Lightweight shotgun?

Felt recoil is not an inconsiderable factor even with upland hunting, as I know from being overgunned as a kid getting slammed can affect how readily you'll take a snap shot, and there's always the flinch factor.
 
Have the SKB 200e 20G with 28" barrels and has been my go to for pheasant and grouse this year.Im pretty impressed :)

My 1st SKB was a 200 in 20ga with 25" bbls. It served me well but I like the longer 28" bbls and the splinter forend on the 100. The 100 was F/M but was opened up to IC/M.

That 200 only cost me $350 way back when. They have gone up a lot in value and are sought after.
 
The Rem 1100 LT 20 should be around 7 lbs.
Years ago I purchased an LW20 to start my teenage daughters out shooting skeet, I could be wrong but as I understand it the LW was the predecessor to the LT model and both were built on a 28 gauge frame. LW could have stood for "light weight" but I don't know what LT stood for. The reason I chose the 1100 was because the steel receiver gives it some weight and heft to mitigate the recoil and because of that and the gas system they are very soft shooting guns.
 
7 pound shotguns shouldn't be part of a discussion about lightweight guns. 7 pounds is not lightweight unless you are talking 10 bore or bigger.
 
7 pound shotguns shouldn't be part of a discussion about lightweight guns. 7 pounds is not lightweight unless you are talking 10 bore or bigger.

James I think I have learned (from you and lots of field/hunting experience)Light guns are 6lbs- ish and under.

Over 6lbs ish they are "guns".....over 7.5lbs they are "duck guns". Once they are over 8lbs they are good Duck guns.....

Lots of guys shooting upland birds with 7lb guns. Lot of Fox and Parker 12's are high 6lb-7lb range. Nothing wrong with that but they aren't light.


For hunting clear cuts and messing around with a light gun try and find an old beater Fox Sterlingworth 16 or 20 bore preferably with 26" barrels. They will be at or just under 6lbs often. Nice little guns but you probably wont find one. they are rare (and I will try and buy it before you. :)
 
James I think I have learned (from you and lots of field/hunting experience)Light guns are 6lbs- ish and under.

Over 6lbs ish they are "guns".....over 7.5lbs they are "duck guns". Once they are over 8lbs they are good Duck guns.....

Lots of guys shooting upland birds with 7lb guns. Lot of Fox and Parker 12's are high 6lb-7lb range. Nothing wrong with that but they aren't light.


For hunting clear cuts and messing around with a light gun try and find an old beater Fox Sterlingworth 16 or 20 bore preferably with 26" barrels. They will be at or just under 6lbs often. Nice little guns but you probably wont find one. they are rare (and I will try and buy it before you. :)

I’d call that a perfect summation Adam. Especially the “over 8 pounds they are GOOD duck guns”. Laugh2
 
I will say one other factor of Ithaca shotguns.
The older M37s with the 2 3/4 inch receivers tend to be the lightest ones, alongside the virtually new 28 gauge first produced 2009. Yes. There were the differing Ultralights too with aluminum alloy receivers, first made 1978.
Once you get into the M87 era shotguns (all 3 inch capable magnum receivers) the advantage of light weight is quickly lost.
Seems virtually all new manufacture M37 Ithaca (barring the 28) are 3 inch capable.

My opinion only.

Edit: Trivia; if you have a 7 shot older M37 military & police with 2 3/4 receiver, yet emplace upon it the newer (heavier) M87 barrel upon it, she hangs beautifully from offhand unsupported shooting position. Much like an M94 Winchester 30-30, 26 inch barrel & full length magazine. Hangs like a palma target rifle!
 
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Just picked up an a400 upland in 20 gauge (without the kickoff if that makes any difference) and man… I don’t know what the official numbers for weight are but this thing feels crazy light. Maybe I’m just used to hauling around 12 gauges (and machine guns among other heavy army stuff) but it feels like I’m carrying around a branch
 
I've bought four 16 gauge so far in 2023. All vintage SxS. Three have barrels lengths of 29.5" and one has 28' barrels. Two of them weigh 6 pounds 7 ounces (average weight for vintage 16 gauge SxS), one weighs 6 pounds even (light 16 gauge) and one weighs 5 pounds 11 ounces (very light 16 gauge).

I'm particularly impressed by the one that weighs 6 pounds. That's quite a feat with 29.5' barrels......and they aren't thin barrels!
 
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