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< 16ga. General Discussion ~ 16 Gauge 2 1/2" shells getting real hard to purchase |
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Posted:
Tue Sep 21, 2021 1:52 am
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Joined: 12 Sep 2010
Posts: 1975
Location: Maine
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3birddogs wrote: |
I am an unabashed hull whore. Picked a couple hundred beautiful purple RST hulls out of the trash while shooting at the Vintagers in Pa. this week. Didnt stop there, also picked up alot of 2 1/
2" 20's and 12's. I load only 2 1/2' for my 16's these days.,
RST did have shells for sale there, picked up some short 20's for a friend.
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I've been saying it for years: "The day is going to come when you're going to look back and say 'OMG, we threw away all those hulls. What were we thinking?'"
Personally, I'm kinda regretting buying a Lee Load-all as opposed to springing for a MEC. That's because 2.5 inch shells on a Lee is ... not that feasible. And loads with less than 1 ounce of shot ... likewise.
But, when stuff was available, I did get the Lee Loaders in 12, 16 and 20. Worse comes to worst, I can roll 'em one at a time. |
_________________ “A man’s rights rest in three boxes: the ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box.”
Frederick Douglass, November 15, 1867, speech in Williamsport, Pa. |
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Posted:
Tue Sep 21, 2021 4:06 am
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Joined: 17 Oct 2019
Posts: 456
Location: New Jersey
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I have a Jr in 16 and love it as well as a 12. I traded my 28 for a Remington 760. If you have a 12 gauge, which are for sale everywhere you can buy a 16 gauge die set for it. This is of course if you can’t find a 16 Jr. Hopefully you can find a die kit. |
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Posted:
Tue Sep 21, 2021 4:33 am
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I no longer have a short-chambered 16, but I have 1,200 short hulls that I keep in the shooting rotation just because. It's a good yearly amount for my light SxS's. My Sizemaster with the short kit takes more time, but I have plenty being retired and living in the colder latitudes. My MEC 9000 cranks out the big volume of 16 ga. loads for my Rizzini Comp 16 O/U.
If you're serious about shooting the 16 gauge much you have to amass hulls and wads. |
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Posted:
Tue Sep 21, 2021 1:58 pm
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Joined: 17 Mar 2017
Posts: 2812
Location: Endless Mountains of Pa
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double vision,
I use to think the same way until RST & Poly came out with their 16 gauge 2 1/2" shells. However with what is now taking place at the current time, we maybe back into your way of thinking. I wanted so badly to quit rolling my own 16 & 20 gauge 2 1/2" shell that I may have acted too soon on selling my MEC progressive. I guess we will see this next coming season, whether getting rid of my MEC was a good or bad idea.
The lack of good shells on both the Net and in the stores is definitely a concern.
all the best,
Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man |
_________________ "L.C. Smith America's Best" - John Houchins
Pine Creek Grouse Dog Trainers |
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Posted:
Wed Sep 22, 2021 5:19 pm
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Joined: 12 Sep 2010
Posts: 1975
Location: Maine
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Lloyd3 wrote: |
[url=https://imgur.com/6OgrD5P]
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Non-16s work too.
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Nice, Lloyd. Do tell about the gun.
And if that means you've tired of that 16ga Jeff, do give me a PM. |
_________________ “A man’s rights rest in three boxes: the ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box.”
Frederick Douglass, November 15, 1867, speech in Williamsport, Pa. |
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Posted:
Wed Sep 22, 2021 6:46 pm
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Joined: 17 Jan 2014
Posts: 1388
Location: Denver, Colorado
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Hi Dave:
It's a 28-bore Dickenson I've been working on lately (on their .410 frame). Weighs 5lbs5 and fits me shockingly well. It's my back-up gun this year for when my 16 RSTs run low.
[url=https://imgur.com/ALJfbnO]
[/url]
BTW: it's a W. Richards (not a Jeffrey) and still works as well as ever. This was today.
[url=https://imgur.com/Y7MLF1N]
[/url]
also today. |
Last edited by Lloyd3 on Wed Sep 22, 2021 7:15 pm; edited 1 time in total _________________ 'Tis better to burn out than it is to rust...... |
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Posted:
Wed Sep 22, 2021 6:57 pm
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Joined: 17 Mar 2017
Posts: 2812
Location: Endless Mountains of Pa
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Lloyd3,
Great pictures buddy, love the Grouse and the double gun and the picture driving down the big tram road!
all the best,
Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man |
_________________ "L.C. Smith America's Best" - John Houchins
Pine Creek Grouse Dog Trainers |
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Posted:
Thu Sep 23, 2021 6:45 pm
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Joined: 17 Jan 2014
Posts: 1388
Location: Denver, Colorado
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The hits keep coming! Nice mixed-phase bird today...
[url=https://imgur.com/7pQkykr]
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My steed today:
[url=https://imgur.com/HAMZhHW]
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[url=https://imgur.com/LB3yJjI]
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My FILs ancient Ford (now mine again). |
_________________ 'Tis better to burn out than it is to rust...... |
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Posted:
Sat Sep 25, 2021 1:38 pm
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Joined: 17 Mar 2017
Posts: 2812
Location: Endless Mountains of Pa
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Lloyd3,
Nice shooting and beautiful Grouse, can't wait for the season to open here in the eastern part of the USA!
all the best,
Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man |
_________________ "L.C. Smith America's Best" - John Houchins
Pine Creek Grouse Dog Trainers |
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Posted:
Sat Sep 25, 2021 6:02 pm
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Joined: 17 Oct 2019
Posts: 456
Location: New Jersey
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Upstate NY is open. I’ll be there later this week. |
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Posted:
Sat Sep 25, 2021 8:19 pm
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Joined: 17 Mar 2017
Posts: 2812
Location: Endless Mountains of Pa
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Swampy16,
When did the NY Grouse season open this year? I may have to get an NY Small Game license! I thought the early Grouse season for NY was way up north 7A area and above. If I remember everything down along the Pa border opens up in October.
all the best,
Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man |
_________________ "L.C. Smith America's Best" - John Houchins
Pine Creek Grouse Dog Trainers |
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Posted:
Sun Sep 26, 2021 4:36 am
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Joined: 17 Oct 2019
Posts: 456
Location: New Jersey
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The lower half opens 10-1 and yes if you draw a line from from 7A across the state, it’s from there up. Not a horrible drive but if you’re retired it may be worth it to check out the west side of that region. |
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Posted:
Sun Sep 26, 2021 10:02 am
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Joined: 17 Mar 2017
Posts: 2812
Location: Endless Mountains of Pa
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Swampy16,
My buddy Galen W lives up in that area and he advised me that the Grouse hunting numbers have fallen off in the NY up state area, he comes to hunt Grouse here in Potter County, Pa with me each season now. Galen is a little older than me and has been Grouse hunting that area sense he was a boy. He carries a 16 gauge Westley Richards Drop Lock double gun in the Grouse woods most of the time. He is a very serious Grouse & Woodcock hunter, much like myself. If I hunt NY this season it will be down long the Pa border in the big forest.
all the best,
Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man |
_________________ "L.C. Smith America's Best" - John Houchins
Pine Creek Grouse Dog Trainers |
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Posted:
Sun Sep 26, 2021 11:10 am
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Joined: 17 Oct 2019
Posts: 456
Location: New Jersey
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I’ve never hunted that part of NY. |
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Posted:
Sun Sep 26, 2021 11:47 am
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Joined: 17 Mar 2017
Posts: 2812
Location: Endless Mountains of Pa
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Swampy16,
I am by no means telling you not to Grouse hunt in that area, I am just saying it is not what it use to be in over all Grouse population, this comes right from my buddy Galen, I quit hunting that area many many years ago. Now and then I will get a late season NY hunting license to hunt Grouse just across the Pa border. Leaving my hand gun at home to due so rubs me the wrong way, so lately I have not purchased a NY hunting license. Ending my Grouse season just before Christmas is a pup bummer however. If I go down off the mountain to our main home in Murrysville, I can Grouse hunt the northern part of WVa. No gun control in that state, so I prefer to give them my money instead of NY.
all the best,
Pine Creek/Dave
L. C. Smith Man
Childhood memories hunting with my Grandfather, a chance for a true mixed double. Potter County, Pa mountain memories. We still hunt that covert even today, Galen and I killed a Grouse in it the last time he visited.
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_________________ "L.C. Smith America's Best" - John Houchins
Pine Creek Grouse Dog Trainers |
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