16ga.com ~ View topic

Joined: 18 Jun 2008 Posts: 1 Location: Estherville

Anybody here shoot trap on a regular basis with a 16ga and if so what choke and load do you use. Thinking about getting one and want to know what I'm getting myself into besides the usual lack of suitable ammo in my area which makes ordering necessary and the need to reload which I do anyway for 12ga. Since I was a kid for some strange reason I have had a thing for owning one and although no one I know has one nor have I shot one I still have this nagging feeling. Also what kind of recommendations do you guys have for someone new to collecting on brand and such for under $1000
Rick

I shoot a couple rounds of trap/week with my 16 gauge.

I use 1 ounce Remington Game Loads. I use 7-1/2's when I can find factory loads at a decent price. Or, I'll use #7 shot in my reloads (but still an ounce). It's the same load I use for grouse and woodcock hunting.

Oh...by the way...I generally shoot a Mod choke, but sometimes I'll shot I/C from 16 yards. I'm not shooting on a league or anything, so I like to play and experiment.

I generally shoot 1 oz loads of #8's with IM or Full. I think I actually do better with improved modified. I use two cyl bores in my Citori for Skeet. I use other gauges as well but the 16 is my favorite.

Member Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 781

1 oz and a full choke work fine for me...but I like tight chokes.

I shoot 3 different 16 ga A5's and a Parker SxS, for trap I prefer the A5's.

IMO an Auto-5 Standard Sixteen with a 28" barrel would make a great little trap gun.

In pumps, find a nice Model 12 or Ithaca Model 37, both were great pumps, for trap shooting look for 28" barrels minimum in either gun.

Jeff

Member Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 1975

I have a 16 gauge BPS with a 28" barrel that I bought for my son. He didn't like the gun as he says it's to light. I took it to the local preserve and tried it out with the 28" barrel. It swings well and would make a good trap gun Not for me though as a pump may as well be a single shot. With 7/8 oz loads using clays powder it knocks the pheasants down. Just good thing I got them with the first shot. Just can't remember to pump.

Edit. It's an upland special with 28" barrel.

Member Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 376 Location: North ID.

I shot trap this past winter league with a short chambered, short barrelled (26"), IC, model 12, 16 ga. I used RST 7 1/2 loads. They worked well.

A longer barreled, tighter choked gun would probably be better, but I shoot the 12 well, so I used it the majority of the time!

Next year I'll probably use an 11-48, 16 ga that has a longer barrel and is choked more tightly!

Cameron

Gentlemen:

I shoot trap in the spring and summer league at Edwardsville Gun Club in Illinois - have done so for 7 years now. For the last 4 years I have shot a Remington 1100 classic field - 28 inch barrels - mod choke (which is tight). Shoot 25 - 16s and 25 handicaps (usually 20-22 yards) each week. Gun performs flawlessly - have shot straights at 16 and handicap. Yes, I know this is heavy barrel etc..., but for a trap gun works perfectly. I have replaced bead with light pipe for night shooting.

I shoot remington game loads - 1 ounce factory at 16 - and Nobel Sport 1 1/6 ounce loads (blue hull) at handicap distances. Usually use 8s and 7.5s.

and YES, I am the only 16 gauge shooter in the league Wink

Member Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Posts: 1257 Location: Nebraska

I shot my standard A-5 16 during our league this year, 100 targets split 50 at 16yds and 50 at 21yds. Did terrible. The Full choke is something around .035", the thing shoots right where I look, but I could not hit trap targets worth a darn. Have had great success hunting pheasants with the gun but at targets it was horrible. Rather, it was my shooting that was horrible. That's okay, I shoot another gun much better at clays, the A5 is a hunting gun for me and will remain as such. I haven't lost any faith from the trapshooting experience!

kgb

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

What little trap I shoot is done with my A-5. Blue Dot-29gr/1 oz and the SP-16 wad in the AA hull--Grinds 'em up Twisted Evil

The bbl is marked mod but it is a tight mod Shocked

Too tight for a real sport like skeet Wink

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

The last few times out, over 6 months or so, I have used a 16 gauge Ithaca 37, marked modified, sans rib or recoil pad, shooting whatever was laying around (usually Federal or Winchester promo loads in 7 1/2 or 8 shot squirreled away over the years) and my scores have been about the same as with the 12s, or 20s. No league use of late, just informal mornings at the club with who ever is out there.

Quite enjoyable, long as I keep it under 100 rounds, which is standard operating procedure, anyway, as I'm a cheapskate.
Best,
Ted[/quote]

I have not shot trap with a 16 or any other gauge. The reason is that I am not old enough. Thus, I stick to younger men's games like sporting clays and occasionally, skeet when the SC range is closed.

If I make it into my 80s, perhaps I'll take it up like some of the ol' poops I see shooting trap at the club. Razz

Member Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Posts: 1257 Location: Nebraska

OSL, you must be younger than you look! Very Happy

First time I saw you I was wondering why you were shooting SC when a set of golf clubs would have completed your image much better....shows all I know!

kgb

Aww, Kirk...

At an incredibly YOUNG 53, I have YEARS to go before trap shooting enters my future! Laughing

I will admit to taking shooting back up about three years ago after a 20 year absence from the sport, because a back injury was keeping me off the golf course! Very Happy

Rick

Member Joined: 27 Nov 2005 Posts: 258 Location: Nordern MN

If you really wanted to hustle em, throw some trap wood on a 16ga 1100 or 870 - they are 12ga frames, so availability is a snap.

NR

Joined: 05 Jan 2008 Posts: 31 Location: Wisconsin

OSL, You sporting clays guys are all alike. Trap has been around a lot longer than Sporting clays. Most of the really good trap shooters will tell you that sporting clays was invented just so the poorer trap shooters could have a game that allowed them an excuse to miss. A trap shooter that only broke 50% of his targets would be considered a disgrace but you SC guys brag with "I got over half of them" Laughing

RD