MCgunner
Member
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.
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.