Best SxS double for not a lot of $$$$$$$$$$
- Thread starter oldhammy1
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I was looking for an inexpensive SxS a while ago for grouse hunting and found a like new U.S. made Stevens 311H for less than a new Stoeger. Started with a 20ga and liked it so much added a 12 ga also. There not a new gun like the Stoeger but the Stevens is well made and should last a long time if taken care of.
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Rupestris
Member
Another vote for the 311.
Check out this thread:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=165735
Just avoid the 20ga. I got dibs.
Asside from that, I compared the Stoger to a Traditions last week. The Stoger wasn't bad. The one I looked at had the coin finished reciever, nice wood, straight grip, and locked up tight. The rubber butt pad was a plus as well.
Good/Bad on the Stoger:
1, Assembly is a pain. Action needed to be partially open to put the forend on. The 311 forend snaps together with action closed.
2, Safety. The safety was rough at best. Best I can describe it is "crunchy". Like it was jammed up with sand or gravel.
3, As far as I know the barrels are not chrome lined.
4, chokes are fixed.
5, Price - $299 at Dicks.
6, dual triggers
I shoulderd the Traditions and the first thing I noticed was the cheap plastic butt plate rubbed on the plastic zipper of my Carhart jacket and mad a God-awful hollow cheap sound. Easily fixed with a rubber pad but at $800+ ?
There are better choiced out there for the price.
Good/Bad on Traditions"
1, It was also tight and locked up with a definate "Click"
(I was not able to take it down and reassemble.)
2, Chrome lined barrels.
3, nice fit/finish, wood, bluing.
4, Safety was much smoother and there was no doubt it was "on" or "off".
5, dual triggers.
6, Pistol grip stock (I prefer a straight stock but thats up to you)
I looked for a CZ bobwhite but to no avail..
I won't go into details about the Weatherby SXS I got a chance to inspect.
I'm starting a charity fund called BRASS. "Buy Rupestris a Side by Side".
So far I'm on'y $2598.00 short of my goal.
PM for where to send donations.
Chris.
Check out this thread:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=165735
Just avoid the 20ga. I got dibs.
Asside from that, I compared the Stoger to a Traditions last week. The Stoger wasn't bad. The one I looked at had the coin finished reciever, nice wood, straight grip, and locked up tight. The rubber butt pad was a plus as well.
Good/Bad on the Stoger:
1, Assembly is a pain. Action needed to be partially open to put the forend on. The 311 forend snaps together with action closed.
2, Safety. The safety was rough at best. Best I can describe it is "crunchy". Like it was jammed up with sand or gravel.
3, As far as I know the barrels are not chrome lined.
4, chokes are fixed.
5, Price - $299 at Dicks.
6, dual triggers
I shoulderd the Traditions and the first thing I noticed was the cheap plastic butt plate rubbed on the plastic zipper of my Carhart jacket and mad a God-awful hollow cheap sound. Easily fixed with a rubber pad but at $800+ ?
There are better choiced out there for the price.
Good/Bad on Traditions"
1, It was also tight and locked up with a definate "Click"
(I was not able to take it down and reassemble.)
2, Chrome lined barrels.
3, nice fit/finish, wood, bluing.
4, Safety was much smoother and there was no doubt it was "on" or "off".
5, dual triggers.
6, Pistol grip stock (I prefer a straight stock but thats up to you)
I looked for a CZ bobwhite but to no avail..
I won't go into details about the Weatherby SXS I got a chance to inspect.
I'm starting a charity fund called BRASS. "Buy Rupestris a Side by Side".
So far I'm on'y $2598.00 short of my goal.
PM for where to send donations.
Chris.
New_geezer
Member
The Stevens 311 or the Savage Fox B, basically variations of the same gun, the Savage can be considered a bit fancier, but the mechanics are the same. I have a Fox in 20 ga and it is a sweet sweet gun. Depending on condition and region of the country they can run from about $250-$350. If I found one in good condition I would scarf it up in a heartbeat even owning one already, and certainly over any of the lower end doubles (and I own and very much like a Baikal O/U also in 20 ga)
Mannlicher
Member
My Stevens 311 is quite old. It is a 16 ga, and a great shooting shotgun.
Grayrock
Member
Check out the DeHaan S2 side by side. A great buy- I love mine.
http://www.dhshotguns.com/
http://www.dhshotguns.com/
kentucky_smith
Member
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- Oct 6, 2005
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- 1,686
Yep, I'm very happy with the 311 compared to any of the new guns you can buy.
Check out the CZ shotguns. A bit over $600 street price and VERY nice.
Or, get a very similar gun from the same manufacturer for $299 while it lasts. Not as pretty as the CZ-labeled version (not color casehardened) and it has a pistol grip stock, but AFAIK the same gun.
http://www.interordnance.com/Mercha..._Code=INTERORDNANCE.com&Product_Code=HUGL1001
Otherwise, it can be slim pickens. The Spartans aren't bad. Rough, but durable and they go bang. But nothing like the CZ's.
Plenty of guns once you get above $1500.
Or, get a very similar gun from the same manufacturer for $299 while it lasts. Not as pretty as the CZ-labeled version (not color casehardened) and it has a pistol grip stock, but AFAIK the same gun.
http://www.interordnance.com/Mercha..._Code=INTERORDNANCE.com&Product_Code=HUGL1001
Otherwise, it can be slim pickens. The Spartans aren't bad. Rough, but durable and they go bang. But nothing like the CZ's.
Plenty of guns once you get above $1500.
New_geezer
Member
The CZ doubles and the DeHaans are both made by Huglu, a Turkish manufacturer. Reviews are generally good.
Mossberg Silver Reserves and Khans are both made by Khan (sometimes sp Khayan) another Turkish manufacturer and the reviews are pretty hit or miss.
Yildiz is yet another Turkish make available ATT thru Academy Sports. Initial reviews are generally positive but it's fairly new and long term use reports are rare.
A lot of people on Shotgunworld swear by Verona doubles made by F.A.I.R. , an Italian company. Verona is an import label not a manufacturer, so if you look at one, make sures it's one made by F.A.I.R. Verona has other guns, at other price points, from other makers - and they get sometimes very different reviews.
Mossberg Silver Reserves and Khans are both made by Khan (sometimes sp Khayan) another Turkish manufacturer and the reviews are pretty hit or miss.
Yildiz is yet another Turkish make available ATT thru Academy Sports. Initial reviews are generally positive but it's fairly new and long term use reports are rare.
A lot of people on Shotgunworld swear by Verona doubles made by F.A.I.R. , an Italian company. Verona is an import label not a manufacturer, so if you look at one, make sures it's one made by F.A.I.R. Verona has other guns, at other price points, from other makers - and they get sometimes very different reviews.
Gordon
Member
Way,way up above the 311 you have the Browning BSS, which sell from $600+ being used.
Update- Taking the boys to the gun shop
So I finally expended some political capital with the wife, and went out and bought a 12 Gauge SxS. I ended up settling on the Stoeger Uplander Special. It looks great! Has double triggers, removable chokes, and feels really light. Paid $355+tax, which I think is awesome. I am going out to pattern it in the next little while, so I will post an update. I brought my two boys with me to pick it up (9 and 6 years old), and boy did they have a field day at the gun shop. I had to verify to them that each and every one of the mounts (deer, bighorn sheep, moose, buffalo, elk, etc.) were real, one at a time. It is so amazing to see life through their eyes, and to maybe provide a little for them that I wish I had as a kid. Not that I was deprived at all, but I just love time with them. We went out target shooting that afternoon (I only bring a youth single shot .410 and single shot 22 when I take them), and my 6 year old said something that really meant a lot to me. I asked them before we went if they wanted to just target shoot, or see if we can call in some quail and get some shots off at them. They decided to just target shoot, and my 6 year old said he also wanted to go on a hike. The other agreed, and so it was decided. Then my six year old turned to my 9 year old and said, "It really doesn't matter what we go do, as long as we are spending time together". These are the moments you savor as a parent, and I look forward to MANY future outings with my two boys. I have to admit, that it made my purchase of the SxS earlier seem so unimportant, and gave me something more valuable than any gun or purchasable item. No doubt, life is good.
So I finally expended some political capital with the wife, and went out and bought a 12 Gauge SxS. I ended up settling on the Stoeger Uplander Special. It looks great! Has double triggers, removable chokes, and feels really light. Paid $355+tax, which I think is awesome. I am going out to pattern it in the next little while, so I will post an update. I brought my two boys with me to pick it up (9 and 6 years old), and boy did they have a field day at the gun shop. I had to verify to them that each and every one of the mounts (deer, bighorn sheep, moose, buffalo, elk, etc.) were real, one at a time. It is so amazing to see life through their eyes, and to maybe provide a little for them that I wish I had as a kid. Not that I was deprived at all, but I just love time with them. We went out target shooting that afternoon (I only bring a youth single shot .410 and single shot 22 when I take them), and my 6 year old said something that really meant a lot to me. I asked them before we went if they wanted to just target shoot, or see if we can call in some quail and get some shots off at them. They decided to just target shoot, and my 6 year old said he also wanted to go on a hike. The other agreed, and so it was decided. Then my six year old turned to my 9 year old and said, "It really doesn't matter what we go do, as long as we are spending time together". These are the moments you savor as a parent, and I look forward to MANY future outings with my two boys. I have to admit, that it made my purchase of the SxS earlier seem so unimportant, and gave me something more valuable than any gun or purchasable item. No doubt, life is good.
Rupestris
Member
Congrats Hammy. Ya done good.
By the way, you didn't do too bad on the shotgun either.
By the way, you didn't do too bad on the shotgun either.
Wannagohunting
Member
Marlin is marketing a sxs under The L C Smith name, made in Italy.
Don't know the price. Looks nice.
Don't know the price. Looks nice.
waterhouse
Member
The 311 is a good one, also check out the used Ithaca/SKB models (I think they are numbers 200 and 280, with an "e" if they have ejectors). Good solid guns that can be found for not a ton of cash.
HankB
Member
The first gun I ever bought, shortly after I turned 18, was a Savage Fox Model B-SE. I still have it. The Savage/Stevens doubles were, at one time, the only cheap doubles that were any good.
Not familiar with this one, but if it holds up and proves reliable, that's one HECK of a good value.
Switchback
Member
Depending how much you want to spend, I would consider used SxS's. JP Sauer is and excellant shotgun. The model 60 is the base gun and is very well built. I have seen them for around $700-$1000.
You cannot get this kind of quality out of a new SxS for the same money. The wood to metal fit is great. Some of these new guns lack pinash for lack of a better term.
You cannot get this kind of quality out of a new SxS for the same money. The wood to metal fit is great. Some of these new guns lack pinash for lack of a better term.
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