A 16 gauge for CAS

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

 

I recently came into possession of a Winchester 1200, 16 gauge shotgun.  The person who had it didn't want it anymore, so he gave it to me.  Now, this is my first and as of this writing, only 16 gauge.  I figured I'd just buy a box or two of shells in case I ever wanted to shoot it.  

I never figured on tooling up to reload for it.

BUT....  

I found myself thinking that if I also had a SASS legal shotgun in 16, I'd get some Magtech brass and take it from there.

Well...  I have found three shotguns that have peaked my interest.  A Winchester 97, a Fox Sterlingworth, and an Ithaca Flues Field Grade.   Now, I am normally a 97 guy, I have a 12 Gauge Fox, and I know that they are good guns.   But I am not familiar with the Ithaca.   While it is the least expensive of the three, I just don't know if they are good guns or not.   Can anyone offer any insight into the quality of these guns?

[Hoss]

That Ithaca is a fine old shotgun. I inherited a Nitro Special that I passed into my son. Very similar but steel barrels (not Damascus) 

the huge lug between the barrels is great for lockup, but not easy to quickly reload. 

[Perro Del Diablo]

I love sweet 16 ga my favorite 

[Yul Lose]

I’ve got 3 SxS’s and 12-13 Winchester 1897’s all in 16 gauge. A pard that moved to Arizona a number of years ago gave me a bucket full of 1897 parts, a lot of them 16 gauge, so I guess you could say I’m kinda fond of the 16 gauge.

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

21 hours ago, Yul Lose said:

I’ve got 3 SxS’s and 12-13 Winchester 1897’s all in 16 gauge. A pard that moved to Arizona a number of years ago gave me a bucket full of 1897 parts, a lot of them 16 gauge, so I guess you could say I’m kinda fond of the 16 gauge.

12-13 Wow 

[Tn Tombstone]

Dang Yul, I thought the fact I had two was strange.

I started with a LC Smith 16 double 24 years ago, I have come back to 16's shooting both the LC and a 97.

 

Just glad I bought a lot of shells back when they were the same as 12 ga.

[watab kid]

i know a lot of trap sahooters that have them , they work well , some reload regularly - they shoot them , those that dont reload are less inclined , as to SASS i see no reason why not save that i like my shotgun 20" or so , that begs the question do you want to cut your 16ga off , if not have at it , if so have at it , if i had a 16ga it would have been a family heirloom , i would not be inclined myself , 

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

had 2 , uncut , had then reblued , new stocks and forearms , 

 

the girls love em , have to get 2 of everything , to keep the girls happy 

 

  CB 

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

17 hours ago, watab kid said:

i know a lot of trap sahooters that have them , they work well , some reload regularly - they shoot them , those that dont reload are less inclined , as to SASS i see no reason why not save that i like my shotgun 20" or so , that begs the question do you want to cut your 16ga off , if not have at it , if so have at it , if i had a 16ga it would have been a family heirloom , i would not be inclined myself , 

 

Heh heh.   That's the wrong question to ask me.    My primary Main Match shotgun is a 97 with a 30" barrel.   My secondary is a Parker with a 30" barrel, F/F chokes..  My third choice is a Winchester 87 with, guess what, a 30" barrel.   Those are all 12 gauge.  Up next would be a 28" Parker with F/M in 20 gauge.  Sensing a pattern?  Now, I'll admit that once in a great while I'll use a 20" 97, a 19" Parker, or an 18.5" 87, (12's) but those are for when I am feeling a need to do something different.  The 16's I am looking at all have 30" or 28" barrels, and while I would use 'em for SASS, they would never be cut.

[Sasparilla Groz]

My daughter has a 16 gauge 1897 that she loves.   If it fits use it!

[Newt Ritter]

Yul, are all of those 12-13 97's in, more or less, working condition?  I "have" about 16 of them, but four of them are now nothing but parts donors for the other ones.  Of my 12 working guns, about 7 are quality enough to use in CAS, the others are too rough, don't always extract, don't eject strongly enough, or some other such problem.

 

Just wanted to let you know you aren't the only crazy person out there.

 

[Yul Lose]

21 minutes ago, Newt Ritter said:

Yul, are all of those 12-13 97's in, more or less, working condition?  I "have" about 16 of them, but four of them are now nothing but parts donors for the other ones.  Of my 12 working guns, about 7 are quality enough to use in CAS, the others are too rough, don't always extract, don't eject strongly enough, or some other such problem.

 

Just wanted to let you know you aren't the only crazy person out there.

 

I feel much better now, I’m not the only one. I’ve used most of them in CAS matches BUT, there are a few that are pretty much part guns. I had one that the hook screw broke on and in order to get the end of the screw out I drilled a 5/16” hole in the left side of the receiver. After I took it apart and fixed it it became one of my favorite match 97’s.

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

Okay....

In order of acquisition....

 

1.  Winchester 97, 20" barrel.  My original main match shotgun.

2. IAC 97 Trench Gun.  Obtained to be part of my military long guns collection.  Even have a bayonet for it, and shot a round of Wild Bunch with it attached.

3. Winchester 97, 30" barrel.  Wanted to get a long barrel 97, just to have one.  It quickly became my favorite main match shotgun.  I'll admit that this one is also the most worn of everything in my collection.  But it still works flawlessly.

4. IAC 93/97.  20" barrel.  Figured this was a close as I'd ever get to a real 93, so I got it, even though it's not SASS legal for some bizarre reason.   I just wish it had a longer barrel.  

5. Winchester 93, 30" barrel.   When I found this, with a $280 price tag, I had to buy it.  Okay, it's not a 97, but it's in the family.  Again, not SASS Legal, but so what?  The finish looks its age, but mechanically, the thing is flawless.  I don't think it's been fired all that much, or in decades.  I will load up some black powder shells to shoot it, eventually.

6. Winchester Black Diamond Trap model.  Another 30" barrel, of course.  This is in mechanically perfect condition.  Finish is nice, but old.  Likely to become my main Main Match shotgun with time.

And that's all I have, so far.  If I get a 16 gauge 97, that'll be the 7th.