Side By Side Shotguns
- Thread starter Dot_mdb
- Start date
- Status
ACP230
Member
I know several hunters who use side by sides for grouse and woodcock. Some are very fine handling guns and look fine in the woods. A friend has a neat French 20 guage Darne, and a 28 gauge which is even neater.
Savage is selling a new side by side the 411 which looks interesting.
One advantage, that they share with over and unders, is that if you stop to talk to someone in the woods you can break the gun and pull the shells easily. Pumps and autos are more difficult to make safe quickly. I have been told that side by sides are quicker to reload than over and unders because OUs are deeper in the action than side by sides. I haven't noticed that it made much difference when I was the one loading either gun.
I wouldn't say side by sides are obsolete, just out of fashion in some quarters.
Savage is selling a new side by side the 411 which looks interesting.
One advantage, that they share with over and unders, is that if you stop to talk to someone in the woods you can break the gun and pull the shells easily. Pumps and autos are more difficult to make safe quickly. I have been told that side by sides are quicker to reload than over and unders because OUs are deeper in the action than side by sides. I haven't noticed that it made much difference when I was the one loading either gun.
I wouldn't say side by sides are obsolete, just out of fashion in some quarters.
Dave McCracken
Moderator In Memoriam
Lots of opinions on this, here's mine....
Some of the best wingshots I know use SxS shotguns exclusively. Good ones are expensive, both to make and to possess. The few I've owned were very good bird guns, and their new owners are happy as heck with them.
The O/Us dominate the clay games, the narrower top profile aids precision to an extent. And good O/Us are common, and oft less expensive than good SxS shotguns.
One of the guys I shoot skeet with does VERY well with a JP Sauer 12 gauge SxS, pre WWII and with tubes in place for 20 gauge. He killed 600 pigeons and doves in Argentine recently with it.
HTH...
Some of the best wingshots I know use SxS shotguns exclusively. Good ones are expensive, both to make and to possess. The few I've owned were very good bird guns, and their new owners are happy as heck with them.
The O/Us dominate the clay games, the narrower top profile aids precision to an extent. And good O/Us are common, and oft less expensive than good SxS shotguns.
One of the guys I shoot skeet with does VERY well with a JP Sauer 12 gauge SxS, pre WWII and with tubes in place for 20 gauge. He killed 600 pigeons and doves in Argentine recently with it.
HTH...
For clay targets they are pretty much obsolete but the sxs enjoy a dedicated following among upland shooters. This is not to say however that there aren't some very good sxs shooters out prowling the clay ranges.
As Dave noted, a good sxs is relatively expensive. A new Beretta 470 Silverhawk is a more expensive proposition than a o/u of a similar quality. And from there the sky is the limit.
My upland gun is a 12 gauge medium grade Spanish sxs from one of the better makers. It's light, handles well and is very fast on the target. It's my experience that a properly fitted sxs is better for quick reaction shooting while an o/u has an edge on more deliberate target shooting. The typical sxs configuration of straight stock, splinter foreend and double triggers has definite advantages in the field. For clays however these advantages become liabilities. I will give up at least 10 to 15 targets per 100 when shooting my sxs compared to my o/u.
Paul
As Dave noted, a good sxs is relatively expensive. A new Beretta 470 Silverhawk is a more expensive proposition than a o/u of a similar quality. And from there the sky is the limit.
My upland gun is a 12 gauge medium grade Spanish sxs from one of the better makers. It's light, handles well and is very fast on the target. It's my experience that a properly fitted sxs is better for quick reaction shooting while an o/u has an edge on more deliberate target shooting. The typical sxs configuration of straight stock, splinter foreend and double triggers has definite advantages in the field. For clays however these advantages become liabilities. I will give up at least 10 to 15 targets per 100 when shooting my sxs compared to my o/u.
Paul
Tom Held
Member
If you compare a quality SxS with OU from a pure investment standpoint the SxSs are hands down the better configuration. Outside of the Belgium Brownings I doubt if any OU increases in value. It's almost impossible to find a Winchester 21 for less than $3,000 in any condition. Some of the small gauge 21s are selling in the upper $20K. Galazan manufactures outstanding SxSs with a long waiting list but way out of my pocketbook.
I have a number of L.C. Smiths, Winchesters, and a lone Parker that I shoot regularly for everything ranging from upland game, live pigeon shoots, and clays games. They are a pleasure to shoot. They tend to be lighter and somehow seem to be faster handling than OUs. There appears to be a resurgence in interest in these guns. Ruger has a beautiful 12 bore SxS priced reasonably but it still has not come out to the general market.
I have a number of L.C. Smiths, Winchesters, and a lone Parker that I shoot regularly for everything ranging from upland game, live pigeon shoots, and clays games. They are a pleasure to shoot. They tend to be lighter and somehow seem to be faster handling than OUs. There appears to be a resurgence in interest in these guns. Ruger has a beautiful 12 bore SxS priced reasonably but it still has not come out to the general market.
Hemicuda
member
I happen to have 5 SxS's... 4 are Savages... and a Stoeger...
the Savages are all in the 311 series, a 12 Ga., a 20 Ga., a 16 Ga., and a .410 Cal.
the Stoeger is a shorty coach-gun model...
there ain't NOTHING that "feels" better to shoot tha a decent SxS...
I also have a Ruger Red Lable 12 Ga. , ALSO fun to shoot, but just not as "right" as my SxS's...
the Savages are all in the 311 series, a 12 Ga., a 20 Ga., a 16 Ga., and a .410 Cal.
the Stoeger is a shorty coach-gun model...
there ain't NOTHING that "feels" better to shoot tha a decent SxS...
I also have a Ruger Red Lable 12 Ga. , ALSO fun to shoot, but just not as "right" as my SxS's...
They have a lot of class and are "classic" shotguns. They just look great.
They were the first double bbl design I assume??
Not the best for clay targets, I think because of the size of the target and the very wide sighting plan. But for live birds, which are much bigger, I don't think the side by side is a disadvantage. As always, it's the Indian, not the arrow.
I believe the last hold out for side by sides in any type of competition was live pigeon shoots,which makes sense I think.
It's one of those types of guns I don't shoot quite as well as an O/U, but I still want one just because!!
They were the first double bbl design I assume??
Not the best for clay targets, I think because of the size of the target and the very wide sighting plan. But for live birds, which are much bigger, I don't think the side by side is a disadvantage. As always, it's the Indian, not the arrow.
I believe the last hold out for side by sides in any type of competition was live pigeon shoots,which makes sense I think.
It's one of those types of guns I don't shoot quite as well as an O/U, but I still want one just because!!
I like sxs shotguns even though I don't own one myself I have shot several that my friends own . I don't give up any targets switching back and forth from overunders to SxSs to autos, they all point basically the same. Just remember that the SxS has a large flat top that will sometimes make your eyes sight from one corner to the other making you sometimes miss the shot by several feet in front or behind. Always sight down the center.
Jack T.
Member
I hope they aren't obsolete! I have absoulty no use for a shotgun, but high on my list of "must haves" is a high end SxS shotgun. They are just beautiful guns.
huntsman
Member
actually the sxs was replaced as a field gun by the pump then the auto loader. both sxs and o/u's existed together for a long time but it was the market hunter and the sustance hunter who left a 2bore for more shots and more game in the bag. that and the fact that the sxs (or o/u) needs more hand fiting then say an 870 will always keep their price up.
- Status
