I realize that is a bit of a oxymoron, but I am looking for recommendations. Right now I'm leaning to the Benelli 20 gauge Ultralight.

This is as lightweight and low recoil as they come.

Low recoil shotgun

Beretta 390, 12 gauge is pretty light. You will have to reload really light loads to get it to malfunction. Min will work with fairly light 3/4 oz loads.
20 gauge might be better for you, no personal experience.

28 gauge ultralight. I heard they can be had sub 5lbs. My 20 gauge Montefeltro is 5.6lbs with a 26 inch barrel and isn’t bad on recoil shooting low dram 7/8 loads. I can feel it shooting 150 rounds of clays with 1oz hunting loads. I take it duck hunting with 3 inch #4 and have never noticed recoil shooting ducks.

1100 - 28 gauge. Highly under rated.

DMc

^^^This^^^. I love both of mine!

I had the 1100 28 gauge Sporting Clays version for almost 15 years, and while I really loved it and shot it well, my Benelli's are quite a bit lighter and have less recoil.

Weatherby SA-08 in 28 gauge, which is the same gun as the Tristar Viper G2 in 28 gauge.

This

Beretta A400 with kick-off. The gas guns will spread the recoil out for you, better then any of the recoil run guns.

Took my wife out yesterday. She shot my Montefeltro 20 with 2 1/2 dram 7/8 ounce loads. She was not a fan of the recoil. I’m going to try the Winchester AA low recoil loads (7.99 from academy) through a stack barrel. They came highly recommend from hunting buddies.

The Benelli is an inertia gun so recoil may be felt more than a gas gun.

My wife who is not a heavywt. has no problem shooting a 100 round sporting clay course in a couple of hours or less with the 1100 28 shooting 3/4 oz loads. It weighs 6lb 13 oz, not all that light for a 28 but not all that heavy, shoots soft.

What is the intended purpose?

The Benelli Ultralight lists starting at $1,699
Benelli Ultra Light

If you do not need to shoot steel shot -- I would go with a vintage 20 gauge Ithaca 37, Remington 31 or Remington 17.

This puppy (1931 Remington 17) cost all of $395 back in February 2017

That is an absolute beauty. It will make for a great upland hunting gun.

Braggart!

I have enjoyed my Franchi 48AL 20ga. that I've had for the last 25 years. I have never weighed it but it has never seem heavy at all. Easy and comfortable to shoot too.

Middle daughter loves her 1100 20ga. Synthetic stock brings the weight down & a decelerator recoil pad mated to her shortened stock tames recoil. Hydro-coated and personalized by Dad.


DMc

Another avenue for reducing recoil. Found this magazine cap: "Graco recoil reducer" online (eBay), and bought it. It works remarkably well and is only about the length of one shotgun shell. Fits an 870 or 1100.




DMc

+1 for the A400 28 ga. my wife loves hers more for the light weight than the recoil. She shot my A400 12 w/KO fine but it is too heavy for her left arm.

DMc : )

DMc and others are absolutely on the right track with the 1100 28 ga as far as recoil goes. I don't see them as being super light by today's standards. Daughter and SIL both shoot Benelli Legacys at about five pounds for quail, dove and informal trap. The only load they buy is the 3/4 oz. I don't see any great reduction in recoil over a 20 with 7/8 oz target loads. My Benelli Montefeltro 24" weighs well under six and my old Superposed 20 is not much over six. It seems to me that I can get the recoil down to 28 ga level for dove without investing in a new shotgun. The weight is not the problem for me. I can no longer follow the dogs or chase quail at eighty and with health issues. Of the two, soft recoil is paramount. I'm on blood thinners and heavy target loads out of my twenties leave me bruised.

For the last many years I have used heavy trap loads when I use my several 12 ga guns. Another answer for me may be light loaded 12s out of my Beretta 787. Until someone on this forum put a bug in my ear, I did not realize that 7/8 oz and 24 gram loads even existed. I intend to try a box or two of those next season.

I have the whole rap beat with a 42 Winchester .410. It is indeed a fun dove gun, but opening day (or two), before the doves get wary is about all I get out of it. Out to twenty yards or so, I do about as well with it as I do with the twenty, but forget shots much past twenty five yards.

When you find it, let us know.

Jack

Know what? Even though it is neither the lightest or softest, that new Ithica 37 28 ga looks to be a honey.....

Jack

I have one that I love too. Bought it off a rabbit hunter many years ago. Might weigh 5 lbs. I take it into a timber hole for ducks a few times every year.

But that SOB kicks worse than any 12 ga I've ever shot. Holy smokes, it'll wear your shoulder out.

Pop guns of a different color...





Man, it's tough getting all 3 together at the same time, but #3 favors a pump, kinda like her Daddy.






DMc : )

PS: I guess why I favor Remington's is because of all the aftermarket goodies out there. And BTW, can you name any other company that's done so much for Sportsmen?

Something like this is my rec...

http://www.beretta.com/en-us/a400-lite-synthetic-/

The Benelli is a great gun. If you are looking to save money...

https://www.franchiusa.com/affinity-3-compact-shotgun

I am recommending compact guns not knowing your wife's size but the big mistake is giving them a shotgun that does not fit.

"...This puppy (1931 Remington 17) cost all of $395 back in February 2017..."

I like that puppy and I think worth every cent of that. I have an old four digit S/N Model 17, kinda beat up, but very light and a good pointer. I do place a LimbSaver slip-on pad on it, it does have a bit of a snappy recoil.

BTW, my Beretta is a 687, not a 787 (typo). I know no wher the edit button went?

Winchester Model 42.

...as long as it has a 3" chamber. Love this shotgun!


DMc : )

And they just give them away...

My old man has one for sale...

More reading says that the 26 gram/980fps 12 ga load may not set the inertia trigger. Anyone use these in a 686 or 687 Beretta O/U?
Same question with the 24 gram/1350 fps loads?

Jack

I have a Benelli Legacy 28 ga., that weighs in a bit under 5 lbs. It is a real joy to hunt with!

About this time last year I bought a Beretta a400 12ga w/ko and an a400 28ga. I can shoot sporting clays all day with the 12ga with no ill effects from recoil. It is also very light. The 28 was built for hours of bird hunting and is extremely light weight.

Bighorn, oldest daughter and husband shoot nothing else for dove and quail. I have used theirs at informal clay trap practice. Nice. Since I can't follow the dogs very far anymore, I'm still considering the Ithica 37. It is a little heavier and may swing a bit better. I would also consider an older 870 if I run across one.

Jack

That would be tough to beat.