Brand new to the site and needing some help finding the lightest weight 20 gauge O/U and still be reasonbly priced at under $2000. I have scanned through numerous threads hoping this was already covered but couldnt find it anywhere. I'm an avid upland hunter, phez, quail, chukar, prairie chickens, grouse is about all. I currently have a 1982 Browning Superlight Feather 12ga that weighs just over 6 pounds I think. I have found several 20's weighing in at 5 and a half pounds but all over $2k. Hopefully I'm not looking for that Golden pheasant. Any suggestions????
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Lightest weight 20ga O/U sub $2k???
- Thread starter zbrown
- Start date
oneounceload
Moderator
GunsInternational will have some older Browning Superposed grade 1 for about your budget. These guns will be right at 6# if you look hard and have great barrels - they'll be about 40+ years old
There are others, but IMO, not worth what the Browning Superposeds are
There are others, but IMO, not worth what the Browning Superposeds are
Browning makes a few O/U 20ga's with 26" barrels that will be around 6 lbs ..like the super light feather model that retails for around $ 2,000 -
$ 2,200 ....
And you don't say why you want such a light gun ...but just a note of caution, be careful that a "short and light gun" doesn't get real "whippy" and make you tend to "slap" at targets vs a smooth follow-thru...its all a trade-off.
There is another option ---go to a light semi-auto like the Benelli super sport in a 20ga ...28" barrel...and its right at 6 lbs as well ...and new its around
$ 1,800 ... and the 28" barrel on a semi-auto makes its overall length about the same as an O/U with 30" barrels ...so with the Benelli - you get a light gun / but a longer sight plane ...so again, its a nice compromise.
Everybody should buy what they want ....but this same weight in a 20ga came up at my club 2 weeks ago ...and a guy was convinced his wife needed a "light 20ga" ...in his mind, so it handled nimbly ...and it'd be perfect. When his wife came out and shot with us ...she hated the light 20ga that he'd borrowed for her to shoot...and since I had a Citori 20ga, with 30" barrels in my vehicle, I let her shoot it a little ...and she loved my Citori XS Skeet model in a 20ga, with 30" barrels, and at close to 8 lbs... ( heavier gun meant less recoil, better follow thru - and she thought better balance in her hands ...and she was only 5'6" and maybe 110 lbs soaking wet ...) ...and it made her husband think about what he thought a 20ga was ..or ought to be...
but before you drop $2,000 on a gun - make sure its exactly what you want ...but the Browning Super Light might work for you with 26" barrels - even though it wouldn't work for me...
$ 2,200 ....
And you don't say why you want such a light gun ...but just a note of caution, be careful that a "short and light gun" doesn't get real "whippy" and make you tend to "slap" at targets vs a smooth follow-thru...its all a trade-off.
There is another option ---go to a light semi-auto like the Benelli super sport in a 20ga ...28" barrel...and its right at 6 lbs as well ...and new its around
$ 1,800 ... and the 28" barrel on a semi-auto makes its overall length about the same as an O/U with 30" barrels ...so with the Benelli - you get a light gun / but a longer sight plane ...so again, its a nice compromise.
Everybody should buy what they want ....but this same weight in a 20ga came up at my club 2 weeks ago ...and a guy was convinced his wife needed a "light 20ga" ...in his mind, so it handled nimbly ...and it'd be perfect. When his wife came out and shot with us ...she hated the light 20ga that he'd borrowed for her to shoot...and since I had a Citori 20ga, with 30" barrels in my vehicle, I let her shoot it a little ...and she loved my Citori XS Skeet model in a 20ga, with 30" barrels, and at close to 8 lbs... ( heavier gun meant less recoil, better follow thru - and she thought better balance in her hands ...and she was only 5'6" and maybe 110 lbs soaking wet ...) ...and it made her husband think about what he thought a 20ga was ..or ought to be...
but before you drop $2,000 on a gun - make sure its exactly what you want ...but the Browning Super Light might work for you with 26" barrels - even though it wouldn't work for me...
Thanks guys!
I spend over 100 days afield chasing upland birds. I spend about half my time hunting on flat land TX, OK, KS, SD and the other half in rough country in Idaho, Utah, and California. I hunt more than I shoot and I prefer not to tote around a heavy gun all day. One pound doesn't sound like much but I only weigh a 150 on a good day. I carry plenty of water and supplies for my dogs and about 10-15 shells in my vest. Usually I leave the truck at daylight and return around lunch, take a short break and head back out till dark.
I spend over 100 days afield chasing upland birds. I spend about half my time hunting on flat land TX, OK, KS, SD and the other half in rough country in Idaho, Utah, and California. I hunt more than I shoot and I prefer not to tote around a heavy gun all day. One pound doesn't sound like much but I only weigh a 150 on a good day. I carry plenty of water and supplies for my dogs and about 10-15 shells in my vest. Usually I leave the truck at daylight and return around lunch, take a short break and head back out till dark.
There is another option ---go to a light semi-auto like the Benelli super sport in a 20ga ...28" barrel...and its right at 6 lbs as well ...and new its around
$ 1,800 ... and the 28" barrel on a semi-auto makes its overall length about the same as an O/U with 30" barrels ...so with the Benelli - you get a light gun / but a longer sight plane ...so again, its a nice compromise.
Unfortunately I'm stuck in the mindset that you can only upland hunt with a double barrell (not sure why, tradition I guess). I do have a Beretta AL 301 that I love for sporting clays but it weighs in at about 6.5 pounds.
Check out the Browning Citori Superlight Feather. I've seen them for under $2K.
This is the gun I have in 12ga. Finding it in 20ga at a good price has been tough. Brand new retail is $2500. I prefer the english stock.
How about any other brands that weigh close to 5 pounds in 20ga? I've researched all the Browning, Beretta, and CZ guns - the Browning featherlight is about the only thing that sticks out so far. Recoil doesn't matter much considering I rarely feel it when the dogs point and the birds flush.
$ 1,800 ... and the 28" barrel on a semi-auto makes its overall length about the same as an O/U with 30" barrels ...so with the Benelli - you get a light gun / but a longer sight plane ...so again, its a nice compromise.
Unfortunately I'm stuck in the mindset that you can only upland hunt with a double barrell (not sure why, tradition I guess). I do have a Beretta AL 301 that I love for sporting clays but it weighs in at about 6.5 pounds.
Check out the Browning Citori Superlight Feather. I've seen them for under $2K.
This is the gun I have in 12ga. Finding it in 20ga at a good price has been tough. Brand new retail is $2500. I prefer the english stock.
How about any other brands that weigh close to 5 pounds in 20ga? I've researched all the Browning, Beretta, and CZ guns - the Browning featherlight is about the only thing that sticks out so far. Recoil doesn't matter much considering I rarely feel it when the dogs point and the birds flush.
oneounceload
Moderator
Beretta makes some nice guns as well - remember though - if the Browning fits, typically the Beretta will not - not better or worse, just different - if the Beretta fits, any of their 68X series guns in 20 should be right about 6#
oneounceload
Moderator
Browning and Beretta, along with every other maker have different dimensions in many aspects of their guns. If a Browning fits you well, odds are the Beretta will not - just the way things are made - it isn't worse or better, just different - drop at the heel, comb, cast, pitch, heel, toe, etc., are all a little different
What do you mean they fit different? Can you explain a little?
Gun makers try to make their guns fit an "average" shooter. Of course, the different gun makers have different ideas about the size of the average shooter.And then, there are those who skimp to save a little money. If you order your stock blanks an 1/8-inch narrower and/or shorter than your competitor, you can sell your guns a little cheaper. Back it the day, it was rumored that shotgun makers started offering recoil pads as standard equipment, (instead of simple butt plates) because they saved 1-inch, or more, of walnut -- the wood cost them more than the pads.
+1 on OneOunces and Zippys comments ...but since you like the "english stocks" ...maybe a Beretta is a better "Fit" for you. Many Berettas tend to be thinner in the grip area - and in the stock and forend in general - but it depends on what suits you best.
Remember, Fit - takes into account all of the stock dimensions discussed above - so the gun hits where you look after you mount it. "Fit" can be adjusted ...but it can get expensive too ....and unless you know the exact stock dimensions you need in a gun / you'll have to take it to the pattern board to check the Point of Impact ...and then make adjustments.
The Citori Feather Light models ...tend to be a little slimmer / more like the Berettas vs the blockier Citori models like the XS Skeet ( that I prefer ) ...
Remember, Fit - takes into account all of the stock dimensions discussed above - so the gun hits where you look after you mount it. "Fit" can be adjusted ...but it can get expensive too ....and unless you know the exact stock dimensions you need in a gun / you'll have to take it to the pattern board to check the Point of Impact ...and then make adjustments.
The Citori Feather Light models ...tend to be a little slimmer / more like the Berettas vs the blockier Citori models like the XS Skeet ( that I prefer ) ...
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Thanks folks!
I think I'm going to purchase a Beretta. My Browning fits me well enough but I would like to try out the Beretta to see if the grass is truly greener. I was hoping to pick one up before season gets here but I'm having trouble finding many 20ga Beretta's with an english stock for under $2k. Thanks for all the input!!!
I think I'm going to purchase a Beretta. My Browning fits me well enough but I would like to try out the Beretta to see if the grass is truly greener. I was hoping to pick one up before season gets here but I'm having trouble finding many 20ga Beretta's with an english stock for under $2k. Thanks for all the input!!!