When I lived in Louisiana in the 1960, I hunted duck at Pass A Loutre (mouth of the River) with a Ernst Steigleder 16 bore DB gun and always shot my limit, sometimes by 7:00AM. I never felt undergunned by only having 1 1/8 oz shot vrs 1 1/4 oz shot in a 12 ga gun. I used the same gun for dove and quail; it is very responsive.

I also hunted with a 12 bore Remington Model 11 (humpback) and didn;t notioce any difference in performance on ducks; that is, that extra 1/8oz of shot didn't make me a better duck hunter or maybe I just shot the DB gun better. I didn't like the Remington M11 that much.

Now, some 8 years ago for goose hunting with steel shot, I decided to get a Beretta A400 as it would take 3 1/2" shells. I guess I could use bismith shot with a vintage 16 ga gun. I am less concerned about using the Beretta in rough, brackash marshes where I would not want to use a nice, vintage gun.

For what it is worth, the Beretta is a nice shooting gun. I recently used it on a quail hunt, partially because 12 ga shells are less expensive (and I had a supply of 12 ga shells bought before the shortge for a cheap price).