When purchasing a shotgun , as with any weapon, the question arises as to the appropriate caliber.
The shot caliber 16/70 with a diameter of 16.84 mm (for comparison: the caliber 12/70 has a diameter of 18.53 mm) is a shot caliber that has become quite rare in the meantime. The 12/70 caliber has become widely accepted, but in direct comparison to it, the 16/70 caliber has some advantages and disadvantages:
Advantages of 16/70:
A 16/70 caliber shotgun is slimmer and lighter than a 12/70 caliber shotgun, and the difference in weight can be several hundred grams - a difference that can be significant during an all-day driven hunt. Furthermore, the recoil is not as strong as with the stronger caliber. This is not only an argument for rather lightly built or female hunters, but also for a stronger and more experienced hunter who feels less recoil and shoots more accurately.
The 16/70 caliber is often criticized for its poorer coverage, but this is due more to the choke than to the diameter of the barrel. The gas pressure of 16/70 is comparable to that of 12/70 caliber, but lower than that of 20/76, for example, whose shooting performance comes closest to 16/70. However, the lower gas pressure puts less stress on the shooter and especially on the shotgun. Shotguns in caliber 20/76 are often disproportionately light, which is why the recoil is significantly heavier than with 16/70.
The ideal shot weight with 16/70 is 28-30 g, with 12/70 also 36 g shot is shot.
Advantages of 12/70:
Since 12/70 caliber is now the most widely used, a wider range of ammunition is available. This is often also cheaper than ammunition in other shot calibers. In many states, leaded ammunition is no longer allowed and this trend will continue. Shotguns in 16/70 and other shot calibers, unlike 12/70 models, are often not steel shot fired, and the supply of lead-free ammunition is limited at best.
Availability also affects the shotguns themselves. Modern shotguns of the leading manufacturers are only produced in caliber 12 (12/70 and longer), so shooters who want to shoot with the smaller caliber have to buy a used gun.
Marktplatz
More exciting reports on the subject of caliber
You can also find exciting, interesting and informative reports on the topic at our premium partner, the hunting magazine hunting time. for example in the overview of all articles on the subject of caliber.
