Gun weight loss

[docholiday]

I have been dragging around the fields for the last ten years a 12 bore Browning 325, Yesteurday on the last driven shoot of the season someone showed me there lightweight Browning 525 game gun, it weighed less than my 20 bore.

 

Question, anybody had any experience of these, how do they make them so light, does it effect anything, I guess the recoil might be a little heavier.

 

Seems the best way forward unless anybody has had any problems with them.

Doc

[Baldrick]

The gun I use most commonly now is a Browning B25 Lightweight Game with 27" barrels, which is about 7lb. I use 32g 6s through it all the time, and perceived recoil is minimal. I think gun fit is as important as weight.

[Trussman]

Agreed, gun fit is crucial.

 

I shot a Lanber once that didn't fit me using 24 gram loads and it was unpleasant to say the least.

 

Another time, I shot an AyA OU. It fitted me perfectly and even with 32 gram loads the recoil was minimal.

[clayman]

A gun is made light by a combination of things

 

The steel parts can be higher grade steels, but machined to be thinner saving weight while retaining strength from superber alloying.

 

The action can be made from lightweight alloys.

 

The stock can be synthetic or wood hollowed out.

 

Downsides are greater cost for the better metals and extra manufacturing. The action may wear quicker if its alloy, steel on steel in a usual action will wear slower than steel on alloy unless the alloy is very high grade and hardened, adding further cost.

 

Less metal could mean heat dissipation is not as good, fully ventilated barrels and rib would be ideal on a light weight gun, again adding cost if they are a specification improvement on the standard gun.