Light 12 GA O/U

PairOfLabs

PairOfLabs

Active member
I'm looking for help from this fine group since I lost my notes. I was keeping track whenever someone mentioned a light over/under but misplaced them. I shoot sporting clays, trap and skeet with a couple of 12 GA Browning Citoris that are pretty heavy to drag around a pheasant field. For that I usually take my 12 GA 7 lb Browning Maxus which replaced my 8.5 lb Browning A5.

I think I'll start looking for a light 12 GA O/U to supplement my Maxus in the field. I'm familiar with the Browning Citori and Cynergy Feathers at about 6.5 lbs so they're on my radar screen. What other 12 GA O/Us have you folks seen out there in the sub 7 lb class?

I know that the light gun will pound me but I wouldn't plan to shoot it a lot--just at some ditch chickens and a few clays to practice.

Please refrain from suggesting 20 GA as I already have a couple of those if I want a break from the 12 GA. Now I might think about a 16 GA as an option, but I don't have a reloader for that.

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

Tom
 
Now I'm a Browning man and would lean towards the guns you mentioned. There's nothing wrong with a Beretta mind you. They have a very good reputation for reliability and quality. Just one problem with them for me. The wood is pretty plain Jane compared to the Browning and if I'm paying the kind of money that these O/U's demand. I want them to look as good as they perform. Browning has a grade of wood second to none in the Ind IMO.

687-ultralight-deluxe-12-ga

http://www.berettausa.com/products/687-ultralight-deluxe-12-ga/default.aspx

There is a Krieghoff K 80 12 ga Lightweight but they carry a very hefty price.

http://www.cabelas.com/reno-gun-library-krieghoff-k-80-12-lightweight-skeet-tubes-1.shtml

Good luck on your quest.
 
Browning makes a lightweight 12 gauge as does Beretta.
 
Winchester superlight 12 ga. Still avaiable new, at a few places. Made in Europe along with the Brownings, I liked it better than the brownings, and beretta's, mine weigh's in at just a hair under 6 pounds.
 
I am too a browning fan, look at Citori superlights, or upland specials. The older versions wont have choke tubes but all recent versions offer tubes. For a 12 ga they will be in the 6.5 version...

Keep you eyes peels for Superposed super lights too, i find fit and finish nicer than Citori's, and they balance like a dream. They can be expensive, but you might find one in some deep , dark , corner gun shop that doesnt realize that they are not " just " a superposed!
 
Buy a 20 . . . a Pheasant in the pattern of a 20 is just as dead as a bird in the pattern out of a 12, unless you're just dead-set on a 12 in which case I'm of NO help whatsoever since I only shoot 20's & 28's. The guns are lighter, the ammo is lighter, and they are both a joy to carry, an absolute ease to swing, & a truly delightful gun to own.
 
I have a Charles Daly UL, 12 gauge O/U and love it. A shorter barrel and light weight makes it a pleasure to carry in the woods or field. And a more economincal gun than the Brownings and Berrettas.
 
Again, not exactly what you're looking for, but I have a Beretta Urika Gold semi-auto that I think is in that 6.5 lb. range - the "gold version" is extra light. However, the gas-operated recoil system makes it super soft shooting, less felt recoil than my heavier O/U. If you can tolerate a semi-auto, I think it would be exactly what you're looking for.

I'm likely to sell it soon, PM me if you're interested.

-Matt
 
the Ceasar Guerini's are worth looking at.

I have a 12ga cynergy with a syn stock that is a great gun for the field and a 20ga citori but my go to gun is a Ceasar Guerini woodlander. The gun is just flat out beautiful and it is super light and just swings amazing for me. Worth looking at.

http://www.gueriniusa.com/gun_models/woodlander/Woodlander.shtml

Woodlander_popup3.jpg
 
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BlueWeim-that Guerini is gorgeous but more $$ than I want to tie up in another gun.

JMc-PM coming to you shortly

Great advice guys and thanks. So the general list so far is (not in order and not all in the same $$$class):
Cynergy or Citori Feather-roughly 6.5 lbs
Beretta 686/687 Ultralight- 5.8 lbs
Winchester Superlight- 6 lbs
Franchi Renaissance-6 lbs
Charles Daly Ultralight ??lbs

Let me know if I'm missing any. This gives me a good bunch to start looking for and to see how they fit. Based on my Brownings I'll probably need to do some stock lengthening. The Cynergy and Franchi have different thickness recoil pads to order. Others might need spacers.

No thanks on the auto-I like my Maxus just fine. Likewise, no thanks on the 20 as I've already got a Citori 20. Personal preference for sure but I'd rather use a 12. It's time for me to start scouring the internet sites and forums and swing by some gun shops.

Thanks again.
Tom
 
Cz makes an ultra light o/u 12ga, I've never handled one but the 2 Cz's I own (1 o/u 1 sxs) are both very nice and I wouldn't hesitate to by another.
 
I looked at a Franchi Renaissance yesterday. Pretty dang nice if you ask me. Will make my short list when I get serious about an O/U.
 
I'm going to sell this Beretta. It's a very lightly used 12 gauge 687 Ultralight Deluxe. 28" barrels, weighs 6 lbs. 5 oz., hard case, tubes, etc. I haven't put 200 rounds through it. It's a beautiful gun, but it's just too light for my shooting ability.

It's probably too short for you with its 14 1/8" LOP, and truthfully I'd rather sell it in person and avoid the shipping/FFL hassle and expense. But these are very nice if you come across one.





 
Rooster Roaster said:
I'm going to sell this Beretta. It's a very lightly used 12 gauge 687 Ultralight Deluxe. 28" barrels, weighs 6 lbs. 5 oz., hard case, tubes, etc. I haven't put 200 rounds through it. It's a beautiful gun, but it's just too light for my shooting ability.

It's probably too short for you with its 14 1/8" LOP, and truthfully I'd rather sell it in person and avoid the shipping/FFL hassle and expense. But these are very nice if you come across one.





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Are you a swing thru, sustained lead shooter? I am more of a probe and hope shooter, more like the Robert Churchill school, close shots tight cover. Short barrels and light weight don't bother me a bit. I am firing when the gun gets seated on my shoulder, If I "think" to much, I'm in trouble. In distance shooting or sustained lead, I can see light weight, short barrel, recoil too! for some, being a real problem, with a solution being long barrels, weight bias forward, and a slightly heavier gun overall, to encourage the follow through, and maintain contact with the shoulder. Always looking to pick up good first hand info on what works for various shooters.
 
oldandnew, I can use pretty much all of the techniques you've described to varying degrees depending on the situation. When I'm on my game and in really in sync with a gun I like the "up-bang" Churchill type shot on the closer stuff like you. When the distance gets longer and the angles set sharper and more complex I revert to a much more deliberate form, and like you mentioned, that's when the light guns start die in my hands. Long experience on game and shooting in general has shown me that a bird has a much smaller chance of getting away when I have a 7 pound shotgun in my hands. I love carrying the lightweights, but I just can't shoot them to my satisfaction. Wish I could! :)
 
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I would say that's exactly my response. I have an old VH Parker,weight over 8 #s long lop 15 ", 30" barrels.. If I know shots are going to be long, it's my preferred weapon, even though I have to lug it, it balances real nice. Sometimes I think the obsesion with light weight is over rated, but not at the end of miles of birdless cover!
 
Rooster Roaster said:
I'm going to sell this Beretta. It's a very lightly used 12 gauge 687 Ultralight Deluxe. 28" barrels, weighs 6 lbs. 5 oz., hard case, tubes, etc. I haven't put 200 rounds through it. It's a beautiful gun, but it's just too light for my shooting ability.




Click to expand...

The gun is sold pending payment.
 
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