Is it wrong to like side-by-sides?

[MCgunner]

I'd been wanting a O/U, never owned one in my life and there are affordable ones, under $500 now days, around. They're imports of course. Ain't gonna get no Browning Superposed for that, but hey, I'm a working guy, er, well, was a working guy. Now I collect my retirement, run my small engine shop, and await the day I might draw my social security. So, I've got this champagne taste in doubles, but a beer pocket book.

I acquired my love of doubles early in my life. Not sure where it came from, I think just lookin' at pictures and drooling in "Gun Digest". But, I love a beautiful double. When I was 19 and a freshman in college, I bought my first, a BEAUTIFUL Spanish built side-by-side labeled "Felix Sarasqueta y Cia" Ibar, Spain. It had beautiful hand cut checkering on walnut, color case hardened box lock frame with some amount of engraving, gold plated triggers. Well, it's worn down now, old, spent a hard life in duck marshes and riding in boats on salt water bays. It's still reliable, still shoots, but in these times of steel shot rules and with modified/full 28" fixed choke barrels, it's a bit dated.

So, I'd been thinking a lot about one of those Turkish O/Us at Academy, almost broke down and bought one a couple of times. Been wanting it in 20 gauge, too, since all I have is three 12s and an old 16 ga single shot. Well, yesterday, I found a steel of a deal on a Remington Spartan 20 gauge SxS for $299, significantly under retail. While it didn't have the selective ejectors of the O/U I'd been lookin' at, it has the double triggers I much prefer to that single selective thing. It has 20 inch barrels, very desirable to me for hauling in my GoldWing's top box, but probably whippy as hell and I'm going to have to get used to that on doves. It'll be great for country doubles and flushing upland game, though. But, after the purchase I STILL don't have an over/under!:banghead:

I don't know, I really love the aesthetics of the side-by-side more, but I know the O/U has advantages, single barrel plane, nothing blocking the sighting view. I've never really had a problem with that shooting my other twice pipe, but theoretically, the O/U is better I guess.

But, I'll have to wait to own an O/U I guess. For now, I'm likin' what I bought. At least I do have one pump and one semi auto in my collection to go with my two doubles and a single shot.

So, who prefers O/Us and why? And, who prefers side x sides and why? Just wondering. Personally, I think I'll always love looking at the classic lines of a side x side as opposed to a O/U. I don't shoot clays other than a club country doubles shoot now and then, so any advantage an O/U has in shooting isn't that big a deal to me.

 

[mswestfall]

80% of my shooting is on the trap range. So I shoot O/U's and single bbl's because they meet my needs.

I do have an itch for a nice looking flushing bird double gun. Maybe in a few years....

You sound like you are past due. Let us know what you buy.

 

[45auto]

I prefer O/Us for shooting, but a SXS is a beautiful gun...which is not a bad reason to own one.

If you can "hit" with the SXS, then there is no disadvantage IMO.

Many of the "problems" I've had shooting SXS's were mostly unfamiliarity, light weight, English stocks, low stocks, etc. Meaning, an O/U with those same features would also cause some problems for me...shooting clays anyway. I do prefer the single sighting plane without a doubt.

I suspect the double sighting plane is much "less" of an "issue" shooting game...larger targets rather than shooting clay "aspirins" in the sky. Interesting, the last competitive event that SXS's were "seen" with any regularity was pigeon shooting...to the best of my knowledge. And that's a "money" game, meaning looks, nostalgia, etc mean nothing.

 

[MCgunner]

One thing I anticipate with this gun dove hunting is how whippy it's gonna be compared to my Winchester Autoloader. It's very muzzle light. It's going to require concentration to lead smoothly with this thing and not swing too far through the bird. I know this from switching from my Mossberg to my old 12 gauge S x S and not being able to hit squat until I figured out the problem. Talk about frustrating!:banghead: Yet, when all I had was that old double, I was deadly with it because it was all I shot and I was used to it.

I think the little gun will be a much better quail gun than dove, but I will use it on doves 'cause I do a lot of dove hunting and I can lock this thing in the trunk on my motorcycle for transport where my Winchester rides in a gun case on the seat and I'm paranoid to be out of sight of it. I do have a lockable trailer for the bike, but I don't like draggin' it, cuts down on mileage and is a general PITA.

BTW, I don't quite understand the term "double sight plane". I mean, I sight down the center rib for either barrel, a single sighting plane, just has a barrel on either side of it blocking periferal view, not such a good thing, but it don't seem to bother me on game birds.

 

[jcord]

I am a SxS guy. I like the traditional look and feel of a side by side. The sighting plain has never been an issue with me. My field 12 guage is a stoeger coach gun. It is short light and fun to shoot. I have not shot trap or skeet in years but have no problem limiting out on doves.

I never liked the looks of an over under except for rifle/shotgun combos. I definately prefer double triggers. I wanted one of the spartan s ut all the models I saw had single triggers.

 

[45auto]

"double sight plane" is a poor choice of words.

What I meant was, when shooting and focusing on the target, I "notice" the double barrels...wide black blur so to speak. Similiar "feeling" when I've shot an auto with the old "Cutts compensators" on them.

 

[MCgunner]

I never liked the looks of an over under except for rifle/shotgun combos. I definately prefer double triggers. I wanted one of the spartan s ut all the models I saw had single triggers.

They offer one with a single trigger, but I don't like single triggers, either. The one they had there was a double trigger model. I would like selective ejectors, but my bud's dad wants us to police our spent shells anyway when we're hunting his tank so the cows don't eat 'em. Not having to chase the cases is a bonus in that situation, though when the birds are really flyin, it can be hectic keepin' the thing loaded, LOL. Been there with my 12 before, extractors, too.

 

[Dave McCracken]

While few clay events these days are won by SxS operators, an awful lot of feathered game is taken cleanly with them every year. And it's not just nostalgia that keeps them in the field.

The lighter weight and "Between the hands" feel serves well at copying the jinks and turns of flying stuff.

If I were looking for a pure D bird gun, SxS shotguns would certainly by considered.

 

[BozemanMT]

I'm a SxS kinda guy
I just love the way they feel, they way they look
They fit my style of shooting and just snap right up.
An extension of yourself.

I mean, if you gave me a nice O/U, I'm not throwing it away, but a SxS, hmmmmmmmmmmm

Plus, nothing looks so right.

 

[swingpress]

I, too, love the SxS. Some lead my eyes astray while others do not. Currently I keep one, a Savage Fox B that isn't as pretty as some but shoots well.

I often carry it broken over my shoulder behind my pointer. I think it's more comfortable that way than a OU because it's wider and distributes that weight a bit.

Got to agree about the double trigger also. It's nice to be able to select the IC or Mod on the fly, though it sometimes leads to a nanosecond of indecision.

 

[billp]

side by side v over/under

I've shot a Charles Daly 20 ga side-by-side modified/improved 26 inch barrels non-selective trigger with extractors for nearly 40 years.

In 1972-73 I was only sabbatical leave at UI Urbana-Champaign.

I pheasant hunted that year with a Beretta over/under with full/modified, selective single trigger with extractors.

The O/U worked okay for longer Illinois pheasant shots. The selective single didn't do much for me.

On return to Pullman, WA in 1973 I returned to the 20 ga side-by-side because it is versitile for quail, chukar, huns, pheasant found in south eastern WA. And works REALLY WELL for NM quail.

I do better with a side-by-side.

Hope you enjoy some Kansas pheasant hunting, NM quail and SE WA photos I've taken over the years.

Out of nine hunters in Kansas in 2006, three had 16 ga over/unders, one a Miroku Browning 0ver/under [competition skeet shooter] one a 12 ga over/under, one 870 12 pump, and I think another 12 pump.

NM hunting buddy and I had 20 side-by-side modified and improved.

Hunting buddy has SKB side-by-side 26 inch barrels with screw-in chokes and auto ejectors.

regards

I just bought a stevens 200 in .223.

I've made the decision, which can be changed, to start with 25 gr varget and go to to 27 gr in 2 gr increments. 5 rounds each. I plan to start with on shot each from 25 gr and check for pressure signs at each increment.

But I am open to BETTER suggestions.

 

[billp]

forgotten items - senior citizen good reason

The main reasons for the 20 ga for hunting the Snake river breaks are

1 weight of gun
2 weight of shells
3 less recoil than a 12 ga

When I first hunted chukar in 1967 I bought a new stevens 311 20 ga full/mod. No recoil pad.

Early chuckar hunting begins in about the middle of september.

I bought 7 1/2 3" mags shells.

It was hot. I was wearing a T shirt.

Monday after opening weekend my shoulder was red, blue, purple, yellow and green. I am now a fan of recoil pads. And installed a limbsaver 10001 on the stevens 200 .224

If I didn't mention it, I'll load 55 gr v-max bullets for the stevens .223.

regards

 

[Oldnamvet]

MCgunner,
If you are wrong you have a lot of company, especially among those of us who are a little more senior than most. A SxS just seems to say "tradition" when in the field.

 

[kentucky_smith]

Don't know how senior I am at 29, but I like SxS's much better than OU for hunting. Here's a 50 year old AYA, wish I had one in 20 gauge. :

 

[billp]

bob wallace carried a beretta 12 ga

Bob Wallace hunted with a 12 ga beretta o/u.

Wallace maybe weighed about 140 pounds!

 

[win71]

Kentucky

I hunt with an AYA SxS detachable sidelock 20 ga. Although I don't want one in 12 ga. I would really like one in 28.

I bought the AYA at the factory in Eibar, Spain about ten years ago.

 

[billp]

28 ga

28 ga, we thought, may be a bit too light for chukars, huns, and pheasants.

Plus the shells are REALLY EXPENSIVE.

That's why we went with 20 ga.

best
bill

 

[billp]

Baretta not Beretta?

Two things happen when you get older.

1 You forget.
2 I forgot the second.

regards

 

[billp]

beretta

Us seniors can get confused.

http://www.berettausa.com/

But we outlived saddam!

On to .223 reloading!

Ah ...

 

[Srigs]

I like my 12 guage 1930 Western Arms Corp SXS. It is a beautiful weapon and works as good now as it did 77 years ago. I love hunting with it and shooting trap.

 

[Winger Ed.]

Back in the mid-80's a friend inherited a un-fired 1970 issue Browning side by side in 12 guage.
He never fired it himself, and I tried to seperate him from it for 20 years.

Then, the new wife managed to do just that,
and gave it to me for Christmas 3 years ago.

I think this thing will hit flying targets all by itself.
All I have to do is just think of what I want it to hit- either a clay pigeon or a game bird,
and it does the rest. Its the most amazing weapon I've ever shot.

.

 

[hexidismal]

Well, if it's wrong then I don't want to be right. I've been wanting a SxS coach gun type for a long time now just as a fun gun. I just haven't been able to justify it quite yet with too many others on the list and too little money to catch up.

 

[Khornet]

My Baby

a 1931 Fox Sterlingworth 12 Ga., stock with cast-off for lefty shooting:

 

[New_geezer]

Well I have Baikal O/U and Savage Fox -b SxS, both in 20 ga and I love them both. I shoot informal clays mostly and enjoy taking a turn with both of them. The Baikal o/u is longer and if I shot competatively it's the one I'd use but honestly the SxS is more fun and the friends I let shoot them seem to think so too.

Regards those Turkish guns at Acadmy, if you mean the Yildiz, then they getvery consistant good reviews from the folks on shotgunworld where they have a forum for Yildiz. At present, Academy is the sole importer and they don't seem to be as prone to the QA issues other Turkish guns seem to have, even the more expensive one. Wish I could look at one but based on the user reviews I've read they sound miles ahead of the MSRs and CZs.

 

[Okiecruffler]

I was lucky, although my first shotgun was a Mossy bolt action 20ga I only had to deal with it for a few months before I was gifted a Stevens 311. So I pretty much learned on a SXS.Since then I've owned many single barreled SG's, but they just don't handle the way a good SXS does. They just swing smoother and with more authority, a single barrel feels kinda flimsy in comparison.