Gentlemen

I intend to get a shotgun but the trouble is I can't decide is it shall be a SxS or O/U.

Main use is hunting and some time at the clay ground

Cheers
/ JOHAN

Personal preference. The SXS has more class in the field, the O/U is possibly more durable.

My personal thinking at this time is that 28 ga and smaller should be sxs, the 20 can be either, and the 16 through 10 ga. should be O/U. The thinking is that a sxs 12 ga. has too wide a sighting planed, and a 28 ga. o/u has too narrow a sighting plane.

In the end, though, it's pure personal preference. JMO, Dutch.

Johan
In real estate sales it's location,location,location.
With shotguns, it's fit/ballance,fit/ballance, fit/ballance.
I was raised on sxs doubles ,much prefer them and have taken everything from woodcock to deer.
That said, the absolutely best hitting shotgun I own is a Rem 1100 LT20.
For me , the gun is magic. It just works.
Many have expressed technical reasoning that puts the ou out front and the reasoning is solid.
It still comes back to what works for you.
Having your dimensions verified with a try gun would be a large step in the right direction.
Then you could narrow your search of factory guns or have your choice custom fitted.
ou's are by far more popular and are available in many shapes and sizes so you would probably find that perfect fit more easily in an ou. Try them all.

good luck
Covey16

I would tend to agree with Dutch. smaller guages the sxs is the only way to go. i think a nice 20 sxs is sweet also. 16 ga is where i would say go either way. I have an old Ithaca (from the 30's) in 16 that is excellent. 12 ga O/U.

Gentlemen

It will be a 12ga. I'm quite sure I had AYA no 1 in 20 and they are fine. I wonder if there are any 12 built on 16 ga recivers today ?

Cheers
/ JOHAN

Johan, the choice is simple. SxS. If you were going to do a lot of clay shooting it would be O/U. There is no question both will work for game, and that fit is everything in a shotgun, but to go afield with an O/U when it could be a SxS is sacreligous! Even in 12 Gauge. Mine is an Ithaca NID, handles like a dream, rarely misses, and is an easy carry. One of the oft overlooked points in this debate is that O/U's, particularly new ones, have a tendancy to not open fully, and this impedes reloading greatly. AYA makes some beauties, and unless I come across a rich dead uncle my next will be one of theirs in 20 Ga. as I've shot several. Superlative firearms.

Why not an auto Johann? Are you too snobby for em??
Seriously id say a good o/u with 28 inch barrels and extractors not ejectors( never seen the point in throwing the cases to the ground just to pick em up???)and some beutiful oil finished wood with polished steel buttplate!
Just my two cents as you say!

Regards Ben
Iceland

The 19th century belonged to side by sides. Get an over and under. There is nothing a good shot with a side by side can do that a good shot with an over and under can't do better.

I own some of both I prefer the SxS's. They seem to handle better for me. But We all know the best shotguns have two barrels and the best of them are SxS's.

Gatogordo



Actually O/U isn't that bad when it comes to durability. Some say that O/U will take more rounds than a SXS. Still Eley used a SXS which fired 1,5 millions cartridges



The trouble with most O/U is that they are to clumbsy and lacks the handeling that the SXS has. Today there are not many of them around since most O/U are designed for clay grounds. A well desinged slim and well balanced O/U is not bad.



Cheers

/ JOHAN

Fair Rizzini makes a 16 O/U on a 16 ga frame. Most of the time a 16 will be on a 12 ga frame. If you could find a Parker on the O frame then you have hit the Holy Grail (IMHO) of shotgunnung. I prefer the SXS esp the American clasics such as Parker, Win M21, Fox, LC Smith. The Smith can be found on whast they termed a featherweight frame.

I'm going to say this one time, and you can repeat it slowly until it sinks in, or it doesn't . Lightweight in a shotgun is your friend for carrying one and for waving one around in a gun store or showing one to your shooting companions. It is NOT your friend when you want to shoot/point accurately. Balance is important, but it doesn't matter if it is balanced or not, if it is significantly lighter in weight it will be much more difficult to shoot well than one that has more heft to it.
Doesn't mean it can't be done, or shot well, just that it makes the task much more difficult.

I've always preferred bird meat to feather stew, but that is just a personal idiosyncracy. I shoot both S/S and O/Us but when the going gets tough, the O/U is ALWAYS the gun of choice.

Johan:

Being an old fool, I always rush in where angels may fear to tread. The last post by Gatogordo is very important where he talks about "lightweight". (It's the last time that I agree with him) Let me add another point. Whether sxs or O&U, it is "fit" that matters and that means how the shotgun is stocked. Even without having a shotgun stock custom fitted to you, there are a few simple tests to use. Holding the shotgun in the crook of your elbow, does your finger easily reach the trigger - but not so easily that your finger is practically wrapped around the trigger. The second test (and of even more importance) is to throw up the gun with your eyes closed. Then immediately open your eyes. You should be looking along the barrel ( or rib if a sxs) -without looking up and over the chambers. On the other hand your eye shouldn't light on a midpoint of the barrel or rib either. Whether sxs or O&U? I'm prejudiced. I always liked the carry of the sxs and never liked having to exert that extra little bit of pressure to reload the bottom barrel on an O&U. Now, I have to confess - Unless you are prepared to spend some very real money on a sxs, you will get much better value for your money out of an O&U. I'm thinking of an sxs "shooting loose" as we used to say. An O&U's construction seems to be better, far better in this respect.

I have the perfect solution. Shop carefully and purchase one of each?

If money were no object, I would go with Fratelli (Brothers) Rizzini for the SxS and Fabri for the O/U.

Blue