Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Lightweight O/U 12 gauge options?

I've been thinking about upgrading to a nicer shotgun but know basically zero when it comes to O/U's.

Would like to wind up with something in the 7lb range for under $2k.

Not a real 'sensitive' person when it comes to handling so it wouldn't be a huge deal to me having a shotgun that did or didn't fit exactly right. It would also be a shotgun that is carried a lot and shot very little.

Guess I am just kind of assuming there isn't that much stock(shape) difference between O/U hunting shotguns?


Obviously it would be best to handle several different makes but that is not possible.

I looked at Beretta on-line and don't really like the idea of a sideways safety. Is it a problem using gloves?

Might be able to get my hands on a Browning here at our little LGS but it was one of those super glossy versions and I'm not into that much bling.

Been thinking about this for over a year and am not keen on the idea of ordering something without a little education.

Sam,

For lightweight this is one of the nicest. They are also out there in 16Gauge. I personally would prefer 28 inch barrels.

http://www.gunsamerica.com/940892414/BROWNING-CITORI-FEATHERWEIGHT.htm

However, there is often considerable stock shape differences in various O/U's.

The best advice I can give is to buy either a Beretta or Browning. Not sure what you mean about sideways safety. The safety is forward to fire and back on safe. The sideways part is the barrel selector.

Here are some good sources for used.
http://www.joeletchenguns.com/
http://www.whittakerguns.com/
http://gun.home.cyberverse.com/

Joel and Whittakers have a couple good deals on Beretta's right now.

On the Brownings, you need to know a little about them before buying used. Some of the older Citori Lightweights were anything but light compared to today's shotguns and there is a possibility of salt wood on really old models. I forget the salt wood years because I prefer Beretta anyway.

Correct on the sideway movement being for barrel selection. However depending of the ease of movement, it is not rare for it to be moved to the middle. When that occurs, the safety will not move forward to allow it to be in the fire position.

The Browning I referenced is known as the Feather and has an aluminum receiver with a steel insert on the breech. Much lighter than the older Citori Lightweights.

Thanks for the clarification. I'm not up on all the Browning models. I just know to check the actual weight when looking at used ones.

Franchi makes some really light ones.

Personally, I'd be looking for a used (only option) Daly from Japan. Better workmanship and better engraving than Brownings. A little less clubby.

My Cynergy Field is well under 7lbs, and has been an excellent shotgun. I prefer its handling characteristics over the more traditional Citori.

Sam, I had several Brownings and Beretta's over the years.. Both were ok.. I guess I liked the Beretta's best..But from the factory, they come with an very long stock.. I had all of mine cut a bit shorter.. As you know handling them would be best, but it not possible, then it is not.. Finally, went back to my pump guns..

Okay guys, thanks for all the info!


I got confused looking at a pic of a Beretta, I did indeed mistake the selector switch for the safety...


I believe SAS here on the 'Fire owns or works at Whittaker?


That would be a good route for sure.

Did a little 2 minute research just now and this one looks sweet.

The longer LOP probably would be fine, I have fairly long arms.

http://www.beretta.com/en-us/sv10-perennia-iii/


Thinking 28" barrels would be the way to go for mostly open country?

Yea, I like 28" on a 12 ga for field use but Whittakers has a beretta 686 Whitewing with 26" barrels for $999 that is a killer price if you can live with 26" barrels.

I'll add my experiences in this direction here.....

We hunt grouse/timberdoodles here in Michigan but go to Sodak and hunt for a week every fall. Out there a shotgun is often "carried a lot and shot, not a lot"

So I was looking for a nice light 12GA O/U. And everybody told me to buy either a Beretta or Browning. More that one shotgun guru hereabouts has opined "you will shoot one of these two brands better than the other". Both make LW 12 GA models.

So I found a pretty nice preowned Beretta 687 Ultra Light DLX 12 GA, w/ 28" barrels locally.. It has a dull (oil?) finished stock and weighs right at 6#s or so. I had the stock bent for some cast-on and a Pachmyr SC100 pad put to my specs. The gun has been a joy to carry on all day prairie treks after roosters/grouse. Function has been perfect too.

I know both Franchi and Caesar Guerini have come out with some nice LW O/U models more recently too. Happy gun shopping!

I've said it before and will say it again.....as far as a "using" shotgun, some of the best "sleeper" guns are the Spanish made guns (both SxS as well as O/U).

These guns are not as "high-profile" as a Browning or Beretta, but are very well made and available for sometimes half of what the better known guns will cost you.

My favorite O/U is a Sarasqueta 12 Ga. with an alloy frame that weighs in at just over 6 1/2 pounds. It has great balance, good wood, nicely checkered and tasteful engraving. It is a joy to carry all day and has held up flawlessly for more than a decade of hard use.

Best of all, cost me less than half of what a Browning would have cost at the time.....and does everything the Browning would have done.

Thanks again for all the ideas and suggestions!


I actually just got off the phone with a good feller and made a deal on his shotgun. It's actually almost too nice of a gun.....

Congratulations Sam, after you bought the gun perhaps I can't call you $am?

Richard, consider it an investment in leisure.....

Gotta have a little fun right?!

Sure thing Sam!
I have a few blunderbusses on hand.

The gag about spending money on, (fill in the blank), the rest I just wasted.

Richard, guns are generally worth every penny....


Told my wife that it'll practically pay for itself with all the good bird meat!

Methinks your wife is smarter than that Sam.

Sam,

What did you end up getting?

Leo

Leo, there is a little story to this deal.

A member here PM'd me a couple weeks ago and offered to sell a very nice O/U 16 gauge Rizzini.

It was delivered to my local sporting goods store last Thursday.

Unbeknownst to the seller or myself the store has a little 'personal policy' where they require any shipped firearms to be transferred through a FFL(on the seller end of the deal).

It's perfectly legal for a private seller(non FFL holder) to ship a firearm to a FFL and transfer it that way but the store says nope, we won't accept it and have to send it back.


Why?


I have no fricken idea, they hummed and hawed around and I stood and listened and stayed calm.

The shotgun(which I still haven't seen in person) was sitting on the counter in a box and all I could do was say, okay, guess we'll have to send it back to the seller and then ship it all the way back here again.

The other clerks were kinda waiting for me to blow up but I knew that wouldn't do any good. And besides, my buddy(seller) had already reamed the dink out on the phone before I showed up to see WTF was going on.


Sooooo, hopefully the shotgun survives 2 unnecessary trip back and forth.


It's been bugging me for the last 6 days, but I guess I should have asked if there was any bullchit rules I needed to be aware of when I went in and asked them if they'd transfer the shotgun for me....


And I could care less about the extra shipping charges, I am just worried about the gun getting damaged or disappearing...



Live and learn.

If freight doesn't screw up it will most certainly be worth the wait.