It’s a question I hear frequently: “With the move away from lead, should I get rid of my small-bore side-by-side?” The answer is: if you shoot well with it and enjoy using it, then no.
The 16-bore has always had its devotees, in love with the perfect combination of handling and effectiveness. They are a small, committed group and that is part of their problem. They lack financial clout and the cartridge business is a hard-headed one based on volume sales. It is not based on the romance of a relatively niche calibre, no matter how ardent its fans.
The move away from lead shot as the principal lethal component of our cartridges has dominated the conversation in and around the gun trade since it was announced. In my day job as head of operations for Holts Auctioneers, I spend much of my time advising clients,
