What are the softest-shooting 20ga autoloaders for upland hunting?

[Lionheart]

Get over to a good sporting clays shop and see if you can test out a couple.

This^^^^^^^

 

[IdahoElk]

I have a Franchi 48 AL, definitely not this gun but I love its weight.

 

[TimberRunner]

Another vote for Beretta A400 with kickoff. I'll try to remember to weigh mine in the next few days. It is a pleasure to carry and is the lightest recoil 20 ga I've ever shot.

 

[17Hunter]

Any 20 semi, even the inertia driven, is gonna be less than a 6 lb 12 guage.

Get a sxs 28 and stick with 5/8 or 7/8 oz loads. Especially over pointing dogs you will have plenty of shotgun and not a lot of recoil.

 

[Sea Rover]

Beretta A-400

 

[EmperorMA]

Another vote for Beretta A400 with kickoff. I'll try to remember to weigh mine in the next few days. It is a pleasure to carry and is the lightest recoil 20 ga I've ever shot.

I'd be very interested in that weight. Beretta just won't publish it!

 

[snowtoy83]

Sx4s are great. My 6yo shoots mine with no complaints. As stated earlier, try to go somewhere you can get your hands on one

 

[Fetty Wapiti]

I have a Franchi 48 AL, definitely not this gun but I love its weight.

It is the GOAT

 

[Fetty Wapiti]

The new A5 is extremely light on the recoil

 

[Troy156l]

The a400 and a300’s are both great options for light recoiling 20 gauge’s. The biggest thing to consider is what shells you are shooting. For example, if you try to compensate the smaller gauge by shooting a heavier load, you won’t see a huge difference in recoil. Since I purchased my 20ga 10 years ago I haven’t shot my 12’s more than a handful of times. Never have I felt under-gunned because I was shooting a 3/4 oz. or 7/8 oz. load.

 

[IdahoElk]

It is the GOAT

I've had mine for about 40yrs, Birds don't have a chance, Ha! But you better have it tight to your shoulder when you pull the trigger. It's so light!

 

[Jim1187]

Modern non overweight field guns I'd be doing my best to shoulder and try out a Beretta and a Winchester SX4. I find they fit rather different from each other but both are good.
If a roughly 7lb wood and blued steel 20 gauge appeals a Remington 1100 is still to me the lightest recoiling. However it fits me like it was custom made. Yes you'll have to replace the oring once in a while, I carried a couple in the glove box and one in my wallet when I was shooting clays regularly with one, I only replaced one. Fixed chokes and 2 3/4" chambers are most common and are viewed as a negative by many.

 

[Troy156l]

Modern non overweight field guns I'd be doing my best to shoulder and try out a Beretta and a Winchester SX4. I find they fit rather different from each other but both are good.
If a roughly 7lb wood and blued steel 20 gauge appeals a Remington 1100 is still to me the lightest recoiling. However it fits me like it was custom made. Yes you'll have to replace the oring once in a while, I carried a couple in the glove box and one in my wallet when I was shooting clays regularly with one, I only replaced one. Fixed chokes and 2 3/4" chambers are most common and are viewed as a negative by many.

The only problem with the 1100 is finding a good deal on one if you care about the way they look (quality of wood). If that doesn’t bother the op then I would go with an 1100. I didn’t mention it for the simple reason that they are no longer in production. By far it’s my favorite gun to shoot.