Over and Under or Side by Side the best?

[WillCFish]

Many people are using Double Barrels these days. What are your thoughts on them and differences between the two?

[mamohr686]

There is no best, but to me a SXS guns are basically a traditionalist gun. Over and under shotguns keep the recoil directly into the shoulder pocket, and you get a faster follow-up shot if you need it. That is the reason why most competitive shooters use them. SXS have some side torque/twist when you shoot them, and a much different sight picture. It takes a fair amout of practice to shoot a SXS consistently. I think proper fit is much more difficult on a SXS. I shoot both, and the key is proper fit and time on the range to be a good shot with either.

[Ufatz]

Sixty years of SXS and OU and would not have anything else. What you might find, as a newcomer to doubles, is that the OU seems easier to adapt to for a lot of people. The "wide" muzzle plane on a SXS sometimes causes trouble, expeically if one spends too much time "sighting" instead of using the instinctive "point it" form of shooting. Try them both. Either is more handy (shorter overall) than the pumps and autos.

Once you spend a season with a well made SXS or a balanced OU you'll never go back to those big, clumsy, awkward clank-clank mechanical monsters. I have a 1935 DHE Parker 12 that throws the most perfect patterns you'll ever see and it has accounted for more big fat mallards then I could ever recall. And a .20 Parker that regularly knocks roosters and ducks from the sky too.

Try 'em.....you'll never go back!!!

[mnmofro]

I personally have a SXS and love it. I choose the gun because I liked the old schoolness of it. I searched long and hard for a gun that fit me really well and found a gun that had double triggers yet still had screw in chokes. I was picky about fit and the triggers/chokes and waited till I found the gun I liked. I would say just get something that feels right to you. I was just started to hunt when I bought my SXS so I didn't have any pre-formed habits of a single barrel sight plain ect and I don't even notice the two barrels or two triggers. I shot some O/U's while shopping around but there was no difference to me and shootability so I went with the nostalgia of the SXS.

[gspman]

I have both and have shot well with both. Unless you are willing to practice a lot you will generally shoot better with a o/u. There's a reason why o/u's dominate clay shooting competitions and it's not because they are inferior. If you want a status piece or are into the British tradition then get a sxs. Otherwise get a o/u. You will shoot better with it.

[Ufatz]

Well, I was with you most of the way, until you got to the "British tradition" comment. We were shooting SXS for a couple hundred years on THIS side of the pond too. But the British DO have a reputation for building beautiful SXS AND OU shotguns.

And you lose me when you assert: "....you'll shoot better with the OU." Oh yeah, who says! LOL.....I'll shoot with ya any day and you can take your OU....or one of mine....and we'll see how well who shoots.

ou probablly mean that some people find the single sighting plane of an OU easier to adjust to than the broad muzzles of the SXS. Hell, I never notice the ends of my barrels anyway. I LOOK where I want to shoot and my arms and eyes do the rest. Can't rememter the last time I actually

SAW the end of the shotgun.

A guy who is good with a SXS will be good with an OU too. And guys were shooting SXS at the British couple hundred years ago so maybe the British think of us "colonials" as a bunch of SXS snobs for blasting away at them with an old flintlock SXS.

Regardless....get out there and smoke some clay. Just don't use one of those new plastic and black painted sewer appliance things they call shotguns nowdays. Har....dee Har!

[gspman]

It's just my opinion. If people generally shot better with a sxs you'd see more people winning tournaments with them. You don't and there is a reason for it. Noted gun writer Bruce Buck says the Connecticut Travelers sporting clays club gives out handicaps for sxs and subgauge shooters. They do that for a reason.

Again, if you practice a lot you can be a very good shooter with a sxs. I don't dispute that. I became a very good low gun skeet shooter with a double triggered sxs because I practiced a lot with it. But... On average if you don't practice a lot you will shoot better with an o/u. IMHO.

[Ufatz]

Noted Gun Writer Bruce Buck? According to whom? Ha Ha Ha. Never heard of the guy, but if you say he is "noted" then I'll accept it. Biggest debate point I've heard from some serious trap and skeet guys is that SXS "blocks" claybirds sometimes. I will concede that few competitive shooters today use SXS. I had been away from standard trap for some years and last year fell into a day of it and all I had was a little Parker .20. First round I shot 23 and all the grousing and growling and mock complaining stopped-didn't hear another word about "that little gun is not for trap." Of course, if I had ended up back at 27 I might have not been so darned smart! LOL

Thanks,and good night. I accept all your points. But who is this Bruce Buck? Ha Ha!

[Wanderer]

Bruce Buck; Gun Review Editor of Shooting Sports Magazine with other works published.

Maybe not "noted" in some circles but educated in the sport at the very least.

I would agree if someone were looking to start out with a double to go with a O/U. This from a guy who has hunted with and owns both but just a guy...

[Ufatz]

Yah.....you betcha....I think you are right about starting with an OU. But then use it for ALL your field shooting too. Shot tens of thousands of rounds with a 1959 Browning Superposed before moving to Perazzi. But that old standard Superposed was a helluva trap gun. Then they made the Broadway Trap and that got everybodys panties in a knot. Shot lots of birds with that too but it big and ugly. Ha.

But not as big and ugly as these new black nylon/chrome, plastic stocked whiz bang semi autos all the boys lug around now. Gotta hand it to 'em...you gotta be a real man to lug one of those beasts around. And that sight plane must seem like a loooonnnng runway when you swing it around. LOL Shoot more, shoot better. But don't shoot that noted Bruce guy.

[ole matty]

Anyone ever shoot mossberg silver reserve 20 ga ou before? How do you like it? Was thinking to get one for grousin and pheasant. I do most of my shooting close range.

[tacklejunkie]

Anyone ever shoot mossberg silver reserve 20 ga ou before? How do you like it? Was thinking to get one for grousin and pheasant. I do most of my shooting close range.

I have this very gun and like it. It's not as fancy as some of the high end ones but it has killed a good number of grouse for me.

[gspman]

Quote:

Bruce has been writing for SSM for more than 10 years, starting with book reviews and then gun reviews along with travel articles and product reviews. In addition to writing for Shooting Sportsman he currently has a column in ClayShooting USA. Before that he wrote for Clay Pigeon and Reload! His 35 years of shotgunning have included four trials for the US Olympic International Skeet team, numerous state championships in International Skeet and sporting clays plus a quarter-century of coaching experience, including two summers coaching at the US Olympic Training Center. An avid wingshooter, he has hunted birds in North, Central and South America; Europe and Africa.

Bruce Buck has forgotten more about shotguns (of all types) and shooting them than most of us will ever learn.

Once again, if a person is willing to put the time in and practice a lot they can become deadly with a sxs. Day in and day out I still think an o/u is a better option though.

[Ufatz]

Oh. THAT Bruce!