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Thank you, that was my point

Wild Skies,

Outside of the small group of SxS users is the majority hunters using Rem 1100's, 1187's, A-5 Browning, Model 12 etc. None of those guns will weigh under 7# in 12 Ga. I would suppose most of the people that use those guns never give a thought or care to what their gun weighs. Some do drive blue trucks, ox option extra!

ken/kebco had a special light weight gun made to his specs. He is obviously thrilled with it. The guns weighs 6# 6 Oz. If he had ordered the gun with big wood and a big recoil pad it would not weigh 6# 6 Oz.

My theoretical RBL light 16/12 would weigh 6# 3 Oz/6# 8 Oz based on solid evidence contained within this topic. You can do your own research and arrive at your own conclusion.

People like what they like for their own reasons.

Chief

Thanks for the measurements of the RBL frames. I'm sure the lightweight 12 gauge frame is news to many of us.

Ken,

Correct, the RBL 16's do seem a trifle heavy for a 16 but many shooters enjoy those guns. My Heavy RBL 12 was built as a Duck and Clays gun. At 9 lbs 3 oz is is heavy for the field although I have hunted pheasants with it several times with great success. It is however certainly not a grouse gun!

The 6lb, 6oz piece sounds like a fine gun for you. I however like a little heavier gun because I shoot a 7 and a half pound gun far more consistantly than a 6 and a half pound gun. I dare say that if Nash Buckingham were alive to comment he might prefer even a heavier gun. Why? As a former semi-pro boxer, even in later years Nash was perhaps in better physical shape than I am now.

So, contary to popular shooting tales, a light gun may not be the best choice for all. A shooter's physical stature, build, condition, overall health, and age are all significant factors in determining what works for them on the range and in the field. Also consider the game hunted and the terrian where it is found.

Ken, enjoy your new Verney-Carron! I'll keep my 7 and a half pound monsters for my hunts. Oh, if I need a lighter gun I'll shoot that 6 pound 15 ounce Merkel Model 8 which I bought from a fine businessman (i.e. YOU) some eight or so years ago!

Respectfully,
Mark

Eightbore,

I agree that CSMC missed an opportunity by not listing the differences in their light and heavy RBL 12's. Since the light RBL 12 appears to have the same frame as their 16 ga perhaps they didn't want that fact to be public.

At Hausman's Hidden Hollow shoot this past June I dropped the light gun off with CSMC to remove a loose piece of solder from under the ribs. Lou of CSMC expressed that, "I could shoot this gun!" I told him that I thought they could sell many 30" and 32" in RBLs on the smaller frame.

Mark

"I do not understand why anyone would want a smaller gauge gun that weighs more than a 12."

So, why did I buy a 16 ga. RBL -- heavier than someone else's definition of maximum weight for a 16 -- when I could get a 12 ga. at the same or less weight and lower cost? I'll add my reasons to Chief's "different strokes" response: here's what I wanted and got with my RBL 16 at just under 6.75 lbs.

-- New gun with customer specified choke/stock choices, warranty, and 100% of it's lifespan ahead. (Question: Why would I want to invest the time and effort to find a used lightweight 12 that fits my specs and has no age-related issues I don't want to deal with?)
-- I like a single trigger when wearing heavy gloves in far below freezing temperatures -- like single digits in the mornings.
-- For those who like the Brits' prescribed rules, it fits the "rule of 96X" target weight for 1-1/8 oz. pheasant loads, while still comfortable for occasional 1-1/4 oz. duck (Kent TMs) or late season pheasant (Federal) loads. Could serve for turkeys too.
-- Comfortable shooting higher volume at clays with same gun I use in the field.
-- No worries about steel shot.
-- Straight grip wrist is more slender than Penelope Cruz's. (I don't have small hands.)

It would be easy enough to reduce stock thickness or bore out more wood to get the weight of this gun well under 6.5 lbs. But I don't want it that light -- at least not now at age 58. I mostly hunt pheasants over springers, and I use my legs more than the hup whistle. The weight of this gun carried for hours just is not an issue. If it is when I'm 70 or 75, maybe I'll take some wood off the stock.

This gun does everything I'll ask a gun of any gauge to do for my kind of hunting. (Please don't start in about shot strings.)

Jay