Model 16, 22 Remington Autoloading, RARE, Very Good Condition

The Remington Model 16 is a firearm mostly forgotten to history. Produced for over a decade, the Model 16 is a takedown rifle with elegant lines, and its proprietary ammunition makes it extremely rare.

Designed by one of Remington’s engineers, Charles H. Barnes, in 1909. The design was patented in 1914 and production began in 1915. Manufacture of the Model 16 continued until 1928. The rifle chambered Remington’s proprietary .22 Remington Auto cartridge, this was ostensibly to prevent the use of black powder .22 calibre rounds in the rifle.

.22 Remington Auto consists of a 45gr projectile fired at a velocity of around 950 ft/s. In terms of both dimensions and ballistics Remington’s round was similar to Winchester’s proprietary .22 Autoloading round. Both of which had shorter cases than .22LR and none of which are interchangeable. As a result Model 16 owners had to buy Remington UMC-made ammunition.

The rifle uses a blowback action and is hammer fired. It feeds from a tube magazine in the butt with the mouth of the tube being located near the base of the buttcap, the follower tube held in place by a button catch. The Model 16′s tube holds 15 rounds and can be loaded through a scalloped loading port on the underside of the buttstock.

The rifle has a safety catch located inside the trigger guard, pushing the button up into the receiver to prevent the trigger from releasing the hammer. The ejection port is covered by a dust cover attached to the bolt. In his patent Barnes claimed that his “gun is particularly advantageous in that it can be cheaply manufactured and is compact in its organization and consists of the minimum number of parts.” 

The Model 16′s furniture was made from breech with a flared Schnabel-style forend. The rifle weighs around 5.75 lbs and is 40.5 inches long overall with a 22 inch round barrel. Barne’s 1914 patent also protects his take down method which uses a holding screw and an interrupted thread on the barrel.

The standard model originally sold for $20 with higher grades also available. Remington made an estimated 17,720 Model 16s over 13 years with production ceasing in 1928, along with production of the rifle’s proprietary round.