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Well boys, I had the little gun out for a round or two of low gun skeet at my club yesterday. I'm here to tell you, its everything I'd hoped for and more.

It swings very crisply, and is quick to shoulder and target. The balance is flawless. I'd have to guess its the trimmed down butt stock, but it seems to handle a little better than a 26" Lightning--at least this one does. It comes up nice and flat without a hint of imbalance to muzzle or butt. (Perhaps I can relieve some of the wood from the bolt hole of my old long tang 26" Lightning to get the same feeling in it.)

After I got used to its lighter weight, I just broke bird after bird. I can't wait to try it in the field, so I'm off to Rhode Island next week to try for some late season birds.

Anyway, to the inquiries I've alrready gotten about perhaps selling it-- sorry guys, this one is a keeper. It took me 7 years to find this one. You will have to find your own. Very Happy

16gg, congratulations on finding a winner. It has always amazed me how two guns of the same model and gauge can feel different - - one better than the other.

Hc

Actually HC, the superlight does not have a Bird's head, Prince of wales style grip, but a traditional straight wrist. Why it does on a one trigger gun I do not know. However, the trimmer stock is lighter and the straight wrist adjusts to gloves and heavier clothing a bit easier. This lighter stock configuration helps keep the 26" barrels well balanced. I like a 28" set on a Lightning. However, I know some wood can usually be removed from the relief routing inside of most Citori stocks without any problem or danger of severely weakening the wood. This little trick might help move the balance point a bit more forward on a 26" Lightning model. Anyway, thats the idea.

I also have a .410 and 28 ga Superlight I use as field guns--and a 12 ga that hasn't been out of the rack in probably 10 years except for its semi-annual wipedown. Shame. It's just not a 16. Perhaps I should sell it, but I still like the old gun. If I ever go west to hunt pheasant, I'll probably haul it along for 1-1/2 ounce loads of #4 shot if I need them. Probably won't though. My 16 ga 1-1/4 oz., #4 loads have had that covered pretty well this past decade.

Joined: 19 Jun 2004 Posts: 1480 Location: Mpls, MN.

1 1/2 oz 12 gauge loads? 1 1/4 oz 16 gauge loads? Number 4 shot?

Hey, they are PHEASANTS, not swans, or, F16s. Standard pheasant load for me and my 16 gauge buddies here in the midwest is 1 oz of English 5 or 6s at 1100 FPS or so-the Eley line has one well covered in that range. I use the Gamebore VIP loads at 2 1/2" and 700 BAR without complaint. Even in the 37 Ultra. A side bonus is your vision won't be blurred after the shot.

The heaviest 12 gauge load I ever use is the Eley Super Game 2 1/2" number 6 shot. 32 gram is almost 1 1/8th oz. Hits like lightning out to any range this side of 45 yards or so. Any range longer than that is a shot I wouldn't likely take. On wild pheasants, anyway.

1 1/4 is a nice, light hunting load in a 10 GAUGE upland gun.

I suspect some guys would buy depleted uranium ammunition for birdhunting, if it were available. Wow.
Best,
Ted

1-1/4oz seems a bit stout for a 16; mine'll never see one, anyway. Would kinda ruin the 16's sweet disposition, IMHO. I'll stretch it to 1-1/8 on occasion, but don't feel I really need to.

The 12ga shooters I hunt with shoot 'em as a matter of course, however, and 5's mostly on pheasants. That's pretty much the standard west-Kansas pheasant set-up. I don't really see them as over-powering a 12 too much.

Why would any upland hunter pack a 10ga anyway? Wink

Member Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 3438 Location: Illinois

Boys back off 16 GG---He just wants to make sure the bird is dead Rolling Eyes

at 80 plus yards Twisted Evil

Here in the midwest we first shoot the bird THEN clean them-----It would save time doing both at once though Embarassed

I won't pick at you no more tonight 16GG but many shooters arrive here with too much gun and ruin what birds they do manage to connect with.

Guest

I've never shot more than a 1oz load in any of my 16's. Not needed. Usually 1oz (sometimes 1-1/8oz) in the 12 too, although I hardly shoot the 12 anymore. I took my 20 gauge Gran Lightning out yesterday with 1 oz. 7-1/2 loads and killed every Pheasant dead, dead, dead. Granted, they were preserve birds, but hard fliers and not a gimme. Those 26" barrels were quick!

Member Joined: 31 Oct 2005 Posts: 446 Location: Wisconsin

"Hey, they are PHEASANTS, not swans, or, F16s."

Laughing

-Dick

Hey folks, you shoot your birds with what you want, and I'll shoot my birds with what I want. I use a 1 ounce load of #6 shot for probably 60% to 70% of the birds I do take. As the season progresses and conditions deteriorate, I go to a 1-1/8 ounce load of #5 shot in the top barrel or as second fiddle in the model 37's magazine. In the very worst conditions, I load a 1-1/8 or even a 1-1/4 ounce load of #5 shot followed up with 1 1-1/4 ounce of #4.

These stout loads aren't often used, but in the cases wwere I do use them, those roosters fall dead in the air at longer ranges and under conditions where a 1 ounce load of # 6 shot just ain't enough pumpkin. Its nice to have that kind of confidence in the load to do the job when I pull the trigger.

As for my Citori 16 ga. and all steel model 37, I doubt a small handful of 1-1/4 ounce loads per season are ever going to ruin my guns. I don't shoot dainty doubles or aluminum pump guns that require me to stick my pinkies out like a sissy to shoot them. Cool

I don't need a 5 pound gun to keep me from getting all sweaty and smelly so as not to offend the socialites either.
Laughing

Besideds that, I rarely chip any teeth on any shot left in a bird dumped with #4 shot either. Those big pellets usually blow right on through so cleaning the birds is easier to boot.

And Ted, I think I mentioned before that if you keep getting buzzed by F-16's, you might want to find another place to hunt. Tramping around an Air Force gunnery range is not a wise thing to do... that is if there really are F-16's buzzing you ???? Rolling Eyes

Guest

I'll second the observation that 4's pass through......

Joined: 03 Jul 2005 Posts: 370 Location: Amarillo, Texas

I thought I would throw my two cents worth in. When I am hunting pheasant with a 12 I use an 1-1/4oz of #6s. This season I have only used a Sixteen for pheasant - 1-1/8 oz of 6s shot through cylinder and 28/1000th. I run out of skill before I run out of killing range with either load.

Thanks!

Mike

...and it drives the dogs bonkers trying to bring one to hand Fin.

Mike, I'm not certain you ain't pulling our legs a bit. I here tell everything in Texas is bigger and tougher. Last I heard, there are prehistoric pteradactyl pheasant in West Texas, that you either kill with the first shot or they pick you up and feed you to their young. You sure #6 shot is enough pumpkin for them critters? Wink

Joined: 03 Jul 2005 Posts: 370 Location: Amarillo, Texas

Nope - that is what I use!

Mike