My Dad is looding for a shotgun, probaly a used auto, & probaly a 12ga. He wants a ligher kick, what guns do you think we shold look into?

Try the Beretta 390 Sporting. (The newer 391 may be better balanced but is lighter and kicks harder.)

Basically, any gas-operated auto-loader is going to have a soft kick. He can go to the gunshop, handle them all, and pick the one he likes best. For me it would be a Remington model 1100 or 11-87.

Like Dave and John said above, a gas operated auto would be the way to go.....Beretta 391/390/303,Winchester Super X2,Browning Gold,or the Remington 1187/1100 would be good choices.<P> One could add simple weight, mercury reducers, a lenghtened forcing cone,back boring, muzzle porting and a good quailty recoil pad to relief precieved recoil.<P> Another simple way to reduce felt recoil is shooting 2 3/4 dram 1 oz. loads over the heavier shot charges ie. 1 1/8oz,1 1/4 oz.<P> And probably the most important is having the gun fit you.The Beretta and the newer Browning autoloaders have stock shims that will make the gun fit most anyone to a good degree.<P> Anyone of these will reduce recoil..and if you combine all of them you have a gun that simply has very little recoil if any.<P> AA Pullllllllllllllllllllll<BR>

any of the Benelli models will meet you dad's need for a "soft kicker" Have a 12ga and a 20ga Benelli and both are real sweethearts when it comes to recoil. [img]images/icons/smile.gif" border="0[/img]

The lightest recoil I have ever seen was a guy who had the “Soft Touch Recoil System” installed on his gun.
Amazing to see him shoot & not react to recoil like everyone else was.
Although it is pricey, he said it was the best thing he ever did for his shooting.

11-87 or 1100.

Steel receivers and heavier.

Gas for sure, no inertia operated guns will recoil as softly as a gas operated gun.

A bud has a Super X 4, says it's the best of the Super X as far as recoil.

What's he going to be hunting? Is a 12 essential for this?

Yes sir. 1100’s seem to shoot the softest, but it may well be in my head.

Gas guns, then long recoil, then inertia, then fixed breach.
All subject to weight and fit.

1 oz loads in a 7# double are still pretty soft shooting though.

This is a 22-year-old thread.

Well his Dad's not getting any younger we need to find him a gun fast.

Nice catch. Simple ol’ me, being a trusting sort, generally misses that.

Hell, they both might be dead by now…..

Not only is it 22 years old, it's original post date is 9/11/2001.

I’m 67 & regularly shoot my 1100

The new Beretta A400 is an extremely soft shooter. I have a Remington V3 and a Remington 1100 that mitigate recoil well also. Most any gas gun that fits him well should help tame the recoil.

Remington 1100 or maybe a Beretta A400 with the Kickoff system in it.

Gun weight and a gas system are your friends in reducing felt recoil. As others have mentioned above, the Remington 1100 and Beretta A400 are both excellent. I would also add that the Beretta 390 and 302/303s are also excellent. The 391 Beretta is soft shooting, but its gas system is a bit Rube Goldberg when it comes to cleaning.

The most recent Kickoff system in the Beretta A400, one that is located toward the front of the comb, is also excellent. Previous Kickoff designs, at the back of the stock, I hate because I feel the stock slide against my face and it bugs me (though others don’t find this objectionable).

I would also add that the old Winchester Super-X Model 1 is a terrific gun and very light shooting, though a bit too heavy for a hunting gun IMO.

Another vote for Beretta 390.....

I have a Weatherby SA-08 12 gauge. It is as soft as anything I have shot and is as light as about anything offered that is a 12 gauge semi auto gas operated. Don't know how long it will last but it has cycled everything that has been shot in it. Cost 500 New. Came with 3 chokes