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We agree on all points you have mentioned. However, with the exception of Waterfowl, I don’t have one 12 gauge that I carry in the Uplands. All are a sub-gauge. A couple will make the 7 pound plus a little, but most wouldn’t consider that extremely lightweight. In the course of a long day, I don’t think I do any better with them than the ones that go around 6 pounds or a little less, on fleeting opportunities..

Doves? High volume in the States is 12 or 15 Birds, and If the Birds are many, I’ve used everything from an 8.5 pound sporter to the 5.5 pound 28 gauge. Neither beats me up, trying for a limit, when there are a lot of Birds. However, with the LW definitely my success would be lower on the longer crossing chances.

Argentina high volume? Most definitely the heavier would be the preference.

Correction: I do have a 12 I carry in the uplands. It would be the Winchester Model 59. Doesn’t look like much, but it is an easy carry that works as well as anything else I have for Grouse and Pheasants.

I am a hard core target shooter and instructor, and have been a hard core bird hunter for over 40 years. The answer to the question is absolutely, a shotgun can be too light.

For me, my shooting dramatically falls off as gun weight drops below six pounds. I have also found that as gun weight drops, usually with smaller gauge guns, it is very helpful if the guns have a bit more length of barrels such that my swing becomes a bit smoother. A pet 28 gauge over/under of mine, one I had built to my specs, weighs six pounds on the button with its 30” fixed choke barrels. I wanted a slight forward weight bias, with a balance point about 3/4” in front of the hinge pins, and this has worked out well. Short, light guns are a demanding mistress, and I don’t shoot them well. There are those who shoot sub-six pound guns well. I’d like to be one of them, but I’m not.

In target shooting, a light gun has even more gremlins. Recoil, usually not a much of a factor in bird hunting, is a major reason to add gun weight. Right up there with recoil is addition weight “between the hands” adding smoothness to the swing. I don’t want a 12 gauge sporting clays gun to weigh less than 8 1/4#, and 8 1/2# is even better. And keep the barrels light and long.

Back in the day men were men and guns were guns men didn't worry about 1 or 2 lbs of weight on a hunting gun.....they just sucked it in and did what men do.

Then along comes a pencil pushing out'e door writer chanting "my gun is too heavy" and now we have a bunch of whiney bOys fretting over a 1/2 lb of weight.

You light weights every think about getting your old lady to tote your gun for you ?

Just my observations....

And the Military gave up the M1 and the .30-06 for the AR and the 5.56…

Just my observation….

Back when men were men they could build light fast handling ALL steel and walnut shotguns. My 150yr old 10ga sxs upland gun is 7 3/4 lbs. My 100yr old 12ga sxs with 29 1/2" barrels is 6 3/4 lbs. They only needed a once of shot in the 12ga and 1 1/8 oz in the 10ga to kill upland birds. 7/8 or 1 once of shot is still plenty to kill even armor plated wild pheasants.

One of the attractions of the smaller than 12 Gauges is a shotgun that is trimmer and lighter. Been going on for over a hundred years. Which definitely qualifies for "back in the day". Wonder who the gun writer was back then, who wrote the first article because he had to have his old lady carry his gun around.

Too light? could be in certain situations..Then again, I have heard of those who would x out a skeet card with a Model 42 Winchester...

Great post...informative...

And now that people are hammering Turkeys at 40 yards with .410’s and TSS shot....i’m feeling this itch for a 42..😀

There is light and then there is really light. I looked seriously at a Baby Bretton(12ga 4.8 lbs) 50 yrs ago and thought it might be too light and I like light 12's in the field, to me a light 12 is just a nicer gun than a light 20 ga. I have sold off all my 20's except a steel capable sxs as none of my other sxs's are steel safe.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?...IGRE&first=1&tsc=ImageBasicHover

The military went from the 30.06 to the .308 then to the .223 because of ammo weight and magazine capacity same reason they went from .45 acp to 9mm

Only 10 gauges that have crossed my path under 9 lbs were English muzzle loaders. I had one 9 gauge that went about 8 lbs....I've owned and hunted 3 English10ga. cartridge hammer guns one a 32" barreled Premier grade Scott it weighed close to 11 lbs....I had a lower grade 30" Scott 10 ga. that weighed in just under 10 lbs...my 30" Purdery 10 ga. weighed in just over 10lbs.
I had several light English 2.5" 12s that were 6 to 7 lbs....the 2.5" 12 guage was popular because of the theory of the square load that went back to the muzzle loading era.
I hunted a lot with a1925 2&3/4" Scott pigeon gun that went about 7.5 lbs.
To them it was more about barrel weight and balance than it was about how light they could make them.

One thing I'm in 100% agreement with the English about is they considered the guages smaller than the 12 ga. suitable for women and children.

Back in the day did the English get their wives to tote their guns...

Most could afford gun bearers and loaders while the beaters flushed their pen raised birds towards them.

And those that had to carry around the lighter weapon found it a better option. Not much different, than let’s say a new light weight Beretta A400 20 gauge with the plug removed. Once most carry a LW shotgun around all day, they have little inclination to going back to the likes of a Rem 1100 12 gauge. Can they shoot it better? My thoughts are most “shooters” will figure it out for an upland shotgun. Agree on weight being an advantage for a clays only shotgun.

I’ve seen the light turn on with a couple older upland hunters. The 1100’s and similar went to the closet or became trade bait.

“Rough” shooting was always popular for those Brits that couldn’t afford the driven shoots. They carried their own and walked behind the Springers and Labs.

Addition: Handled a Scottsmans....Larry McQueen...and a Brits...Ken Roebuck...rough shooting shotguns. Two fine Springer men. They were 12’s, but they were light and quick.

Some light, some heavy. Have wonderful memories with all.