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Shooting & Reloading - Mausers, Big Bores and others >> Shotguns

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casper50
.400 member

Reged: 18/10/07
Posts: 1445
Loc: Alaska

3" 16 ga.
#369893 - 06/10/22 11:50 AM

Many people question if there were ever any 3" 16 ga shotguns and cartridges ever made. I have a 3" cartridge, British made, and here's a shotgun that sold awhile back at Gavin Gardiner's auction with their description. "ARTHUR TURNER
A FINE 16-BORE (3-INCH) SIDELOCK EJECTOR GUN, NO. 12145
27-inch barrels with 3-inch chambers, about 1/2 and 3/4 choke borings, file-cut Churchill rib, mid extension, the frame, locks and gold numbered top lever with fine scroll engraving and retaining virtually all of its original hardening colour, the maker's name signed within a scrolling banner, gold lined cocking indicators, rolled edge trigger guard, 14 1/4-inch highly figured stock including chequered butt plate, 7lb. 4oz., nitro re-proof, in its canvas case with maker's label". Estimate was 5000-7000 pounds.

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casper50
.400 member

Reged: 18/10/07
Posts: 1445
Loc: Alaska

Re: 3" 16 ga. [Re: casper50]
#369894 - 06/10/22 12:01 PM

I looked at this a little closer and the top lever number looks like a 5 to me. Doubt that but maybe a 3?

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93x64mm
.416 member

Reged: 07/12/11
Posts: 4198
Loc: Nth QLD Australia

Re: 3" 16 ga. [Re: casper50]
#369923 - 06/10/22 10:20 PM

Very nice shotgun there Casper - you're not the only one who'd love to have that in the cupboard!
Very nice indeed!

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DarylS
.700 member

Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 26992
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...

Re: 3" 16 ga. [Re: 93x64mm]
#369933 - 07/10/22 02:48 AM

New one for me. I didn't know there was such a ctg. chambering. I do not think that length 16 bore was ever loaded by an American company, nor Canadian or Australian for that matter.
Thanks.

--------------------
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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casper50
.400 member

Reged: 18/10/07
Posts: 1445
Loc: Alaska

Re: 3" 16 ga. [Re: DarylS]
#369938 - 07/10/22 03:28 AM

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DarylS
.700 member

Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 26992
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...

Re: 3" 16 ga. [Re: casper50]
#369943 - 07/10/22 05:06 AM

Odd! I've never seen those before, casper.
As well, the normal field load for the 2 3/4" 16 bore ammo today and back in the 60's(my hunting buddy then had a Model 12) was/is 1 ounce. That's what the last Federal high brass I bought were loaded with.
I guess from those boxes, the 2 3/4" back at the turn to the 20th century was 7/8oz.??

--------------------
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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casper50
.400 member

Reged: 18/10/07
Posts: 1445
Loc: Alaska

Re: 3" 16 ga. [Re: DarylS]
#369945 - 07/10/22 05:14 AM

Most 16 bore cartridges were loaded at 1 oz

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DarylS
.700 member

Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 26992
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...

Re: 3" 16 ga. [Re: casper50]
#369946 - 07/10/22 05:18 AM

So no reason to have a 3" chamber over a 2 3/4" version.

--------------------
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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lancaster
.470 member

Reged: 06/05/08
Posts: 9033
Loc: There's a lighthouse in the mi...

Re: 3" 16 ga. [Re: DarylS]
#369949 - 07/10/22 06:08 AM

learn something new today, its a good day

--------------------
Norwegian hunter misses moose, shoots man on toilet
.
bringing civilisation to the barbarians

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93x64mm
.416 member

Reged: 07/12/11
Posts: 4198
Loc: Nth QLD Australia

Re: 3" 16 ga. [Re: lancaster]
#369950 - 07/10/22 07:00 AM

Quote:

learn something new today, its a good day

Yes it is!
Amazing amount of knowledge here in this forum over many subjects!

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85lc
.400 member

Reged: 19/01/18
Posts: 1031
Loc: Georgia, USA

Re: 3" 16 ga. [Re: 93x64mm]
#369983 - 08/10/22 02:14 AM

Well, if they did make a 16 ga 3" shell, it would have enough room for 1 1/2 oz of BB shot which would make it a good duck round.
In the 1960s, I hunted ducks with a 16 ga shooting 1 1/8 oz lead shot and was not undergunned.

--------------------
RB

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DarylS
.700 member

Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 26992
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...

Re: 3" 16 ga. [Re: 85lc]
#369992 - 08/10/22 03:23 AM

BB for ducks? I used 5's and 6's mostly - & 4's for long range pass shooting.
I did try 12 guage 1 1/4oz. 7 1/2's for ducks over decoys with open choke after reading an article in gun mag by Peter Capstick. That worked very well, surprisingly, with head and neck hits killing the ducks cleanly, with non in the breast meat.

--------------------
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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DarylS
.700 member

Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 26992
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...

Re: 3" 16 ga. [Re: DarylS]
#370002 - 08/10/22 04:47 AM

Look what I just found. sold by Savage, made in Turkey, O/U 16 bore with 3" chamber.

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2019/04/16/stevens-555e-16-gauge/

--------------------
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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casper50
.400 member

Reged: 18/10/07
Posts: 1445
Loc: Alaska

Re: 3" 16 ga. [Re: DarylS]
#370076 - 09/10/22 10:10 AM

Ah but Daryl where are you going to get the 3" shells?

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DarylS
.700 member

Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 26992
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...

Re: 3" 16 ga. [Re: casper50]
#370077 - 09/10/22 10:13 AM

HA! Not here in Canada that I know of.

--------------------
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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casper50
.400 member

Reged: 18/10/07
Posts: 1445
Loc: Alaska

Re: 3" 16 ga. [Re: DarylS]
#370081 - 09/10/22 11:27 AM

Is anyone making them? Why make a shotgun that can use 3" shells if no one makes the shells?

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eagle27
.400 member

Reged: 24/01/09
Posts: 1164
Loc: Rolleston, Christchurch, New Z...

Re: 3" 16 ga. [Re: casper50]
#370084 - 09/10/22 04:00 PM

In looking to upgrade my 10yo grandson from a single barrel 20g shotgun to an O/U 20g gun ready for next years gamebird season I have had a look at a KOFS O/U in a gunshop. They make a youth version in 20g with a shorter pull and 26" barrels. Well made and finished with very nicely figured Turkish walnut wood. Despite the shorter stock the gun came to my shoulder and pointed extremely well and the action opened and closed smoothly, not like some cheaper guns which are often too tight and clunky.
My grandson recently used the same gun shooting clay targets at an event our family held for one of our son's 30th birthday. He did well with the gun and loved it.

I wouldn't hesitate to have one of the KOFS guns in 12, 16 or 20 gauge. I imagine the manufacturer of the KOFS guns just standardise their chambering to 3" for all gauges, the 16g being the odd one out in so far as 3" cartridges are not currently (or commonly?) available for that gauge.

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DarylS
.700 member

Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 26992
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...

Re: 3" 16 ga. [Re: casper50]
#370109 - 10/10/22 04:09 AM

Quote:

Is anyone making them? Why make a shotgun that can use 3" shells if no one makes the shells?

The previous post might explain this. Nice that 2 3/4" shoot just fine in a 3" chamber, just as 2 3/4" do from my 3 1/2" chambered 12 bore pump.

--------------------
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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2152hq
.300 member

Reged: 20/05/12
Posts: 126
Loc: USA

Re: 3" 16 ga. [Re: DarylS]
#370141 - 10/10/22 11:32 PM

There is a pic of a Win 21 in Schwing's book 'Winchester's Finest, the Model 21'.
That shows the bbl markings on a 16ga 3inch chamber gun.

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