O/U pheasant gun 7 pounds or less?

gobigorgohome

gobigorgohome

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Here's the idea. I'm a big auto loaded fan, sadly, no company currently produces a sharp and well looking left handed auto loader and after having a RH one blow up in my face one, I'll never shoot one again. But my search for a nice over under has taken me everywhere and I don't know what to do. 3" and removable chokes on a 12 ga or 20 ga is very nice, but appropriate fixed chokes would be acceptable. The benelli 828 U does everything and is light as I want it, but too pricey to justify for the handful of times I bird hunt. Berettas and Brownings are nice, but often heavy. I guess what I have narrowed it down to is, I want a decent over under that's around 7lbs or less. The citori lightning fwatherlight is all this, I just don't know if it's really worth 2500$.... so I ask to my fine gunnutz folk, what older models am i missing that I should be searching for? Because my super nova Ian just too damn ugly and heavy to keep taking out into the pheasant fields....
 
Find a used Savage Milano. It's a rebranded Italian F.A.I.R., and almost identical except for the lack of fancy engraving. The F.A.I.R. versions sell for a lot more than the Milano. 6 lbs 10 oz for the 20 gauge, with 28" barrel. Trulock sells chokes for them.

edit; I guess it was more accurately a collaboration between Savage and F.A.I.R., but the Savage was offered at a lower price point.

Google Savage Milano and F.A.I.R. LX692
 
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My Citori 625 Feather weighs 5-1/2lbs with the 20 gauge barrels. The Citori 725 Feather weighs 6-1/2lbs as a 12 gauge or 5-1/2lbs as a 20 gauge. My SxS pheasant guns are also 6lbs or less.
 
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I have a Franchi Renaissance which is an older version of the Instinct SL that is under 7 lbs and is my go to Pheasant gun. Its not a Beretta or Browning but points well and has OK triggers.
 
Buy a used SKB Ithaca 500. They are built very well, styled somewhat similar to a Merkel, have black chrome metal finish that is indestructible, have a reliable ( mechanical) single selectable trigger with a selector you can actually use in the field during a flush, and are priced under $1000 because they are fixed choke, usually full/mod. I have owned two, they are a very good value for the money. Steven Bodio in his excellent book "Good Guns" praises them highly.
 
Longwalker said:
Buy a used SKB Ithaca 500. They are built very well, styled somewhat similar to a Merkel, have black chrome metal finish that is indestructible, have a reliable ( mechanical) single selectable trigger with a selector you can actually use in the field during a flush, and are priced under $1000 because they are fixed choke, usually full/mod. I have owned two, they are a very good value for the money. Steven Bodio in his excellent book "Good Guns" praises them highly.
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Then again, if the gun doesn't fit the shooter, it is pretty much useless.
 
You're right about fit Stubblejumper. The SKB 500 guns that I owned were stocked very similar to a Browning Citori field, which is a touch lower in the comb height than most Berettas.
 
You need to buy a gun that fits.
My Beretta 687 20 gauge weighs 5 pounds 15 ounces, a great field gun. I bought used for a very modest price.
 
Many, many guns are cast neutral and people shoot them well. RH guns are cast off, LH guns are cast on.
The requirement is for a gun to fit the individual, at least well enough for them to shoot well.
 
I have two beretta OUs that I bought on the EE and then had steam-bent for LH and cut to my LOP. Best thing I ever did. One is an ultralight 686. Plain looking but only 5 lbs 10 ounces in 12 gauge. 2 3/4" chambers only, but trust me you would not want to shoot 3" much anyways. she's a feisty one! I rarely use that one unless I'm specifically targetting woodcock or grouse in thick cover. My go-to bird gun is a 687 Silver Pigeon II that I also had steam-bent. It's just over 7 lbs and I love the weight - light enough for all-day pheasant hunts but heavy enough to have a nice swing and follow through and doesn't kick as much as the ultralight so better follow-up shots. It was surprisingly cheap to have them steam-bent. If the ultralight is something that you might like, send me a PM and we can chat. I wasn't thinking of selling it, but just now reflected on how rarely it leaves the safe now that I'm a full-on pheasant addict/
-Dave
 
I'd recommend the Browning Lightning. I just sold my 20 gauge Lightning about a month ago because it wasn't getting used. You should be able to get one in excellent condition for about $1500. The straight stocked versions are nice guns too, but harder to find.
 
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Love my straight-gripped feather,balance is superb and it is crazy fast to shoulder.
I've had it for 5 seasons now and walked hundreds of kilometers with it and provided the family with plenty ruffies for stir fry suppers.
 
Longwalker said:
You're right about fit Stubblejumper. The SKB 500 guns that I owned were stocked very similar to a Browning Citori field, which is a touch lower in the comb height than most Berettas.
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I have similar praise and very much good luck with this exact model shotgun in 20 gauge.
And I am thinking I might very well have been the last bird hunter in WMU 514 that legally took a brace sharptails up here, with this fine SKB.
Now the newer shotgun I have unexpected grief with (stock fit with too high comb for me) the 28 gauge M37 Ithaca!?!? Lovely gun otherwise.
 
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