Originally Posted by
GJM
For years, a combat shotgun in the form of the Remington 870 or 11-87 was very heavy. The Benelli predecessors to the M2 were around, but they seemed to function on pain, despite the manufacturer’s inertial description, making them also unattractive to smaller shooters. The 20 gauge alternative was attractive due to weight and handiness, and that came at the cost of poorer choices in buck.
I can still remember the first time I picked up a 1301 and it felt like a feather. Now you have something that weighs like a 20 gauge, but that launches the best buck loads. I feel that the 1301 obsoletes the 20 gauge for buck, although the 20 gauge still has a role as a dedicated Brenneke launcher.