Ted;
There are of course a lot of different ways of looking at this. I have done a good bit of "Good" shooting with guns weighing from around 6 lb up through 7 lbs. They were all however in 20, 16 & 12 gauges. My personal preference is "IF" I cannot shoot well with a gun lighter than 6 lbs I have no use for anything smaller than a 20. To me personally, the "ONLY" advantage of a smaller gauge is lightweight. Why would I want to pay a premium for the gun & then $12.00-$15.00 a box for shells, not quite the equal of what I can buy for around $5.50 a box, With all the advantages favoring the larger gauge?

Miller/TN
I Didn't Say Everything I Said, Yogi Berra