lilshooter, dg about said it all-- [ i will add that o/u's are buy far the favorite for any clay shooting]

I really don't want to be rude but I need to ask - Are you a stout 4'8" or a petite 4'8"? If you are the former you may want to go with the 12 ga if you can handle it. Depending on your budget, I would definitely go with the Browning or Beretta O/u if that's what you like and if it FITS you. If you are petite, go with the 20 ga - again same guns.
If its an autoloader your looking at, Benelli or Remington would be my choices. As for barrel length, for a woman your size, I would go with 26" and screw in chokes.
Don't worry about the autoloaders and being left handed. I'm a lefty and use a Remington 11-87 a good bit. In my younger years I never wore shooting glasses and if the wind was in my face I would occasionally get hot powder in my eyes. Not very pleasant. But now that I'm older and wiser, I wear shooting glasses and don't have this problem. (If your shooting Clays, the rose colored glasses make those orange birds stick out like neon signs.)
ps: glad to see women getting involved more in the shooting sports. Good luck to you

My wife uses a Browning 20 ga. pump youth model. I always recomend a pump for begginers, as I believe it is safer than an auto, till you get some experiance and learn gun control. Accidental firing is less likely to occur after the first shot.(ie. being excited when a bird flushes). Just my opinion and that of a few saftey instructors. Good Luck to youLilShooter.

Just went through this last year with my wife, an it sounds to me like the best gun for you is a 20 ga O/U with a 28" or less barrel. My wife is 5'4" and fairly strong (she pitched Fastpitch softball on the Div. I collegiate level), and even though she tried, she couldn't generate the speed needed with a heavy gun to hit fast crossers, she did much better with the lighter 20 ga. guns. All of the long barrel talk is good, and I shoot 30's and will be switching to 32's at the end of the year but I'm 6' tall and weigh 250 lbs so they fit me, but the gun has to fit you and your body and your strength. Yes, 1" of barrel equals only 4 oz's, but it's way out in front and can be hard to move for a new shooter. The other very nice benefit of going with 28" or even 26" barrels, is that you can buy them used a good bit cheaper than a longer barreled gun right now (for years 26" barrels ruled the skeet roost, and then fell out of fashion). The logic behind barrel length is that it's easier to point a long stick accurately than a short stick, and that's all well and good, provided you can control the stick. I really like new shooters to use an O/U as well, it is generally open when not on a station, and is rather safe. In addition, if you can find a gun with an adjustable comb it will help, there are several gunfitting issues that are very gender dependant so as always go see a gunfitter. Oh, and we ended up finding a great Browning Citori 425 for my wife, and she loves it, but take a look at the Beretta guns too.

Gordon

I agree with worc. I've been looking for a new gun for my wife who is also vertically challenged and only weighs 107 lbs. Looks like we will be going with a Franchi 620 short stock. This has a 12.5 inch L.O.P. and wood stock. It's mid-ranged priced and well built.