Different strokes for different folks and, by the way, I wasn't one that "bought into the heavy gun for duck hunting thing". I proved I can kill them better with one, with rare exceptions, mainly because of recoil control when getting on the second duck with the second shot. Lightweight guns with heavy loads jump around too much to suit me.
I shoot a 9 lb. 3 oz. (unloaded) Perazzi for sporting, and there's nothing that the target setters throw that I can't get on quickly enough. My big duck gun is a 32" 9 lb. 6.6 oz. (unloaded) SuperFox. I have killed 4 mallards, and two extra ducks with 6 shells, with it. The one place I will go with a lighter gun is shooting woodies in a little beaver pond at first light. No duck I've ever hunted is harder to get on quickly than they are, including teal. The woodie's line of flight is never constant when they're "coming in hot". Lighter guns work better for me there, but I'm using lighter loads, too.
Best, SRH
