"I didn't know... "

"... that there was a 16 gauge shotgun"  -- Work Buddy

Yes, it was supposed to be the perfect shell.  A perfect balance.  And it would displace the 20 and 12.  The Sweet 16.

Same way the .40 S&W was gonna shove aside the 9mm and the .45 ACP (except for Old Timers, but they were gonna die off anyway.  The Fohty is the Fuhtah!)

Now?  16 is hard to find...   Oh you can get it, but.  Fewer pheasant hunters, plenty of steel loaded duck and goose hunting.  The 16 just... fell out of favor?