty guy or a JTAC who thought he was John Wick incarnate (but we all know he isn't).

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"16 gauge was ordained by God to be the Superior Race." -Thomas Jefferson... probably.
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T-Bone
PostPosted: Mon Nov 30, 2020 10:53 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 31 May 2009
Posts: 153
Location: Orofino, Idaho

Have you or a gunsmith measured the chamber length? Being European, I doubt it is 2 3/4"; most likely 2 1/2".

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I have more 16ga. shotguns than I need, but fewer than I want...At present: DeHaan S2, Remington M31L, Remington Wingmaster 870.
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thegentlemanssidekick
PostPosted: Tue Dec 01, 2020 7:36 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 12 Aug 2020
Posts: 9
Location: Fayette-nam

T-Bone wrote:
Have you or a gunsmith measured the chamber length? Being European, I doubt it is 2 3/4"; most likely 2 1/2".


It is 2 3/4". The dealer I purchased it from measured it and it chambers and shoots them fine.

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"16 gauge was ordained by God to be the Superior Race." -Thomas Jefferson... probably.
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nj gsp
PostPosted: Tue Dec 01, 2020 4:56 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Aug 2007
Posts: 437
Location: WI

You may want to have the chambers checked again, just to be sure.

I like to use the RST Lite loads for bird hunting with all the lightweight 16's I have, regardless of chamber length. They lack the pressure necessary to cycle some autoloaders, but in a double they are perfect.

If you shoot a round of trap with field loads and a light gun, you may very well have some bruising on the shoulder.

And you get bonus points for your somewhat archaic choice of English words. Well done.
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FlyChamps
PostPosted: Tue Dec 01, 2020 8:50 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 370
Location: Columbia, SC

What loads are you shooting?

My wife has a Spanish 16 gauge that fits her. She shoots standard target loads (1 oz at 1165 or 1200 FPS) OK but 1 oz at 1300 FPS kicks the crap out of her (and me, for the record).

1. Be sure the gun fits you.
2. Shoot ONLY 1 oz at 1200 FPS or less - more doesn't kill more birds or break more targets but does hurt you.

If it still beats you up your shooting form is off.
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thegentlemanssidekick
PostPosted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 8:07 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 12 Aug 2020
Posts: 9
Location: Fayette-nam

nj gsp wrote:
You may want to have the chambers checked again, just to be sure.

I like to use the RST Lite loads for bird hunting with all the lightweight 16's I have, regardless of chamber length. They lack the pressure necessary to cycle some autoloaders, but in a double they are perfect.

If you shoot a round of trap with field loads and a light gun, you may very well have some bruising on the shoulder.

And you get bonus points for your somewhat archaic choice of English words. Well done.


I just checked it again and the chamber is about 1/2" longer than a 2 3/4" shell. So based off my understanding (which is admittedly limited) I think that means it's kosher.

I will definitely look into those RST loads. I would like a lighter shooting round for practice.

I appreciate the compliment on my verbiage. Most people just think I'm a weirdo. Laughing

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thegentlemanssidekick
PostPosted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 8:10 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 12 Aug 2020
Posts: 9
Location: Fayette-nam

FlyChamps wrote:
What loads are you shooting?

My wife has a Spanish 16 gauge that fits her. She shoots standard target loads (1 oz at 1165 or 1200 FPS) OK but 1 oz at 1300 FPS kicks the crap out of her (and me, for the record).

1. Be sure the gun fits you.
2. Shoot ONLY 1 oz at 1200 FPS or less - more doesn't kill more birds or break more targets but does hurt you.

If it still beats you up your shooting form is off.


I currently shoot Estate 1 1/8 oz at 1295 FPS.

I will definitely look into getting some lighter loads before going to the range.

Thank you for the advice.

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"16 gauge was ordained by God to be the Superior Race." -Thomas Jefferson... probably.
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Savage16
PostPosted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 9:32 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 30 Nov 2011
Posts: 1694
Location: Minnesota

Are you familiar with the manufacturers practice of stamping the barrel flats with the chamber length. If yours has it , it might say 65,67, or 70 representing length in mm. 70=2 3/4. A picture of the flats would help us help you look for it.
Did the shop measure the chokes for you?
A 1 1/8 oz at 1295 is a heavy field load. I'm about your size and the thought of that load for trap brings tears to my eyes-ouch Crying or Very sad The Estates are the same as Federals and their 1oz loads are known to be one of the softest feeling recoil wise 1ozers available. Or, start reloading and we'll help you with making 7/8 ozers!

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Gil S
PostPosted: Thu Dec 03, 2020 3:29 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 04 Mar 2008
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Location: Lowcountry Ga.

A friend has a 12 ga. made by the same company. It is a sturdy, well made gun. The ejector system is a unique self-contained system that can be easily removed from the forend to allow simple extraction. Does yours have this feature? Gil
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thegentlemanssidekick
PostPosted: Thu Dec 03, 2020 11:27 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 12 Aug 2020
Posts: 9
Location: Fayette-nam

Savage16 wrote:
Are you familiar with the manufacturers practice of stamping the barrel flats with the chamber length. If yours has it , it might say 65,67, or 70 representing length in mm. 70=2 3/4. A picture of the flats would help us help you look for it.
Did the shop measure the chokes for you?
A 1 1/8 oz at 1295 is a heavy field load. I'm about your size and the thought of that load for trap brings tears to my eyes-ouch Crying or Very sad The Estates are the same as Federals and their 1oz loads are known to be one of the softest feeling recoil wise 1ozers available. Or, start reloading and we'll help you with making 7/8 ozers!


I'll have to check the receiver to see if they stamped it.

They did not measure the chokes. I have a set of calipers, is there a way to do that myself?

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thegentlemanssidekick
PostPosted: Thu Dec 03, 2020 11:29 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 12 Aug 2020
Posts: 9
Location: Fayette-nam

Gil S wrote:
A friend has a 12 ga. made by the same company. It is a sturdy, well made gun. The ejector system is a unique self-contained system that can be easily removed from the forend to allow simple extraction. Does yours have this feature? Gil


That it does. I like the ejector though. It adds some dramatic effect.

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"16 gauge was ordained by God to be the Superior Race." -Thomas Jefferson... probably.
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Charles Hammack
PostPosted: Tue Dec 08, 2020 10:28 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 02 Feb 2007
Posts: 1729
Location: Central Missouri

Nice olé guns ,

1/2 oz , 5/8 oz or 3/4 will make the olé girl calm right down .

No pain is a wonderful feeling.

Regards , Nick
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Ruff Hunter
PostPosted: Mon Dec 14, 2020 1:47 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 15 Dec 2011
Posts: 156

thegentlemanssidekick wrote:
Gil S wrote:
A friend has a 12 ga. made by the same company. It is a sturdy, well made gun. The ejector system is a unique self-contained system that can be easily removed from the forend to allow simple extraction. Does yours have this feature? Gil


That it does. I like the ejector though. It adds some dramatic effect.


Nice gun. Yugoslavian manufacture? I played with a few of them at KTP in the past. I liked it and would probably would of ended up with one of them but I lucked out and found a 16GA BRNO instead.

It will lose a little weight if you remove the ejector. Nice option if you are carrying it all day. Personally I prefer extractors because I don't have to go looking for empty shells. Leave no foot print right. Also makes for quicker reloading, at least for me, if a covey is going on at a time.

Removing them though will effect the balance point though, but I bet only slightly.

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Thats right, I'm an armed liberal (SORT OF) and I like to shoot furry little critters.... and I kill 'em with:
12Ga LC Smith
16Ga Fox Sterlingworth
16Ga BRNO
20Ga LC Smith
20Ga Miroku x2 (Model F & Model 500)
28Ga AYA 4/53 (bucket list item #6)
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