Light guns are almost in their own world in terms of handling and use. I participated in a quail hunt with my little 28 about a year ago now that involved more birds than I've ever done before. The shooting was, as you'd expect, very different in that some (or even all) the birds would fly back over you from the flush. Because of the number of hunters, helpers, dogs, and then the birds, you really had to be extra-vigilant. In retrospect, a more-ideal gun there might well have been (gasp!) an unplugged small-gauge semi-auto (it seemed like birds were always flying by when I was reloading). By having a very light gun I never had a problem keeping up with the dogs or catching up to a flushing quail, but there were times when you had to be completely surgical about when you could safely shoot. Unlike more-conventional upland shooting, you had to both start and stop your gun and be hyper-aware of your surroundings. I know heavier guns are preferred in lots of situations and I have a 10-lb sporting clays gun that serves very well for the job it was designed to do, but... for the type of upland hunting I focus on so desperately (ruffed grouse in deciduous forests) a light and well-balanced gun is a both delight and even-more now a necessity as I'm becoming a "more-seasoned" citizen.
Last edited by Lloyd3; 11/03/22 10:11 PM.
