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I am waiting delivery of a Superlight Feather with 26" barrels. Have I made a mistake? Will it be just too light? I am a grouse hunter.

Member Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 781

Only if you shoot a box or two of 1 1/8 oz loads a day at grouse. Shocked

*Last edited by 16gaugeguy on Mon Nov 06, 2006 1:53 pm; edited 1 time in total*

If you are going to mainly hunt with it, and you are not overly recoil shy to begin with, you probably will not have any problems. however, light weight guns take some getting used to if your normal hunting gun weighs a 1/2 pound more.

for target practice, I'd strongly suggest working up some 3/4 ounce practice loads and shoot a bunch of low gauge skeet before and during hunting season to get used to the different balance and handling characteristics. 3/4 ounce 1150-1200 fps loads will not kick much in a 6 to 6-1/3rd pound gun, the typical weight of this model.

One more point, gun fit is much more important than gun weight. If that stock does not allow you to instantly line your barrel and shooting eye up without any squirming into the gun and without thinking about it, then get it fitted so it does. This will help your field shooting more than any other factor. All the practice in the world with a gun that just does not naturally mount and point where your eye is looking will only reinforce compensation to overcome the error in fit. Then if you do get a properly fitted gun, it will also feel wrong until you relearn the proper mount and move to the target. Start straight to shoot straight. Anything else is the long way home.

Guest

John the secret to hitting targets with a light gun is to concentrate on making a smoot mount, a smooth swing and follow through and practice, practice, practice.

The smooth mount and swing will lessen the tendacy for the barrels to jump around and practicing a smooth follow through will keep you from stopping the barrels and missing behind the target.

If you reload I recommend a 7/8th ounce load at 1150 fps for clay targets and Woodcock. If you don't reload I would seriously consider starting.

Member Joined: 31 Oct 2005 Posts: 446 Location: Wisconsin

I wouldn't spend two seconds worrying about it. You purchased a fine shotgun. Go out and shoot the thing and have a good time! -Dick

Thanks for the advice. Will get back to you after grouse season which opens Nov 13 here. I shot my only limit of grouse with a Sweet 16 mod choke 15 years ago, then took a blow to the head and sold it and bought a Win Mod 59. I think I am back on the right track now.

Member Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Posts: 1522 Location: NH

John,
You'll be fine. Not sure what the Superlight Feather weighs compared to the Feather, but I shoot trap with Rem 1oz loads all the time in my Feather. In fact, shot 150 rds Sunday w/o an issue.
I use a Merkel 47E with 1oz and 11/8th oz loads all the time. Again, no problem.

Unless you are recoil sensitive, you will be fine. Wink

John,
budrichard was right on the money. FWIW, I have a Feather Lightning 16 gauge with 28" barrels. It weighs 6.0 pounds on a digital scale. It is probably the best upland gun I have ever had. Good luck.

Guest

Once you get used to it, it will be fine. I've a 6lb 12 ga. that I hunt pheasant with, and it's been a great gun.

I do not believe that it is possible to have too light a gun for ruffed grouse hunting. As I recall from days gone by, most of my grouse hunting involved crashing through lots of brush and eventually catching a very quick glimpse of a bird before it disappeared around trees. A light and handy shotgun makes real sense for this shooting; I have heard it described as "poke and shoot". But you know all about that. Sounds like you have just the gun you will need!