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Weight of a game gun


Mr grumpy
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Due to health reasons,I am dabbling in the murky waters of over&unders.

I've recently been looking and am amazed at the weight of some new game guns.some close to or over 8 pounds.no I can't do a full days walked up shooting any longer but will still do some for as long as possible.i understand that the extra weight absorbs recoil better,but, surely this is trap gun territory.is it me?

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Mine too but I can't really hold a straight hand stock anymore,due to needing more grip/position of wrist,so it would need to be a pistol grip (ugly in comparison,I feel) and also due to perceived recoil an o/u.would consider a pow,but would need to try one.dont need 3"chambers or multi chokes,but realise that most modern guns have them.am i asking for the impossible? Would also want a 12 bore.

Edited by Mr grumpy
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Both Beretta and Browning have done lightweight 12 o/u.  I have owned neither, but both should be fairly widely available second hand/to try.

If you are to shoot a lot of cartridges and walk very little, a heavier gun may suit - especially with steel coming along.

On the other hand, to walk a fair amount and shoot few cartridges - a light gun may suit. 

I would see if you can try some second hand lightweight o/us and see how you get on.

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1 hour ago, Mr grumpy said:

Due to health reasons,I am dabbling in the murky waters of over&unders.

I've recently been looking and am amazed at the weight of some new game guns.some close to or over 8 pounds.no I can't do a full days walked up shooting any longer but will still do some for as long as possible.i understand that the extra weight absorbs recoil better,but, surely this is trap gun territory.is it me?

Buy yourself a Yilditz 410, 30 inch barrels and join the ever growing throng of game shooters realising what a fantastic cartridge this is and you can carry a days shells in one pocket. If in doubt then go visit the Wst Mids Shooting Ground this August and watch the show...or even take part.

I have been shooting 410 now for six yeara and never felt undergunned BUT I am not a willie waggler needing to TRY and cleanly kill 70 - 80 yrd birds.

I add... I am now on the wrong side of 80 years of age but still plan a dozen or more driven days this coming season.

Edited by Walker570
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2 hours ago, Mr grumpy said:

Due to health reasons,I am dabbling in the murky waters of over&unders.

I've recently been looking and am amazed at the weight of some new game guns.some close to or over 8 pounds.no I can't do a full days walked up shooting any longer but will still do some for as long as possible.i understand that the extra weight absorbs recoil better,but, surely this is trap gun territory.is it me?

 

1 hour ago, Mr grumpy said:

Mine too but I can't really hold a straight hand stock anymore,due to needing more grip/position of wrist,so it would need to be a pistol grip (ugly in comparison,I feel) and also due to perceived recoil an o/u.would consider a pow,but would need to try one.dont need 3"chambers or multi chokes,but realise that most modern guns have them.am i asking for the impossible? Would also want a 12 bore.

No and no. Welcome to the blasted club.:mad:

They're out there. Just two possibilities from a choice of thousands are the Beretta 56E if you can find one and a Chapuis. The former is light because of the use of light alloy and the latter because the French shooting is - but this is now changing - in the main walked up and their guns are designed to suit. The Beretta will be used and the Chapuis for some unknown reason do not hold their value so for used ones there's a bargain to be had.

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54 minutes ago, Dave at kelton said:

Keep an eye out for a John Macnab Highlander in 20 bore, semi pistol grip stock and a little over 6lb. Or go for Yildiz in 28.

I know that the OP said 12 bore, but he shouldn`t  discount a 20 bore. The 20 bore MacNab Highlanders are lovely guns to own and shoot and as you say weigh a little over 6 lbs. Ideal for carrying all day. I love mine and wouldn`t be without it.

OB

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1 hour ago, Old Boggy said:

I know that the OP said 12 bore, but he shouldn`t  discount a 20 bore. The 20 bore MacNab Highlanders are lovely guns to own and shoot and as you say weigh a little over 6 lbs. Ideal for carrying all day. I love mine and wouldn`t be without it.

OB

Can't argue with that and wouldn't want to anyway. Me and walking parted company a while back and really isn't going to improve; probably just get worse. Also my shoulders/arms/hands were not too clever and I couldn't use either of my main use 12 bore shotguns so I put them up for sale. I had tripped over a Beretta 20 with 2 triggers which I couldn't resist, but then couldn't use that either. Got a single trigger 20 725 Black and could manage OK. Then things improved and I'm finding that more often than not I can now use the Beretta with its SHS. Fortunately, neither of the 12s have sold and sadly whereas I'm pretty sure that I'll never be able to use the 702 (fore-end is the problem), I'm going to get the Chapuis back and see how we get on.

What I'm saying in that load of waffle is for the OP not to do anything drastic too quickly. Even at 78 things can improve if not get better and it pays to make haste slowly.

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33 minutes ago, wymberley said:

Can't argue with that and wouldn't want to anyway. Me and walking parted company a while back and really isn't going to improve; probably just get worse. Also my shoulders/arms/hands were not too clever and I couldn't use either of my main use 12 bore shotguns so I put them up for sale. I had tripped over a Beretta 20 with 2 triggers which I couldn't resist, but then couldn't use that either. Got a single trigger 20 725 Black and could manage OK. Then things improved and I'm finding that more often than not I can now use the Beretta with its SHS. Fortunately, neither of the 12s have sold and sadly whereas I'm pretty sure that I'll never be able to use the 702 (fore-end is the problem), I'm going to get the Chapuis back and see how we get on.

What I'm saying in that load of waffle is for the OP not to do anything drastic too quickly. Even at 78 things can improve if not get better and it pays to make haste slowly.

Thankyou for your pointers.i hope thing carry on improving for you👍

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4 hours ago, Walker570 said:

Buy yourself a Yilditz 410, 30 inch barrels and join the ever growing throng of game shooters realising what a fantastic cartridge this is and you can carry a days shells in one pocket. If in doubt then go visit the Wst Mids Shooting Ground this August and watch the show...or even take part.

I have been shooting 410 now for six yeara and never felt undergunned BUT I am not a willie waggler needing to TRY and cleanly kill 70 - 80 yrd birds.

I add... I am now on the wrong side of 80 years of age but still plan a dozen or more driven days this coming season.

I'm with you all the way .410 wise. I've shot them all my life. Saying that though my 12g b25 is pretty light at 6lb 12oz and pistol gripped.

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9 hours ago, Mr grumpy said:

Due to health reasons,I am dabbling in the murky waters of over&unders.

I've recently been looking and am amazed at the weight of some new game guns.some close to or over 8 pounds.no I can't do a full days walked up shooting any longer but will still do some for as long as possible.i understand that the extra weight absorbs recoil better,but, surely this is trap gun territory.is it me?

I got a Kofs 12B specifically for it’s weight while walking about pretty rough ground, like a feather compared to my silver pigeon. Kofs is under 6.5 lbs in 12B.  Yes, it kicks in comparison with a bigger game load but I have no issues with it. 


I was impressed enough to buy another in 28B for my son. It’s even better imo. 

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Beretta new ultraleggaro - 6.173 lbs with 28” barrels. 
 

6.6lb with 30”. 
 

Very light and nicely handling but I wouldn’t want to shoot many carts through it. 
 

I handled one was tempted but thought I’m not sure what it offers for walked up shooting that my Silver pigeon 20 bore can’t do. 

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21 hours ago, London Best said:

Don’t even try to hold the fore-end, it’s not what it is there for. Hold the barrels.

Should have known better and said, ‘the fore-end’s hand’.

Mind you, could never understand why they don't checker the barrels if that's where you're supposed to hold on to.

Edited by wymberley
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My Browning O/U is comfortably north of 8lb, and horrific to lug about all day (or even half a day....) - on the other hand - and as much as I hate to admit it - I shoot driven pheasant far better with it than with any of my SxS's. Its probably marginally better to decoy pigeon with as well - and i'm happy to attribute all of the above to the extra weight. 

I've never shot driven partridges with it - but I imagine it wouldent have any benifit over a traditional SxS's if I did. And the SxS's win hands down for walked up shooting.

At the end of the day though - if i could only have one gun, it would be a SxS - because I enjoy them more and while the O/U is better for driven pheasant, etc - its far far worse for walked up.*

Surely the are a few old SxS's with pistol or Prince of Wales grips for sale out there?

* I will also admit to being incredibly biased towards SxS's - but thats another discussion entirely....

Edited by PeterHenry
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I bought a KOFs .410 because I wanted a O/U in .410.

I was so pleased with it I bought the KOFs sxe game, 12 bore 30" barrels, very lightweight but has much the same external measurements as my Miroku MK38 sporter so therefore fits me well.

It's a great, cheap field gun that I now alternate with my Miroku SBS.

20220425_110051.jpg.f3eac9fe8cffc705c518ddd0553f0bbf.jpg

That's how it looks straight out of the box.

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I have a 6lb and a bit Army & Navy 16 gauge, fabulous shotgun which has sevred me well for the past 40years but since I have turned to a 410 that gun now feels like a 10 bore when I fire it.  It is fine to go for a lightwieght 12 gauge or even 20 gauge for carrying purposes but you then have to reduce the load in order to keep recoil pleasant.  The 410 does both.  We shoot a couple of 410 only driven days and never struggle to fill the bag if the birds are shown. 

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On 24/04/2022 at 16:42, wymberley said:

Can't argue with that and wouldn't want to anyway. Me and walking parted company a while back and really isn't going to improve; probably just get worse. Also my shoulders/arms/hands were not too clever and I couldn't use either of my main use 12 bore shotguns so I put them up for sale. I had tripped over a Beretta 20 with 2 triggers which I couldn't resist, but then couldn't use that either. Got a single trigger 20 725 Black and could manage OK. Then things improved and I'm finding that more often than not I can now use the Beretta with its SHS. Fortunately, neither of the 12s have sold and sadly whereas I'm pretty sure that I'll never be able to use the 702 (fore-end is the problem), I'm going to get the Chapuis back and see how we get on.

What I'm saying in that load of waffle is for the OP not to do anything drastic too quickly. Even at 78 things can improve if not get better and it pays to make haste slowly.

Well, that was fun I should have kept quiet. Everything happened at once. Phoned the RFD to arrange to collect the 2 guns only to find out that they'd just sold the 702. Bit of a blow that as not more than a couple of hours previously I'd found out that my great nephew was going to be a shooter and it would have been nice to keep that in the family - both sons are not interested and the grand children are all female - so he'll have to make do with the Chapuis eventually. I hadn't had it long when everything went pear shaped and I'd half forgotten how well if fitted and I'm pleased to say that with an OU type fore-end currently I have no pain when mounting it. It has a SHS and 2 triggers and should the 6&1/2 lbs become too much at times then there's the 5&1/2lb 20 bore Beretta. If my right hand let's go as it did, there's the single trigger 20 Browning to fall back on. Only problem is is that the spring drillings are now established and clear of corvids so some patience is required I fear.

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9 hours ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

Hello, I chose my O/U for lightness and good fit without alterations, 12 g Yildiz, I also like Auto Safety, hope you find something suitable and carry on shooting 👍

Many thanks. Barring an absolute disaster, I think I'm just about OK. :good: I only now shoot shotgun from a hide - so pigeon and corvid -  and therefore a canon is not necessary (mind you the Browning comes close). The Chapuis suited and coincided with your criteria having a large range of options (including a choice of two stocks) all no cost.

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On 24/04/2022 at 13:42, Dave at kelton said:

Keep an eye out for a John Macnab Highlander in 20 bore, semi pistol grip stock and a little over 6lb. Or go for Yildiz in 28.

my f a i r jubilee comes close to this pow stock 30in barrels 6lb 4oz 20g.

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