The Irony of Shotgun designs

[elktrout]

When I was a kid, the standard sporting shotgun was a side-by-side double barrel. Then, pumps and semis eventually made double barrels obsolete.

Waterfowlers clung tenaciously to pumps for pure reliability, but the Browning Auto 5 proved tough enough for the boats, dirt, water, and mud of water fowling. Soon, semis were in more duck blinds than pumps. That trend carried over into law enforcement and elite units as semis gained in popularity.

But, then the over/under craze began, especially as clay shooting exploded with popularity, which also carried over into the game fields of upland game. And, what is the most expensive type shotgun today? Usually, the over/under.

I only own two shotguns, an O/U and a semi. But, I pine for a side-by-side and pump. Maybe soon.

 

[troy fairweather]

I wish there were a decent new sxs thats affordable I can't trust the cz yet or at least until I get to look one over good. I am really considering a Browning bps.

 

[Bazoo]

I've always thought that side by side guns were the best looking of all scatterguns. They have a nice balance.

 

[cfullgraf]

First, I'm not a big bird hunter but have shot alot of clay targets.

I began shooting a side by side with my Dad while in high school and got my first pheasant with one.

Later in life, I got interested in skeet. I first used a pump that had been my mother's shotgun then moved to an over/under.

I did some hunting quail with the over/under and was successful.

Had I still been shooting the pump shotgun when I went hunting, I probably would have done as well. It all has to do with the muscle memory for follow up shots. (Note: In the 1930's, pump shotguns were the guns of choice for competitive skeet).

I've never used a semi-auto for clay target shoot or hunting. I do have a semi-auto shotgun but it has never had a round fired through it. Maybe someday.

I like the feel of the over/under for most shotgun shooting. I really do not feel I needed more rounds than two for most shooting situations in the field.

But then the type of shotgun one uses for hunting, I'll agree, is what the hunter is familiar with.

 

[.455_Hunter]

I don't believe I have ever fired a round out of an over-under. I have single-shots, pumps, a side-by-side, and a semi-auto for different applications.

 

[entropy]

I've owned at least one of each type-and that includes bolt action. Only had one of those, (20 ga. Stevens) and only one O/U. (Win. 101) I've had single shots from H&R to Ljutic and Ithaca. I've owned 3 SxS's, (2 311's and the Sauer) many pumps -870's and 37's, one Model 12, and inherited one 1200 until I could trade it. Had several autos along the way, mostly 1100's, but I did have a Noble Model 80 .410 auto for a while, fun little gun. It was a long recoil gun, and the action was so slow, it's the shotgun click-clack.

 

[gobsauce]

I've owned at least one of each type-and that includes bolt action. Only had one of those, (20 ga. Stevens) and only one O/U. (Win. 101) I've had single shots from H&R to Ljutic and Ithaca. I've owned 3 SxS's, (2 311's and the Sauer) many pumps -870's and 37's, one Model 12, and inherited one 1200 until I could trade it. Had several autos along the way, mostly 1100's, but I did have a Noble Model 80 .410 auto for a while, fun little gun. It was a long recoil gun, and the action was so slow, it's the shotgun click-clack.

I was gonna say, hardly anyone references these kind of shotguns:


Apparently, some hunters like them. Guess they just never took off.

 

[cdb1]

A SxS is on my bucket list. I grew up shooting an ancient Monkey Wards 16 gauge SxS. I was very accurate with it which could be attributed to the fact it was the only shotgun I used. When I was in college all of the firearms were stolen from my parents house with the exception of my Remington 700 that was at school with me. I put the insurance money toward the purchase of an Auto-5. In retrospect I should have looked for another SxS.

 

[tarosean]

Except Over-Unders have existed for hundreds of years.

 

[Armored farmer]

The greatest advantage to either a sxs or an o/u is the ability to have different chokes for different shots.
For turkey hunting, a full choke barrel with a 3inch #5, and a modified barrel with 2¾ 6s would be an awesome combination.
Maybe thats not the best example because you pretty much shoot them in the head anyway....
So maybe ducks over decoys. One Barrel loaded for longer range, and one for set wings right out front.
My 28ga o/u for quail over dogs was 1st barrel skeet, second barrel light modified. Worked like a charm.
On the clays range its the same thing. Some pairs need different chokes....the twin barrels have a slight advantage over the single tubes with one choke.
Very nice to catch empties too.

All that said, it's pretty hard to beat an old 870, or 1100.
I never really warmed up to a sxs for clay games. My dad has a beautiful custom 12ga sxs live bird gun. I think I broke about 65 with it on a clays range....yeeesh!
Beautiful gun though.

 

[Virginian]

I have owned all of them but a single shot, but only one bolt action and one O/U. Hated the bolt, and could never warm up to the O/U much. In fact in over 60 years the ONLY O/U I can say I really liked and was tempted by was a little Beretta scaled frame 28 gauge. I just do not like the looks or feel of most O/Us, period.
I have owned several plus SxSs, and liked most of them, some costing 10 times what my BSS Sporter 20 did, the only one I have left. I loved a little V. Bernardelli 20 back in the days of wild quail, and still kick myself for not buying one. A friend had one and he couldn't shoot it, so he loaned it to me off and on for years. Then one day I called him and he had sold it.
Once I got a Remington 1100 in 1963, it took me from local joke to league skeet high average and I have never found any semi I liked better. In 1974 I took up goose hunting and bought a 3" Magnum Wingmaster; the gun that I actually shot better than anything else I have ever owned or shot. While I have chased waterfowl from Alberta to the Chesapeake to the Gulf, mostly with an 1100, I still like to occasionally take the Wingmaster, and I still shoot it as well or better than anything else.
Being a retired part time gunsmith and dealer, and belonging to several clubs along the way, I have managed to own and/or shoot about everything. Like and shoot what you like and don't worry about what anyone else thinks or does.

 

[entropy]

The greatest advantage to either a sxs or an o/u is the ability to have different chokes for different shots.
For turkey hunting, a full choke barrel with a 3inch #5, and a modified barrel with 2¾ 6s would be an awesome combination.
Maybe thats not the best example because you pretty much shoot them in the head anyway....
So maybe ducks over decoys. One Barrel loaded for longer range, and one for set wings right out front.
My 28ga o/u for quail over dogs was 1st barrel skeet, second barrel light modified. Worked like a charm.
On the clays range its the same thing. Some pairs need different chokes....the twin barrels have a slight advantage over the single tubes with one choke.
Very nice to catch empties too.

All that said, it's pretty hard to beat an old 870, or 1100.
I never really warmed up to a sxs for clay games. My dad has a beautiful custom 12ga sxs live bird gun. I think I broke about 65 with it on a clays range....yeeesh!
Beautiful gun though.

It's a learned skill, for sure, and one that seems to decay faster than with any other type of action. (Well maybe bolt actions, SC true pairs might be tough with a bolt!) I am still working on getting back to proficiency with my SxS, took it out for pheasants, and went 0 for 4. Sure was nice not lugging a 10 lb. 1100 though!
I'll eventually get it back, I just wish it wouldn't cost so much! (It shoots 2 1/2" shells, RST literally one has one box left currently, and I suspect that is because shipping on it would be more than the box!)
I might have to buy a 12 ga. Sauer, like my 16, from Simpson Ltd.; most of those take 2 3/4", though I'd stick to light loads. At least I can find those, or make them.

 

[Cvans]

Like and shoot what you like and don't worry about what anyone else thinks or does.

This ought to be displayed in every gun shop.

 

[12Bravo20]

I still want to add a SxS and semi-auto to my 410 collection. Yes the bolt actions are a bit awkward but are still nice. My old Mossberg bolt action 410 has the C-lect shoe on it. It is very quick to change the choke with just a twist. I grew up using a single shot 410 then went to a bolt action for a short while before getting a Mossberg 500 in 410. I still have the 500 and it has plenty of rounds through it. My O/U doesn't get shot much except for the occasional quail or dove hunting.

 

[mcb]

I own, SxS, O/U, pump, semi-auto, lever actions, & bolt action shotguns. They all have their place and uses.

Its hard to beat a SxS or O/U for fast and reliable second shot and the ability to have two chokes at the ready selection. O/U do have slight advantages in recoil and sight picture in many's opinions.
Pumps (an other manually operated like lever and bolt) for reliability independent of ammo for the most part.
Semi-auto for speed past that second shot.

 

[PapaG]

Except Over-Unders have existed for hundreds of years.

View attachment 1035345

That one was made in the 1970s or so. By a 400 year old company--Beretta.

 

[tarosean]

That one was made in the 1970s or so. By a 400 year old company--Beretta.

1980 for a tricentennial celebration.

Was just an example though, you can find old O/U by lots of makers in the 1800's. Granted things really took off with the boxlox in 1870's.

 

[hq]

I think we've come a full circle. Nowadays younger hunters seem to be veering towards SxS & O/U far more than in mid 80's when I was a teenager. Pump guns are a bit of an anomaly around here, with unrestricted magazine capacity for hunting unlike semi autos.

I think it might be more about what's fashionable at any given time. The divide seems to be between sporting modern camo from heel to toe, all the way to your latest semi auto shotgun, and going retro with tweed, leather and a nice SxS. I've seen both a lot lately. O/U has been by far the most common hunting shotgun in Scandinavia for decades and while they still are, not as overwhelmingly as only 20 years ago.

It has taken me well over three decades of hunting to finally consider buying a SxS. Not inherited, not for a family member, but intentionally, by choice, for myself. I don't particularly like pheasant hunts because they're all about posing, not really hunting, but it's nicer to pose with a pretty gun while being served glühwein and watching flushed pheasants fly by. I might finally be getting old or something.

 

[Jim Watson]

My friend likes to hunt pheasants, but she didn't mention gluhwein.
She favors the Benelli Ultra Lite automatic.
Says the guys make fun of her girlie gun in the morning but like trying it out in the afternoon when those big Brownings are starting to bear down.

 

[hq]

View attachment 1035426My friend likes to hunt pheasants, but she didn't mention gluhwein.

"Pheasant hunts" and "hunting pheasants" are two distinctively different activities.

The former consists of anything from comparing the engravings on your Best Guns (a buddy of mine overdid it, by having his Blaser engraved with an elaborate picture of a moose couple *honk*ing) to a friendly competition of determining whose trophy wife's teeth rattle the loudest after a couple of hours of accompanying you to the field in the dead of winter.

The latter is actually hunting.

 

[Jim Watson]

Oh, yes, now I see. You are first referring to things like the Glorious Twelfth, start of grouse season in England.

 

[cdb1]

My son in law recently decided he wanted an upgrade from his Stoeger 3.5” 12 gauge semi. It’s worked well, still does, but 90% of his bird hunting is dove and his shoulder tends to be sore at the end of the day. I recommended a couple of gas operated 20’s, he bought a 20 gauge Citori. I do believe there is a trend, however slight it might be towards O/U’s.

 

[Riomouse911]

When I first saw this album cover as a kid (released in 1973) I fell in love with the looks of the SxS shotgun…



My Grandparents had an old Damascus hammer double mounted on pegs set in the stone fireplace in the ranch house that reinforced my fascination with them. I was gifted his old Lefever Nitro Special 16 ga, which I cut down to 20” because of bad pitting at the end of the barrels. I still have it residing in the safe.

Sadly, I’ve never fired a SxS that didn’t rear up and cause my thumb to punch me in the beak under recoil, so I like them from afar.

Im like many of you I have a variety of shotgun designs in the safe, but no bolt gun though. For whatever reason the Remington 1100 design and function just suits me well, so I have a few of those from 12 to .410. The other gun design I like, that is second in number owned, are Browning BPS shotguns with 3 in 16, 20 and 28.

Stay safe.

 

[LoonWulf]

I currently own a pump, SxS, and O/U. Ive owned multiple pumps, and semis ....havent shot the SxS enough to decide if i like it or not yet, but I KNOW I like the rest of the designs about equally well.
I still want to get a 20ga bolt gun......

Quite honestly I dont shoot shotguns very often, and have never competed, so my opinions mostly based on hunting. For ME theres very little difference in function between the types, and specific guns have pointed better for me. So far my relatively stumpy O/U and the 30" full choke 870 wingmaster have been what im most consistent with....im enjoying playing with my SxS an inordinate amount tho, something about the way it feels in my hands really appeals to me.

 

[John Joseph]

I had to retire my SxS when CA banned lead.
My current hunting gun is a Spanish O/U approved for steel.
I miss having two triggers.