Light Weight 20 O/U

J

Jason S

New member
I bought a Winchester 101 Field from Bass Pro. I really like this gun as it was my first middle level gun. Prior to this I had only shot my 20 gauge O/U (EEA Corp Baikal Russian Gun). I shot that 20 well and liked it until I bought the Winchester. Now I only carry the Winchester. I shoot the Win really well and it fits me really well. Shoots where I look if I take my mind out of it. Just shoot it don't try to aim. Naturally. I shoot I hit, I aim I miss. Hard to explain.

But that has me loooking for a lighter 20 or 16 than my 12. It weighs just a tounch over 7 pounds and to me is pretty comfortable. Decision would be easy if Winchester made a 20 gauge 101. I would buy one today if it fit the same.

Been looking and can't find anything in 16 of the good grade guns. 20's seem portly and I may as well just carry the 12. Any of the B guns out there in a 6# steel frame gun, 28" barrels and ejectors. Don't care on triggers or barrel selector. 16 or 20 gauge. Always shoot bottom first. Hunt over a Brittany that is close working and really holds a bird tight. 28 may come next year so would also be open to a light weight 20/28 two barrel set if it was 5.8-6 pounds.

Help me out where to look. Not recoil sensitive.
 
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If you have an Academy in your area they market an over and under by Yildz alot of gun for the money . If your ever in NE Kansas you would be welcome to shoot mine .
 
If you are looking for a low cost affordable 20ga then a Yildiz will fill that bill. I have a SxS 410 Yildiz and like it just fine for dove but most of my upland shooting for dove, quail and pheasant is done with a 6.5lb (true weight) 20ga 28" barreled Citori lightning.
 
Anyone have any experience with the Franchi L or SL. I can't find one anywhere to handle. But have found some on Gunbroker. The SL is what I am looking for generally. Nothing against the Yiddish mentioned above but am looking middle tier guns. Also how about Berretta and Browning comparable models?
 
your going to have to travel and handle them. I have an sl in 12 we've discussed them on here before, very light, good hunting gun for the money. 6.2 lbs. in a 12 I have no idea what a 20 weighs? I have an spII combo in 20/28 that I shoot most of the time. I had it bent even more with more cast off to fit me. If I had to do it over again I would have bought a slightly more upgraded etchen model. Most would poopoo the 28 on a 20 frame but both guns now fit me and I paid for one bending. It will hurt the resale value, but I bought them to shoot. The Franchi has no cast. I could not comment on Brownings currently, I own a few for sentimental reasons, but a guy at the trap club practically begged me to buy a SK/SK citori today and I put probably the 100-110th shell down it and passed. They do not feel right or shoot well for me, YMMV. This was a screaming deal on a mint gun. If your in the midwest there are pretty good gun stores within a mornings drive. BP does handle Franchi's. I personally usually buy used.
 
Jason S said:
Anyone have any experience with the Franchi L or SL. I can't find one anywhere to handle. But have found some on Gunbroker. The SL is what I am looking for generally. Nothing against the Yiddish mentioned above but am looking middle tier guns. Also how about Berretta and Browning comparable models?
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I picked up an Instinct L in 20/28 this past spring but only have shot it a couple times on clay pigeons using Federal Top Guns. I chose the L over the SL for extra half pound of weight to help with recoil once I go to some 3" shells for public land pheasant hunting where I'll need non-tox. So far, albeit a very short time, I've been happy with the purchase.
 
I bought a 16 ga. Rizzini Verona that weighs 6.4 lbs. Nice gun & points well for me. South Dakota in a few weeks will initiate her.
 
birdshooter said:
Browining 725 Citori Feather under 7lbs or the standard 725 Field goes just a tad over 7 lbs.


http://www.browning.com/products/fi...un/current-production/citori-725-feather.html
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7#'s is portly. If I am going to carry that all day why not just carry my 12. This isn't what i am struggling with. As you go down in gauge. Maybe just to me but should go down in weight. My actual weight on the 101 is 7# 3oz on a postal scale. So it is trim and alright to carry all day. Just interested in a 20 that is lighter than my Baikal. It is 7# 8 oz. would like to cut 1 1/2 pounds off of that thing. With nicer wood.

Have been looking real hard at the Franchi and found places online I can get an SL or L 20 guage, but unable to hold one have a hard time shelling out 1100-1400 for a gun I don't know I will enjoy. So might go the route of a Bennelli 20 guage Ultra Light auto. But really enjoy a O/U. For upland. Have duck guns that can do that. Like an auto for ducks.

Where can you handle a Rizzini in WA state?
 
I would contact https://www.joeletchenguns.com/. Your Winchester 101 is neutral cast and I'd bet your Baikal has a lot of cast off. The Winchester probably fits you better. Brownings are cast neutral and Etchen might also have something in a Beretta SP 1 that would fit you. I too have the Bass Pro Winchester 101 Field and a Browning Cynergy Field 20 gauge 28" that has a similar feel, but a higher rib. It weighs 6.5 pounds and the Winchester 101 is 7 1/4 pounds. Compared to the 8 pound 12 gauge OU I was using the the 7.3 pound Ruger Red Label I also used, the Winchester 101 and Cynergy feel like feathers. Whether or not you are recoil sensitive the sub 6 pound 20 gauges can be pretty unpleasant to shoot, even with 7/8 oz loads. For me, 6 to 6 1/2 pounds seems to be about right to balance easy carry and comfortable shooting with a 20 gauge.
 
I have a Browning Cynergy Feather 20 that weighs in right at 5 pounds. It is an awesome shooter. Hard to find but they're out there.
 
Jason S said:
7#'s is portly. If I am going to carry that all day why not just carry my 12. This isn't what i am struggling with. As you go down in gauge. Maybe just to me but should go down in weight. My actual weight on the 101 is 7# 3oz on a postal scale. So it is trim and alright to carry all day. Just interested in a 20 that is lighter than my Baikal. It is 7# 8 oz. would like to cut 1 1/2 pounds off of that thing. With nicer wood.

Have been looking real hard at the Franchi and found places online I can get an SL or L 20 guage, but unable to hold one have a hard time shelling out 1100-1400 for a gun I don't know I will enjoy. So might go the route of a Bennelli 20 guage Ultra Light auto. But really enjoy a O/U. For upland. Have duck guns that can do that. Like an auto for ducks.

Where can you handle a Rizzini in WA state?
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I guess I'm a little confused here. Is it the weight that is your major concern whether 12 or 20ga or is that you desire specifically a 20ga under 7#?

If you had read the product page on the 725 you would have seen that the 725 Feather in 12 ga. weighs in at 6 lbs 7 oz. The 20 ga version of the Feather will weigh in at 5 lbs 12 oz. A couple oz. more each for 28" barrels.

It don't get much lighter than that for a 12 or 2o ga. O/U.
 
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birdshooter said:
I guess I'm a little confused here. Is it the weight that is your major concern whether 12 or 20ga or is that you desire specifically a 20ga under 7#?

If you had read the product page on the 725 you would have seen that the 725 Feather in 12 ga. weighs in at 6 lbs 7 oz. The 20 ga version of the Feather will weigh in at 5 lbs 12 oz. A couple oz. more each for 28" barrels.

It don't get much lighter than that for a 12 or 2o ga. O/U.
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Specifically am looking for a 20 gauge. That weighs less than my 12 but feels the same. Really would like it 6 or under. My 101 I actually weighed and was less than 7.5#. Don't know if it is different densities in the wood or what. I have not been able to actually touch a Browning Feather. Truthfully my options are Sportsmans Wharehouse, BPS and Cabelas and no one has one. But would be interested they seem to be kyriptonite to find. Am looking for real wood also, not composite. Composite belongs on a rifle not a shotgun. To me anyhow.

If there is no weight advantage for a long day in the field then why go down in guage. This is my dogs first year after a ton of training. So going down in gauge isn't meant to challenge her or I, I actually don't want to miss much this year in her first year. Positive experience for her. I can carry a bigger payload, same price ammo, and be effective with the 12. Bring along an 870 for back up. The Balkal kind of just takes up room as I am sentimental as it turned me on to doubles. It wil stay in the safe.

Specifically. Truthfully. There is room in the safe and be nice to see a niche filled. With another quality gun. That Winchester got me wondering as to what an even better fun would be like. Prior to the Baikal all I ever shot were 870's. I really like a OU for upland game. Next year the quest of a 16 or 28 will begin. Not sure which to go for first. Have a 870 WM 16 I love and shoot well from the 1960's by barrel code.
 
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Jason S said:
Specifically am looking for a 20 gauge. That weighs less than my 12 but feels the same. Really would like it 6 or under. My 101 I actually weighed and was less than 7.5#. Don't know if it is different densities in the wood or what. I have not been able to actually touch a Browning Feather. Truthfully my options are Sportsmans Wharehouse, BPS and Cabelas and no one has one. But would be interested they seem to be kyriptonite to find. Am looking for real wood also, not composite. Composite belongs on a rifle not a shotgun. To me anyhow.

If there is no weight advantage for a long day in the field then why go down in guage. This is my dogs first year after a ton of training. So going down in gauge isn't meant to challenge her or I, I actually don't want to miss much this year in her first year. Positive experience for her. I can carry a bigger payload, same price ammo, and be effective with the 12. Bring along an 870 for back up. The Balkal kind of just takes up room as I am sentimental as it turned me on to doubles. It wil stay in the safe.

Specifically. Truthfully. There is room in the safe and be nice to see a niche filled. With another quality gun. That Winchester got me wondering as to what an even better fun would be like. Prior to the Baikal all I ever shot were 870's. I really like a OU for upland game. Next year the quest of a 16 or 28 will begin. Not sure which to go for first. Have a 870 WM 16 I love and shoot well from the 1960's by barrel code.
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Beretta 686 20ga. I use mine for just about everything from quail to goose. Seriously.
 
Jason S said:
Specifically am looking for a 20 gauge. That weighs less than my 12 but feels the same. Really would like it 6 or under. My 101 I actually weighed and was less than 7.5#. Don't know if it is different densities in the wood or what. I have not been able to actually touch a Browning Feather. Truthfully my options are Sportsmans Wharehouse, BPS and Cabelas and no one has one. But would be interested they seem to be kyriptonite to find. Am looking for real wood also, not composite. Composite belongs on a rifle not a shotgun. To me anyhow.
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Between Sportsman's Warehouse, BPS, and Cabelas there should be steel framed 20 gauge OU's that run between 6.2 and 6.5 pounds to test the fit. The Beretta SP 1 is usually around 6-6.2 pounds. The Cynergy is 6.2 to 6.5 depending on barrel length. If you are right handed and cast doesn't matter, Cabelas has the alloy receiver Stevens 555 Silver. The one I handled had nice wood. As a second carry far shoot little upland gun it should hold up. I'd get one if it wasn't for the cast. The Cynergy will have the same length of pull and neutral cast as your 101, but the drop dimensions will be slightly different. You just have to shoulder them to see. Cynergy feathers are hard to find. The only place I've seen them advertised with regularity is on Gun Broker. No chance to shoulder them when that's the only source. FWIW, both the Cynergy and Beretta have low profile receivers like the 101, with the Beretta having more in common with the 101. Same basic design for the lock up.
 
I picked up a Stevens 555 last year and have been loving it. I believe that gun is 5 1/2 lbs. I haven't had any issues with the gun so far and its a breeze to clean.
 
I'm leaning towards using my BSS Sporter 20 ga some this fall as well. It seems to shoot where I'm looking altho I'm wondering if I'm consistently looking in the right place !
 
I have enjoyed the Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon II 20/28 combo. I know they are pricey, but If you can find just the SPII in a 20 gauge you might be pleased. For me, I like the 28 in. barrels for a smoother swing. Also, just food for thought, Benelli came out with a Motefeltro Super 90 20 gauge autoloader which will hold 5. This gun is 2 3/4 and 3''.
Walnut stock/ forearm. It is a gem to carry and shoot. I got mine back in like 1995.
 
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