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A properly built 2 1/2" 12 gauge weighs in around 6 1/2 lbs. which is very close to the European built 16 gauges. I was in a similar situation trying to decide whether a 2 1/2" 12 gauge or 2 3/4" 16 gauge would work best for me as an upland gun. My gunsmith who works on all my guns had worked for Purdey and if anyone could/would be proBritish, he would be the one. You may have seen Dale Tate on a recent Wingshooting the World with Chris Bartha where they were in Oregon with a driven pheasant shoot. Well anyway back to the topic. When I wanted a clays gun, Dale recomended that I pick up a Browning Citori 12 gauge. His comment was since the Citori was so reliable, "if everyone shot them, most gunsmiths would be out of work". His opinion was correct. When I wanted to pick up my "ultimate" upland game gun, Dale's comment was that while the English 2 1/2" 12 would fit the bill, I would be shooting an older gun and who knows what had happened to that gun from the previous owners in regards to repair and maintenance. Dale knows my personality and how I don't like it when someone that I own doesn't work properly esp. during the middle of a hunt. While Dale makes beautiful guns using Spanish components (his work has been in Shooting Sportsman magazine) but the Poli guns had caught my eye. Larry Brown had given a good review on the quality of those gun. My take is you're probably splitting hairs between the two gauges and you're going to have to reload in most instances with either gauge. It's just a matter of finding the right gun that really floats your boat.

I picked up a WJ Jeffery 12ga 2.5" BLE last Christmas. It weighs 6.5 lbs and I am using B&P High Pheasant ammo in it. The chokes in these Brit guns are pretty much the same with a very open choke (cylinder or skeet) and usually full in the tight barrel. My particular gun fits me like a glove and makes me shoot better than I am. And the B&P ammo is great stuff which really wacked preserve phezs and chukars. Fun gun.

Hc