Supposedly, American shotgunners prefer over & unders and Europeans prefer side by sides when shooting doubles. I'm a 55 year old American but I've always preferred side by sides although I've also owned 2 over & unders. My first shotgun was an L.C. Smith field grade at age 13. For beauty, form and balance they can't be beat, IMO. Which do you prefer?

That's no longer true, O/U's make the majority of the recent guns. S/S are still present in numbers but they're mostly inherited family guns (and best quality at that). However, S/S are probably more popular in U.K. than on the continent. As for myself, my pair of FN-Browning B25's is all I want.

[ 08-24-2002, 17:43: Message edited by: Andr� Mertens ]

The narrower sighting plane of the O/Us makes them better at all forms of shooting than S/Ss. In a nutshell that is why they are becoming the gun of choice on both sides of the Atlantic.

Now, before the S/S fans get their panties in a wad, I will certainly admit that a good shot with S/S will outshoot an average shot with an O/U. But, given equal abilities the O/U has the edge. There have been no major shotgun championships that I know of won with a S/S in many years. Not counting those restricted to S/Ss, of course.

I have both O/U and S/S made by browning. I bought the BSS back in 1971 and the citori about 5 years ago. I prefer the SXS, maybe because I have owned them and used them for many years. As far as hunting they point a little better and appear to load a little quicker. IMHO

fla3006,

I am afraid I just cannot shoot side by side shotguns.

I will take a o/u any day.

For chasing stuff from the back of the ute the ss is easier to reload, but the uo is probably a little more comfrotable to shoot.

For my "chasing" shotgun I am using a Fausti Stefano UO with 20" barrels chocked 1/4 & 1/2. With Wichester AAA's it's dynamite on stuff out to 30 yards. I als use Rio Royal Buck SG's and when the hit there dynamic, but SG's are a little more erratic hit wise than the AAA's stuff can sometimes get through the pattern. BB's are alright to probably 20 yards.

I have shot both the ss and OU a lot on shooting trip up to 1000 shells in a 3-4 day trip and I think despite the ss being quicker to reload the comfort of the UO when shooting a lot of shells is an advantage.

The O/Us are, without a doubt, dominant guns for games but have no edge whatsoever over side-by-sides when it comes to birds--including flyers, ZZ and Helice.

Is that a fact? I don't know of any serious live bird shooters that use S/Ss and a good friend of mine has won the ZZ world championship in Paris at least twice with an O/U. I didn't ask him, but the pictures I saw showed NO S/Ss being used. Please detail any major wins in recent years with a S/S. BTW, ZZ and helice are the same thing.

[ 08-26-2002, 06:30: Message edited by: Gatogordo ]

Although I own and shoot O/U guns, I've no quarrel against S/S (in fact, I've still hope of buying a 20 "juxtapos�" Lebeau-Courally... one day. Problem is they cost the price of a medium car). I don't buy the "single sighting plane" either, a raised rib on a S/S has the same effect. I relate the O/U success among competition shooters to the fact that, considering the amount they shoot, an O/U is more resistant to wear thanks to the barrels being totally enclosed laterally.

Andre:

One of the last things a competition shooter worries about is how much his gun is going to wear. Considering the other costs of shooting, the gun is semi-disposable. I'm not sure I agree with your theory that an O/U wears less than a S/S but am not familiar enough with long term use of S/Ss to really say.

You can argue that it may or may not be the single sighting plane that is the reason that O/U are dominant in serious shooting,(even though it is, ) but it most certainly is not concerning how much the shotgun will wear. I've never heard of that as even a consideration among shotgunners, of course, they expect their equipment to hold up, and some of it doesn't, and if it doesn't will try another manufacturer. Some of the top sporting clay shooters use semi-autos, most likely for recoil control (faster second shot)but there it is again, that single sighting plane. Or, you can just say that you have a smaller blob out there to sight with,(the end of the the barrel(s)) which, in shotguns as well as rifles tends to be more accurate, as opposed to the bigger horizontal coverage of the S/Ss.

No one is debating that there are a few (somewhere ) tremendous shots that use S/Ss, but they are great shots in spite of it, not because of it.

I shoot competitions and use a Super X Model 1 a Model 12 a 101 and a Model 21 . I do not think an Over Under makes you a better shot at all. I think the gun is a tool for a job and you pick the best tool for that job. This goes for the field as well . I use an 410 rem 870 a Penn arms side by side in 12g a 28g Model 101 a sholder busting side by side 10g and several auto 20s that come out when the sun shines . I love going to a range and listen to a bunch of bigots with there Over Under and then watch the superior marksmanship .
BTW - Why would a Over under have less ware than a Side by Side? I think I've put more shots though my Model 12 than any other gun and it is still a "tight" as the day I bought it.
Good shooting
Turtle

Gtogordo,

We did a bit of live pigeon shooting at the Greater Houston Gun Club when I was there, and there was a gentleman who was very good on them with a side by side.

One afternoon I went there when a shoot was going on, and our mutual friend Jim Gilmore was there, and I remember clearly him saying to me that this sport was not for him, and he did not think I would enjoy it either.

I watched those guys shoot, then decided to try something. Bill Pool, our club manager laughed so much when I went and asked him to give me my 410 Browning over/under shotgun which I used to use for dove hunting.

I had one box of 25, so bought tickets for 12 pigeons at $3.00 each, I think.

The people there were giving me a funny look when they saw my 410.

I killed all the 12 birds, and left, beating even the gentleman who was very with that s/s!

Saeed -
That Pigeon shoot is a "blast" . I heard that hey are having problems with The friends of pigeons now. I just got back from a shoot in the Pa mountains and tried my 410. I did hit them but I liked shoot my 2xb 10g with 3.5 BBs in it . Allot of fun and it sharpens you up for the coming seasons.
Turtle

BBTURTLE,

I think I have the perfect live pigeon gun.

I have one of those America International Model 180 22 which has a magazine that holds 177 rounds, and can be fired on full auto.

I use it here sometimes to shoot flying birds with it. It works like a charm.

I have a Red Dot sight installed on it, and all I do is aim just ahead of the bird, and keep the trigger down!

I need one of those. I would love to see a vidio of that baby going off.
I guess for now I'll try to extent the tube of the 10g auto. Last night I pegged one at 10yards but couldn't find it.
Good stuff
Turtle