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The Affordable Side-by-Side Shotgun Is Making a Comeback with American Bird Hunters

Talyn

Talyn

SAINT
Founding Member
Now just might be the best time for upland bird hunters to buy a modern side-by-side shotgun

The Affordable Side-by-Side Shotgun

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I have to side with the rest of the over under crowd. There is a reason why you almost never see side by sides in clay events and competitions. The goal in hunting is no different - to more reliably hit the target. If side by sides could match over and under shotguns for consistent results you would see them being used, and you don't.

Single barrels in single shot versions, pumps, and semi autos show up, but not side by sides. Having shot a side by side in cowboy action shooting and having shot both semi autos and over and unders in trap, five stand, and sporting clays it is very clear the difference does affect the results.

Nostalgia is fine but results are better.
 
I got to wonder if other factors are involved with the popularity of O/U shotguns for shooting clays.
True, you dont see them at the ranges, but I dont think its because they're less accurate.
I'm no pro, but I can hit my share of clay pigeons with my SxS.
I think the main reason is because of the adjustable chokes many of those other guns offer. My SxS is choked for IC and Mod. That's it and that's all it ever will be. So it is limited to closer ranges for breaking clay,but for hunting I feel the difference is minimal
 
JeffS said:
I got to wonder if other factors are involved with the popularity of O/U shotguns for shooting clays.
True, you dont see them at the ranges, but I dont think its because they're less accurate.
I'm no pro, but I can hit my share of clay pigeons with my SxS.
I think the main reason is because of the adjustable chokes many of those other guns offer. My SxS is choked for IC and Mod. That's it and that's all it ever will be. So it is limited to closer ranges for breaking clay,but for hunting I feel the difference is minimal
Click to expand...

Many shotgun fanatics that shoot trap only will only use a single barrel shotgun because of where the pattern hits and over and under and/or side by sides barrels are more difficult to regulate so as to match where the patterns are going to hit. It is one of the reasons (but not the only one) why clay shooters spend so much on their shotguns. The less expensive over and under are almost never regulated correctly anymore. Even some of the newer Brownings are defective in barrel regulation from the factory.

For those of you reading here that don't shoot trap:

This might not be a huge difference but even a slight error in regulation can make all the difference in clay competitions. (Understand that if a trap shooter hits 80% of his/her targets they are barely considered competition ready. Many competitions may have the top shooter at 100% with 2nd place missing only one target out of 100.)

Again, to me at least, it is all about results. I want the gun to be more capable than I am, not the reverse Shooting clays or hunting makes no difference to me regarding results. I do understand the nostalgia of a side by side however, but that is a topic all to itself. (There must be some reason I hang on to guns I haven't fired in 50 years.)

As to changeable chokes, I think most serious shotgun shooters are (as you stated) in love with them but mostly because some makers make better chokes than others. Most skeet shooters shoot skeet and skeet chokes in both barrels and most serious trap shooters shoot full and full or extra full and extra full and don't change them. Five stand and sporting clay shooters do use different chokes in different barrels. Personally I shoot a fixed choke full and full for trap because it is a dedicated trap gun. Hunting birds is a different story but I also shoot 28 gauge on brush quail, moving up to a 20 gauge in a more open field or for close range pheasant. Finally I move to 12 gauge for longer range pheasant so that is far beyond just chokes.

All of this is, of course, just my opinion.
 
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