What is the lightest 20 gauge over under shotgun?
Primary uses: Grouse, Pheasant
Beautiful gun, too. They put really nice wood on those. Not sure about the long-term durability, though.
I have a Citori Upland Special 20 ga with 24" barrels that is just about 5.5 lbs.
If you can find one, there's a French O/U called the Bretton. It weighs somewhere in the high 4 pound range. 12s weigh less than 6 pounds.
Once you get under 6lbs they get pretty whippy in the hands. I shoot a couple of sxs 12's that are under 6#. When you get a light gun trigger pulls are important as you can pull yourself off your target fighting a heavy trigger, my little Bernardelli is 5 lb 15 oz with 25" barrels and great triggers and is one of the nicest pheasant shotguns I've owned. I have a Darne at the same 5 lb 15oz with 29" barrel and heavy triggers that is tough to hit a flushing bird with. I have sold off all my 20's except one as I shoot 7/8 and 1 oz loads in my 12's so there is no reasoon to have a 20 just different shells to keep tract of. My lone 20 is a choke tubed CZ for shooting high volume steel.
The Baby Bretton 12ga weighed 4.5 lbs.
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That Bretton is too esoteric for me — aesthetically not pleasing to my eye. In shotguns, esp O/U and SxS’s I like the classic lines including English or POW grips. For me, on a top-tier gun, a very closed “pistol grip” breaks up the lines and appears harshly out of place. I believe the clay competitors would disagree with me but I’m talking for field use. And personally.
It’s too bad we don’t have more domestically-made good two-barrel guns in our shops and stores but we don’t because this is primarily a semi-auto nation with various importers supplying the niche demand from Europe, Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Turkey.
Even Browning which I think of as a home brand was only made here until mid-seventies, then Belgium, then Miroku, Japan and now Belgium, Portugal, Japan, AND the U.S.
Anyway, the old formula for gun weight was 96 x it’s intended shot charge. In a 20, take 1 0z of shot and compute 6 lbs. likewise, a 16 with 1 1/8 0z would be 6.75, and a 12’s 1 1/4 would take it to 7.5 lbs (much too heavy for my purposes).
There’s waffle room for your intended load and then personal preferences. I like a bit lighter — my 20’ are at ~ 5.5 lbs, my sixteen is right at the 6.75. but my 12’s are at 6.25 and 6.5 lbs.
But I have very little need for magnum shot shells in the uplands other than occasionally in the 20’s.
That Bretton is too esoteric for me — aesthetically not pleasing to my eye. In shotguns, esp O/U and SxS’s I like the classic lines including English or POW grips. For me, on a top-tier gun, a very closed “pistol grip” breaks up the lines and appears harshly out of place. I believe the clay competitors would disagree with me but I’m talking for field use.
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I think most guys would tend to agree with you. But competitive shooters want that positive control on the trigger hand. In return are willing to give up some of the" looks". A straight grip stock is much faster and natural with double triggers, which competition shotguns don't have.
Oh, I know. I’m not a competitive shooter...well, ok, a little, once in a while. I guess. 😀
Just my personal thoughts on field guns. Actually I’ve seen very few English grips/stocks on O/U’s but one of the nicest to my mind was that Browning run of 16’s a few years back. I tried to find one of those to no avail.
My comments are on field guns and just my own and I might add that my coldest daughter recently reminded me that I’m not too opinionated. 🙄 😉
Oh, I know. I’m not a competitive shooter...well, ok, a little, once in a while. I guess. 😀
Just my personal thoughts on field guns. Actually I’ve seen very few English grips/stocks on O/U’s but one of the nicest to my mind was that Browning run of 16’s a few years back. I tried to find one of those to no avail.
My comments are on field guns and just my own and I might add that my coldest daughter recently reminded me that I’m not too opinionated. 🙄 😉
Haha..... I believe we are on the same page. I was just saying that competitive shooters most likely also like the aesthetic's of the straight grip and Prince of Wales. But give it up in their competition guns for the control of the Pistol Grip.
To me anyways a straight grip without double triggers just doesn't make sense.
That Bitterroot River valley country is some of the most beautiful country I’ve seen. 😉
That Bitterroot River valley country is some of the most beautiful country I’ve seen. 😉
You should come gun some ducks here on the river, fish, or hunt Big Game. You are more then welcome at my place anytime.
My franchi AL48 20 GA is lighter than I typically like to shoot. But it's a blessing to carry all day.
I have no trouble carrying my silver pigeon 20/28" all day for pheasant and quail in Kansas. I think the weight is fine and I would not want anything with shorter than 28" barrels.
I would agree on the Franchi as well being the lightest unless you want to spend the money on an English or Scottish weapon. They make some very lightweight weapons in the 20ga but many have 2.5" chambers