I have a Mossberg 190 KA that I hunt Geese with.
This is the second 16 gauge I've owned. The first one was a Brazilian made break action single shot I bought new when I was 17 years old.
I lost that one to a so called friend. It's a long story.
I chose the 16 gauge back then for the lighter recoil, and like it today for the same reason.
I don't drink whiskey and I don't smoke a pipe. And I don't hunt upland with a shotgun.
The only downside to the 16 is ammo availability and selection.
One could say it also requires a higher degree of skill to use successfully and although there may be some truth to that, in my experience the difference in required skill levels is negotiable compared to a 12 gauge.
The one big plus is less kick. All other things considered it compares very favorably with other gauge shotguns.
The 16 gauge I have now has one other plus to my way of thinking. It has a factory twist to select type veritable choke.
I can adjust the pattern on the fly if I wish to, no tubes to cross thread or loose, no tools needed, just a simple twist of the collar is all that is needed.
This shotgun came to me as one of a pair of badly neglected bolt action Mossbergs. The other one is a 20 gauge 185.
I restored them both but hardly ever use the twenty gauge.
I also have a 12 gauge single shot Cooey but it kicks like a angry cayuse.