Over under 20ga

[Buckmaster7600]

I’m in the market for an over/under 20ga for any/all small game hunting. My go to for years has been a ruger red label w/26” barrels and at 7.8 lbs I’m wanting something much lighter. I’ve sworn off all Turkish made guns so that eliminates all the sub 1000$ guns, I have a couple cz 12 ga guns and they’re the bottom of what I would consider. The Franchi instinct is on the shortlist as is the Fab arms elos are on the short list. I’m looking for 26” barrel prefer 24” but that seems to be impossible to find and under 6lbs. It will be used for following my lab through the woods shooting a random rabbit or partridge. I don’t need/want anything fancy as it will be a high mileage low shot # gun but I don’t want junk. 
 

Anyone have any suggestions?

[cervidchasers]

Find a Winchester 101, super light and easy to carry

 

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1029611605

Edited January 8 by cervidchasers

[Wolc123]

3 hours ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

I’m in the market for an over/under 20ga for any/all small game hunting. My go to for years has been a ruger red label w/26” barrels and at 7.8 lbs I’m wanting something much lighter. I’ve sworn off all Turkish made guns so that eliminates all the sub 1000$ guns, I have a couple cz 12 ga guns and they’re the bottom of what I would consider. The Franchi instinct is on the shortlist as is the Fab arms elos are on the short list. I’m looking for 26” barrel prefer 24” but that seems to be impossible to find and under 6lbs. It will be used for following my lab through the woods shooting a random rabbit or partridge. I don’t need/want anything fancy as it will be a high mileage low shot # gun but I don’t want junk. 
 

Anyone have any suggestions?

If God wanted you to shoot one of those He’d have put your eyes that way. 
 

Side by side is the way to go for me anyhow:

This is my go-to for rabbit and grouse.  J. Stevens Springfield, I/C choke on right and mod on the left.  Separate triggers.  Shoots slugs ok also, out to 50 yards or so.  

 

You sure as heck wouldn’t want this 16 gauge though, it’s heavier than my longer barreled Ithaca 12 ga side by side. 
 

Have you considered a .410 ?  My farther in law got a little over/under one a year or two ago and it is super light weight, probably in the 24-26” barrel length range.  I’ll check what brand it is, when we go up there in a couple weeks, probably Turkish because I don’t think it was all that pricey.  

 

[Buckmaster7600]

20 minutes ago, Wolc123 said:

If God wanted you to shoot one of those He’d have put your eyes that way. 
 

Side by side is the way to go for me anyhow:

This is my go-to for rabbit and grouse.  J. Stevens Springfield, I/C choke on right and mod on the left.  Separate triggers.  Shoots slugs ok also, out to 50 yards or so.  

 

You sure as heck wouldn’t want this 16 gauge though, it’s heavier than my longer barreled Ithaca 12 ga side by side. 
 

Have you considered a .410 ?  My farther in law got a little over/under one a year or two ago and it is super light weight, probably in the 24-26” barrel length range.  I’ll check what brand it is, when we go up there in a couple weeks, probably Turkish because I don’t think it was all that pricey.  

 

If god was real and toted a shotgun much he would also realize that side by sides are too wide at the balance point to tote. 
 

410 is too hard to find and too expensive when you can find it. I have a few lifetimes of 20ga shells so I’d like to stick with it.

[Wolc123]

5 minutes ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

If god was real and toted a shotgun much he would also realize that side by sides are too wide at the balance point to tote. 
 

410 is too hard to find and too expensive when you can find it. I have a few lifetimes of 20ga shells so I’d like to stick with it.

It’s economical if you reload but otherwise not.  They seem to be getting popular for Turkeys now that the #8 TSS are legal.  
 

It’s all in what you get used to on the width.  I started with a side by side at 14, so anything else feels too narrow to me.  
 

Even my Ithaca 12 side by side feels too narrow, with its English style narrow fore grip.  I prefer the wide American style on that J. Stevens for hunting.  

[Breaking Point]

If you're not opposed to buying a used gun, look for an old Franchi Veloce. Amazing gun that weighs practically nothing.

[Buckmaster7600]

3 hours ago, Breaking Point said:

If you're not opposed to buying a used gun, look for an old Franchi Veloce. Amazing gun that weighs practically nothing.

Not opposed to used, they look like they would fit the bill perfectly if I can find a 26” barrel. 
 

thanks!

[Dinsdale]

8 hours ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

I’m in the market for an over/under 20ga for any/all small game hunting. My go to for years has been a ruger red label w/26” barrels and at 7.8 lbs I’m wanting something much lighter. I’ve sworn off all Turkish made guns so that eliminates all the sub 1000$ guns, I have a couple cz 12 ga guns and they’re the bottom of what I would consider. The Franchi instinct is on the shortlist as is the Fab arms elos are on the short list. I’m looking for 26” barrel prefer 24” but that seems to be impossible to find and under 6lbs. It will be used for following my lab through the woods shooting a random rabbit or partridge. I don’t need/want anything fancy as it will be a high mileage low shot # gun but I don’t want junk. 
 

Anyone have any suggestions?

The lighter the weight the better the build needs to be and the higher the price.

Theres just not much way around that in the shotgun world.

The CZ’s are Turkish guns, contract built to a better spec. 

Agreed with finding used. As long as it locks up tight, you’ll stretch your dollars better towards something that feels right.

 

This Caesar Guerini Essex is in both 20 and 28ga sets with matching wood (28’S are on it here)  It is about your specs for weight since I had the barrels ordered at 26”, the solid rib adds a bit of barrel weight but thats not always a bad thing. Light wood helps shave a bit too. These can be found with plainer wood near your price point

[Fab]

Silver pigeon

 

field grade.   24 in barrels 

 

 

[Buckmaster7600]

11 hours ago, Fab said:

Silver pigeon

 

field grade.   24 in barrels 

 

 

Do you have a model with the 24” barrel I can’t find anything?

[Bucksnbows]

As you know, you’re not going to have tons of choices. This is fairly close:

https://www.browning.com/products/firearms/shotguns/citori-725/citori-725-feather-superlight.html
 

It weighs in at 6 pounds and 2 oz., so close on the weight you’re looking for. Barrels will be 26” as 24” is generally considered too short for a decent swing on game and too short a focal plane, but to each his own. It’s not cheap nor way high in price given today’s market. 
 

I know you want to stick with the 20, but you can always easily sell some of your accumulated ammo and consider a 28 gauge. I own a Renato Gamba SxS 28 with 27” barrels and a straight English walnut stock that is under 6 pounds. It was my grouse and woodcock gun when I had my Brittanies. But for an over and under in 20 gauge, it won’t be an easy find without digging deep. 

[SportsmanNH]

Mr 7600 , how about this one to keep it simple both in weight and price. No fancy engraving to scratch up. Just a plain woods gun

A Savage Stevens 555 Compact in 20ga with a 24 in barrel . Weighs 5 lbs and comes with all the different chokes included for $700. My buddy has one of these for hunting partridge and rabbits in Maine and loves it.

https://savagearms.com/content?p=firearms&a=product_summary&s=22154

LL Cote in Errol NH has 6 of them in stock.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1028368852

Edited January 9 by SportsmanNH

[Breaking Point]

The Savage 555 is good to carry, that's about it.  It either misfires or breaks in  very short time. Every one I have seen is a piece of junk, and I've seen alot. People are attracted to the price, but I wouldn't take one if you gave it to me.

Edited January 9 by Breaking Point

[Fab]

I have a 24 inch as does my attny.   They are mid 80s amd early 90s models.  
 

i don’t see a 24 inch on their site now   

i love short barrels.   Ppl say longer is better for the site plain but look at a lot of the Maine grouse guides.  20 in coach guns 

 

my old neighbor went to Maine for 3 days every fall for grouse always carried a 16ga.  22 in barrel.   Both chokes were cylinder 

 

I guess it’s what you like best 

 

 

 

 

[ATbuckhunter]

Personally I have a CZ redhead premier w/ 26" barrels for grouse, WC and pheasant and love it, but I get that you don't like it for some reason. I would suggest a Beretta silver pigeon 686. Franchi's are good too, but for a little more you have a much better gun