Poll

Side by Side or Over/Under

Side by Side
24 (50%)
Over/Under
24 (50%)

Total Members Voted: 44

Voting closed: May 24, 2005, 09:50:24 AM

Author Topic: Side by Side or Over/Under  (Read 1003 times)

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Offline Lawdog

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Side by Side or Over/Under
« on: May 24, 2005, 09:50:24 AM »
Both are great but i find I prefer the Over/Under.  Lawdog
Gary aka Lawdog is now deceased. He passed away on Jan. 12, 2006. RIP Lawdog. We miss you.

Offline Graybeard

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Side by Side or Over/Under
« Reply #1 on: May 24, 2005, 12:29:43 PM »
Fer what? Ya need to clarify the use to which it will be put.

For the various clay sports I'll take an O/U any day. But for a field gun I like a SxS also and use both. But then an old Remington 870 pump is the "go to" gun when something needs to be shot around the house.

Can't imagine not having and using both SxS and O/U guns.


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Offline wallingdad

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Side by Side or Over/Under
« Reply #2 on: May 26, 2005, 01:10:26 AM »
Grew up with side by sides. Sentimental favorite!

Offline williek

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s/s vs. o/u
« Reply #3 on: May 26, 2005, 03:31:23 AM »
I grew up shooting side by side and now own both.  However, I insist on two triggers= instant choke choice.
I do find that when I'm hunting grouse or woodcock I always use the side by side.  It comes up better and just "feels" right.
Probably a holdover from my misspent youth hunting in low places and other activities of ill repute.
williek

Offline Lawdog

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Side by Side or Over/Under
« Reply #4 on: May 26, 2005, 08:34:05 AM »
Graybeard,

What I meant was for all around use which type do you prefer.  I too like to use SxS for hunting upland game but when it comes to trap, skeet, sporting clays and waterfowl then I prefer an O/U.  If I could only have one shotgun to cover ALL uses then the nod goes to the O/U.  I do own a few auto’s(dearly love my Browning A-5’s), a couple of pumps but I never saw the need for more than two shots for most all hunting situations(the third shot is usually wasted).  I was just wondering what people preferred for an all around use shotgun.  Lawdog
 :D
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Offline Graybeard

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Side by Side or Over/Under
« Reply #5 on: May 26, 2005, 12:08:19 PM »
I'm actually not much on the concept of an "all round" gun for all uses. I could use a pump, semiauto or O/U quite well as such I guess but prefer not to. I have many guns and use the one I feel most appropriate to the task at hand. For any of the various clays games other than trap I prefer the O/U. For trap I honestly prefer a pump but can live with a semiauto OK. For water fowl a pump or semiauto is preferred.

I just won't be tied down to one gun for all uses. or even one gauge or action type.


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Offline Ramrod

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Side by Side or Over/Under
« Reply #6 on: May 26, 2005, 12:14:34 PM »
I bought my Beretta 686 with the idea that I could get rid of all my other shotguns, as I shoot the wiley clay bird better with it than anything else I own. But early in the season, I always seem to be carrying a short barelled cylinder bore SxS. Nothing is faster for me on those 10-20 yard shots when the leaves are still on up here in the Northeast.
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Offline NimrodRx

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Side by Side or Over/Under
« Reply #7 on: May 31, 2005, 12:52:45 PM »
Gotta go with the O/U.  Love my SXSs, but I've always just been more efficient with an O/U.  I think a lot of it is because the O/U feels closer to a rifle than a SXS.  

Then again, those old English SXS doubles are works of art....
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Offline oso45-70

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Shotguns And Wing Shooting
« Reply #8 on: May 31, 2005, 09:24:47 PM »
Lawdog, I Have all the above mentioned shotguns But like Gray Beard I don't want to be held to anyone of them, For Dove Quail or Pheasent I prefer the over/ under, For Duck and Geese I like a auto or pump, But love the look and feel of a Side by Side. In our area we don't get near the wing shooting that some of you guys do. If it wasn't for the trap houses we wouldent get enough shotgunning to be competent..........Joe.........
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Offline popplecop

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Side by Side or Over/Under
« Reply #9 on: June 01, 2005, 01:40:10 PM »
Lawdog, I have a half dozen of each or so, have to check the safe sometime.  O/us are a good shorgun, only improvement I can see is to rotate the barrels 90 deg.  Seriously I hunt both upland and waterfowl with both.  Ducks over decoys I use a Beretta 20 O/U with bismuth or Kent Matrix. Pheasants either one, grouse and woodcock SxSs.  That leaves doves and I am equally good at missing them with either.
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Offline JohnV

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Side by Side or Over/Under
« Reply #10 on: July 01, 2005, 10:30:55 AM »
A well fitted gun can make up for a lot of shooting faults. I shoot sporting and FITASC and feel the vertical barrels allow better peripheral vision on most targets. But, when I hunt upland, the SxS is a joy. Nostalgia and a feeling of pointability combined with balance and safety give me what I like most. Being one with the gun...and dog. There is something about a pointer/setter being followed by a SxS toting hunter.

My autos are favorites when recoil is heavy i.e. waterfowl. Then again my 20ga. Belgium A-5 has killed several... ducks over decoys. JV.
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Offline while99

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Side by Side or Over/Under
« Reply #11 on: August 04, 2005, 03:55:34 PM »
I have a Beretta 686 Onyx O/U that I bought for clay bird games and I like it very much for that use.  But when pheasant season rolls around, the Model 21 Winchester goes hunting and the Beretta stays in the safe.