For me here in the mountains of Utah a side by side, with open chokes and weighing about 6 to 6 1/2 pounds, fits the bill. I find when the weight drops much below six pounds my shooting suffers.

These days my go to shotgun is a H&H badged Webley & Scott 700 12 gauge with 28 inch barrels. It is choked quarter and half. It weighs right at 6 1/2 lbs. It feels and handles like a gun lighter than that.