Sweet 16

[RUGER]

Thought @Kimber45 might like this.
76 year young gentleman had this Belgium made sweet 16 in the pit yesterday.
Rough watching it get snowed on but that's what they were made for.

One guy offered him $1,500 on the spot and the man just laughed .

 

[Displaced_Vol]

Any idea how old it was @RUGER and what was he shooting out of it?

 

[RUGER]

Any idea how old it was @RUGER and what was he shooting out of it?

No sir I didn't ask.
I looked at one of his hulls and they were so old there wasn't any lettering left on them.
I'm gonna say it was from the late 50s.

 

[Gravey]

I love those old A5's. My grandfather had the sweet 16 and Light 12. Before he passed he told my dad to come get his guns. I told my brother I wanted those 2 and he could have everything else but if he wanted one we'd split them. He said take them. That was probably 2003 or 2004 as my grandfather died in 2005. Fast forward to a couple years ago and my aunt told me to come look through my uncle's guns (he died in 2015) and as I was going through them found the sweet 16, light 12, and 20 ga. They went home with me and I gave my grandfather's 2 to my brother. Haven't shot these but did dove hunt a couple times with my grandfather's 12 and 16.

 

[Displaced_Vol]

No sir I didn't ask.
I looked at one of his hulls and they were so old there wasn't any lettering left on them.
I'm gonna say it was from the late 50s.

Hahah 10-4
Gorgeous gun. I figured he was shooting bismuth or one of those other steel alternatives.
Very cool and no I wouldn't have let one go for $1500 either in good shape.

 

[RUGER]

Hahah 10-4
Gorgeous gun. I figured he was shooting bismuth or one of those other steel alternatives.
Very cool and no I wouldn't have let one go for $1500 either in good shape.

Purple hulled federal.

 

[Kimber45]

I cringe every time I see one possibly loaded with steel shot. Have seen a lot of barrel bulges (and worse). I'd be taking the possible ticket for slingin lead vs ruining that beaut for sure! Almost everyone I grew up hunting with had an A5 in the blind. I was shooting a borrowed Wingmaster Magnum my 1st season - and had bought my own by the next. My 1st season hunting a blind would've been 1976. However, killed a few in 75 with an old Steven's single shot - and that thing kicked so hard it made you decide real damn quick if you were serious about huntin, or not .. I still enjoy seeing folks hunt those old guns. I know a fella who has dozens on top of dozens of A5's.. Oh.. and the 1st duck I ever had mounted - I shot with a Remington model 11 (A5 copy) in 16 gauge.

 

[DaveTN]

I don't own a gun I won't shoot. I think it's great to see that gun used for what it was designed for instead of taking up space in a safe.

 

[mike243]

First gun bigger than a 410 I shot was a sweet16, was busting brown beer bottles at 6-7 years old. never owned 1.

 

[Union Co. Boy]

I'm glad to see her getting put to good use! However, I can't imagine taking mine to the duck blind and using anything other than lead in her! I don't blame him for turning down that offer. Mine isn't for sale either.

 

[WilcoKen]

Sounds like my kind of guy. Beautiful gun. I use a 50 year old Wingmaster 20 gauge myself. Love the old shotguns.

 

[RUGER]

Best part was his waxed filson jacket.

 

[RUGER]

I'm glad to see her getting put to good use! However, I can't imagine taking mine to the duck blind and using anything other than lead in her! I don't blame him for turning down that offer. Mine isn't for sale either.

I wouldn't be surprised in the least if he was using #6 lead.

 

[TheLBLman]

Now I'm thinking I REALLY need to take you up on the offer to go duck hunting before the season ends Just to see what some of yore rich buddies might offer for my Sweet 16.
I thought about getting some bismuth shells, but maybe some #9 TSS might be the stuff?

I have a complete set of barrels from Cylinder to Full, along with a Buck Special barrel.
The Sweet 16 was once my "go-to" gun for everything from quail, squirrels, ducks, to deer.

76 year young gentleman had this Belgium made sweet 16 in the pit yesterday.
One guy offered him $1,500 on the spot and the man just laughed .

I would also just laugh at a $1,500 offer for one of mine.

Oh.. and the 1st duck I ever had mounted - I shot with a Remington model 11 (A5 copy) in 16 gauge.

Similar here.
The 1st duck I ever had mounted - I shot with a Remington model 11 (A5 copy) in 20 gauge. That was my 1st shotgun. Also killed my first deer with it, actually about my 1st everything. Saved up my money and bought a Belgium Browning Sweet-16 when I myself was 16 yrs old.

When I bought the Sweet 16, my uncle then bought my Model 11 20 ga from me, then years later, he left it to me in his will, along with his Sweet 16.

I can't imagine taking mine to the duck blind and using anything other than lead in her!

The last few times I've taken a Sweet 16 afield has been bird hunting over some world-class dogs with some avid bird hunters who appreciate the heritage of the 16 gauge as the southern gentleman's favorite gauge for most everything.

When I bought my Sweet 16, I spent more my hunting time quail hunting than for any other game.
Now we have no quail. Such a shame most of you have never experienced bird hunting with good bird dogs, and lots of quail (wild quail, not some hard to flush, weak flying pen-raised birds).

 

[TheLBLman]

I wouldn't be surprised in the least if he was using #6 lead.

That was what I grew up using for ducks & squirrels - same shells carried over for either.
Later, I would use those same shells for turkey.

 

[Union Co. Boy]

I wouldn't be surprised in the least if he was using #6 lead.

One of the guys I hunt with went to Argentina and said that #6 lead would absolutely crush ducks. He said the difference was unbelievable.

 

[Union Co. Boy]

Now I'm thinking I REALLY need to take you up on the offer to go duck hunting before the season ends Just to see what some of yore rich buddies might offer for my Sweet 16.
I thought about getting some bismuth shells, but maybe some #9 TSS might be the stuff?

I have a complete set of barrels from Cylinder to Full, along with a Buck Special barrel.
The Sweet 16 was once my "go-to" gun for everything from quail, squirrels, ducks, to deer.


I would also just laugh at a $1,500 offer for one of mine.


Similar here.
The 1st duck I ever had mounted - I shot with a Remington model 11 (A5 copy) in 20 gauge. That was my 1st shotgun. Also killed my first deer with it, actually about my 1st everything. Saved up my money and bought a Belgium Browning Sweet-16 when I myself was 16 yrs old.

When I bought the Sweet 16, my uncle then bought my Model 11 20 ga from me, then years later, he left it to me in his will, along with his Sweet 16.

The last few times I've taken a Sweet 16 afield has been bird hunting over some world-class dogs with some avid bird hunters who appreciate the heritage of the 16 gauge as the southern gentleman's favorite gauge for most everything.

When I bought my Sweet 16, I spent more my hunting time quail hunting than for any other game.
Now we have no quail. Such a shame most of you have never experienced bird hunting with good bird dogs, and lots of quail (wild quail, not some hard to flush, weak flying pen-raised birds).

I've hunted my Sweet 16 for birds and small game. Actually got to take some quail from wild coveys back in the 80's. Just a personal preference not to haul her to the duck blind. The Sweet 16 really does feel like a piece of history when you carry it.

 

[TheLBLman]

My grandfather was a market hunter for ducks back in the 1920's & 30's. He mainly used #6 shot "heavy" loads, and ran most of that thru 16 gauge guns. I'm thinking the earlier Browning 16 gauges were not labeled "Sweet 16s".

I think part of their thinking back then was the 16, "carries like a 20, hits like a 12". Keep in mind this was before the 3" 20 gauge, which greatly reduced the desire for 16s.

 

[Spurhunter]

I thought about getting some bismuth shells

That's what I shoot when I duck hunt. They aren't great, but a lot better than steel. I'm dying to shoot some Hevishot or TSS at ducks.

 

[yellalinehunter]

No sir I didn't ask.
I looked at one of his hulls and they were so old there wasn't any lettering left on them.
I'm gonna say it was from the late 50s.

Might have been lead. Lol

 

[John3]

I hunt with a 16 or 20 a5 unless it's raining or I'm in a pit. The boss shot shells are copper plated bismuth. They are safe for the old guns and are pretty tough on ducks. I shoot #5 or #6

 

[WilcoKen]

I hunt with a 16 or 20 a5 unless it's raining or I'm in a pit. The boss shot shells are copper plated bismuth. They are safe for the old guns and are pretty tough on ducks. I shoot #5 or #6

Same here.

 

[Iglow]

First duck I ever killed was with a 12 ga mag A-5 with a 32" full choke barrel. My dad bought it in the 50's and went to Reelfoot. They were in one of those wood reelfoot boats and put a cypress stob through the bottom and had to wade/ walk back. That was the end of duck hunting for him.
When I was about 20 I told him I was gonna start duck hunting and his only reply was " you're gonna get yourself killed"!!!

 

[tickweed]

Sweet sixteens are on average bringing anywhere from 1500 to 3000. As well as light twentys. I have a mint 16, not a sweet. Has a 30 full, matt rib. The sweets longest barrell was 28 inchs. An intersting note, the A5 sixteen standards only had 30 inchs barrells produced for 2 yrs. Thats why l wanted one. I had one as a boy, a duck killing machine, that was later stolen. Liked to never had found another. Great guns, cool history.

 

[deerhunter10]

I love mine and I don't suck hunt, but you wouldn't catch me dead with it in the snow lol I couldn't do it to it.