Why o/u for clays.

no trying to catch hulls for reloading.

More durable - no moving parts to break.

Heavier than most pumps which reduces felt recoil.

Goes bang every time - never have to worry about a jam.

Competitive skeet is a 4 gauge sport (12, 20, 28, and .410). One O/U receiver and barrel inserts (or 4 sets of barrels) covers all four gauges.

Typically, the heavier weight makes for a better balanced and smoother swinging gun than pumps/semis. But that's no always the case.

The Beretta 390/391 semi-autos have become quite popular amonst the sporting clays crowd, but O/U's still dominate in all forms of clay shooting due to their long-term reliability and handling characteristics.

I tried to use an 870 for SC for a couple of years. Typical was maybe 50-55 per 100. A guy I was in a squad with had a Browning O/U that he let me use. I ran 20 straight out of the box.

Got a Weatherby O/U and typically run 75-80 now, more on a good day. IMO, they're extremely helpful for SC, somewhat helpful for skeet and a toss up for trap. YMMV.

The internet arguments of "I used a H&R Topper and beat the hell out of the guy with the $20,000 shotgun" get tiresome. There's a reason that a majority of the SC competition shooters use O/U's. Try one and you'll figure it out. You won't figure it out sitting behind a keyboard.

well, it's not really a lock for the clay sports.


Autos, especially Berettas enjoy a large popularity in sporting clays.

Single barrel break opens (and/or un-singles and over singles combos) enjoy a lot popularity in the 16 yrd singles trap and handicap trap events.

For skeet, over and unders, autos, and even side by sides have been competitive.

Of course, for doubles trap and bunker trap (international) the high ribbed over and under is practically king.


Of course, I've seen pumps shot at ALL the mentioned events, and some folks have been VERY very good....

Hitting consistently with a shotgun is all about the fit, feel and balance of the shotgun. For the casual shooter or hunter wanting to practice there may be little or no advantage. For the guys who are serious competition shooters hitting a few more targets may make the difference between winning and not placing. The O/U points just enough better that most serious shooters are willing to pay the extra money.

Another advantage of a double gun is the ability to have a different choke in each barrel. You might have IC in the first barrel because that shot with be closer and Mod in the other because the target will be farther away by the second shot.

Shooting pairs on skeet is obviously much harder with a gun where you have to manually cycle the second shot!


(I still like doing it though )


Over here I'd say a good 70% of shooters use a O/U anyway. Each to thier own I say

All the gun scribes have said you need an O/U that's why !
It is 99% what shooters want, and 1% what shooters need. The triumph of Madison Avenue. You can do fine with any gun that works well and fits you and you can shoot. Unless you want to be sure you fit in. Then you need an O/U.

I see a "ton" of autos in 12 gauge American skeet, and a lot of autos in Sporting Clays.

Much less in Trap because of 1 shot.

I've never "heard" or "seen" anyone that shoots a fair amount say scores are higher because of shooting an O/U, compared to an auto. Meaning, there is nothing "inherent" in a O/U that makes it shoot better than an auto. You may like the balance better, or the "feel", etc, but that's subjective and not "fact".

And, I don't shoot an auto. I like O/U's much better for many reasons.

The best part about an O/U? Different chokes.

Being able to hit the first clay with a IC or Mod and the second with a Full (if it gets out there some) can really help.

Plus, no one ever questions whether your breach loader is unloaded. It's broken in the middle and you can SEE down the barrel.

2 chokes
Easy, quick cleaning
No hulls spitting at the next guy
Easy hull retrieval for reloading (if lead goes down again, anyway -- haven't reloaded in months)
Easy takedown transport
Better balance
Safe range carry (unless you run into that jerk in the thread a little while back who threatened to shoot people who carry an O/U in the accepted manner)

Subjectively, a semiauto usually feels like a rather unwieldy contraption compared to an O/U of the same barrel length.

In 12, I have accumulated one of each (pump, semi, O/U). The O/U is the only one I've used since I bought it, and the semi is the first one I think I'd sell, except that it may not fetch enough anyway. I like a 20 Gauge O/U in the field, too: quick, shorter than a semi, 2 chokes, takedown transport, can't jam it by shoving in a shell backwards, easy cleaning, safe carry around others. Never even got a 20 Gauge semiauto, got hooked on the O/U, which I picked up used for 500 bucks, as soon as I used it.

That's my personal preference, but it's a preference that comes from trying stuff, not reading marketing materials. I'm also picky about what O/U I like; i.e. I'd rather shoot my cheap, rough 870 Express than a really nice Citori for anything but trap, because I find the 870 to have better handling.

Particularly now that semiautos are hardly a budget-conscious alternative, a semi is the last gun I'm interested in getting, and not just for the range. Maybe if I move to a place where I don't have to plug an upland gun, and there are so many birds everywhere that it matters, I'll want more shots. Maybe. I don't much care for semiautos, though. The Berettas are pretty nice, and the Benellis if I close my eyes, but they sure feel too long for anything but a goose gun.

An o/u is my primarily target gun but I shoot equally well with my Beretta 391 semi-auto.

The primary strength of the o/u is durability. They cost more but will last longer than a semi.

The second reason is reliability. While the Beretta 391 continues to impress me with its reliability compared to all comers it won't be as reliable over the long term as my o/u. If I were serious about shooting and competing with a semi auto I'd buy two and set them up exactly the same. That way if one failed I'd have a second identical gun at hand.

I like the two chokes option of an o/u and while I use it rarely it's been very helpful those time I have. The o/u is also a gun that is more comforting from a safety aspect because when open everyone knows it's safe and it's easier to see a barrel obstruction. In the field there is no comparison between a semi/pump versus a sxs or o/u from a safety standpoint.

Another reason I like my o/u is that when shooting the semi I've occasionally had hulls bounce off the shooting cage and back at me. It's a little distracting and something that never happens with my o/u.

There's room in my gunsafe for both types (and a pump and sxs too.)

Barrel weight allows for better follow through swing. Better target acquisition for follow up shots. Action does not cycle which can cause you to lose focus.

That being said I use my 391 as a primary and 682 as my backup, which is backwards!

Action does not cycle which can cause you to lose focus.

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That's another big one for me. I don't really like having a gun that feels like it's doing a dance every time I pull the trigger. Maybe that's why I don't "get" the deep devotion some people have to the Auto 5. Other guns are a lot smoother; those I don't mind so much.

I think most missed the obvious

On an O/U firing the bottom barrel first, since it is lower, will create less muzzle rise. This lessens the time needed to reacquire the next target. That combined with the need for only 2 shells, the the possibility to choke the barrels differently for two different distance shots.

On an O/U firing the bottom barrel first, since it is lower, will create less muzzle rise.

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This has always been my biggest appreciation of the O/U in allowing second target acquisition. This is a huge asset in a two-target scenario or anywhere a follow on shot is desirable (hunting, too).

The main arguement for them over here is that they are more easy to see that they cant be fired, i.e because the gun is broken.

I've always maintained that my pump oe semo auto with a sling is just as obviously impossible to accidentally fire, but they wont listen.

safety, style, and tradition....

I think most missed the obvious
On an O/U firing the bottom barrel first, since it is lower, will create less muzzle rise. This lessens the time needed to reacquire the next target. That combined with the need for only 2 shells, the the possibility to choke the barrels differently for two different distance shots.

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That is the main reason I shoot one. Good Job Riss.

1-O/Us offer a better "line of sight" on a moving target. The shooter's vision is drawn via a tapered line to a final point at the end of the barrel, unobstructed by the 2 barrels normally visible on a S/S. Subsequently, the eye is drawn to a single bead against the target vs a bead in the middle of 2 barrels. Shooters will say that your eyes will discount this and they are probably correct but the barrels are still visible.2-In a two shot game (Doubles, International,Sporting,FITASC etc) "Barrel Hop" is a problem. When fired, shotguns tend to rise on the first shot. The barrel placement on an O/U serves to lessen the barrel rise after the first shot due to the weight of the upper barrel (usually the 2nd shot) resulting in a steadier second shot and less "readjustment" by the shooter. Some say that this combined with longer barrels is the best configuration for a 2 shot game. 3-Pump shotguns can never be used competitively in the above mentioned venues. No matter how proficient you might be at cycling for the second shot, eventually you will start to drop targets. Hope this helps-Just my opinions-Thanks Steve

Agree with the barrels helping to smooth out the swing; don't agree on the bead on the barrels - I don't see the end of my barrels, I focus on the target

don't agree on the bead on the barrels - I don't see the end of my barrels, I focus on the target

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Agreed. I shot a SxS at the trap range for the first time the other day. No problem. The only problem I had was with heat mirage -- another reason for popularity of an O/U vs. a SxS. I still really liked the SxS.

Also, when someone talks about "sight radius" on a shotgun, I wonder what the hell they're doing with it. Barrel length matters for balance and handling, not sight radius.

AB-

Watch out now, you're gonna get bit hard by the SXS bug..

My only issue with them is that I am LH, and just about all of the better-made SXS have a RH cast to them, but they ARE nice looking and fun to shoot...

Mine is a 16 Gauge made in 1926. No cast.