Hello,

Looking for opinions on double barrel, either o/u or sxs. Main use is for ducks but there is some pheasant involved now and then.

No, I'm not looking for a semi or the like.

I like a breaking gun for reliability and safety!( plus it's the only gun they will allow on the pheasant island!)

JC

I wouldn't buy a SxS unless it was an older make of quality name(L.C. Smith, Fox, Parker, H&H) or it cost more than $800. Some people buy stoeger(some here have them), but I look for more than price when buying something like a SxS. I look at fit, finish, feel, and tolerance.

O/U's can be had for as little as $450 new by a quality name.

O/U's can be had for as little as $450 new by a quality name.

CDNN has a good OU package. Google CDNN investments and download the PDF. Bout 1/3 of the way down is where shotguns start.

There are still nice SxS made.
I looked at some yesterday, but didn't see any that were cheap.
I have always liked SxS.

I have been hunting some with an old Riverside Arms (stevens) 16 ga SxS with exposed hammers. My all time favorite shotgun is a Browning SxS (which I think they still call a Browning Auto :confused:).

I personally like the OU, but I mainly shoot skeet and go dove hunting. I really like the older berettas but they are kinda pricey. There are alot of OU that can be had for under 500 brand new. Just my .02

Well I don't mind spending more because I good gun can be handed down to my sons ( 1 & 3 yrs).
I was leaning towards a Browning Citori 625 (525) or Citori grade 4. Possibly a Beretta Silver pigeon 4-5 or similar.
I was hoping someone might have another manufacterer that I could check out.

I guess I forgot it has to be able to handle STEEL SHOT.
JC
Oh yeah I live in Canada.

Not to hi-jack or anything - but I've wanted a coach gun SxS type thingus for a while. Other than rolling the dice on Stoeger - do I have any decent options?

Not to hi-jack or anything - but I've wanted a coach gun SxS type thingus for a while. Other than rolling the dice on Stoeger - do I have any decent options?

. . .with external hammers. . .

I only shoot my SxS if I need to. Both barrells of anything with decent stopping power will damn near dislocate my shoulder. I've been wanting a decent O/U for awhile as well but can't seem to save the funds up

Not to hi-jack or anything - but I've wanted a coach gun SxS type thingus for a while. Other than rolling the dice on Stoeger - do I have any decent options?

I shoot Cowboy Action and Stoeger's are quite common.
I like the Coach Gun Supreme.
Cowboy Action pounds guns and I have never seen the problems that guys reported on here. Maybe the quality went to crap and the people I shoot with are using older models.

I shoot a Bakail (Imported by Remington and called a Spartan).
The one took about 10 hours worth of polishing and $18 for new cocking levers to make suitable.
When I got the gun, it was worthless. I polished all internals, matched the sears, installed new cocking levers so it would open and stay open, and had to align on the hammer spring bores because they were mismatched.

Whatever you get, just make sure you get one with chokes.
Mine has 20" barrels and it worthless except for cowboy action.
I have taken it rabbit hunting. When the rabbit came by, I shot and saw every leaf on the hill turn over and the rabbit kept running.

My cousin has a stoeger and bakail with exposed hammers. Both have choke tubes and I have hunted with both. I wouldn't get the Bakail with exposed hammers. Sometimes the hammer drops but it doesn't go off.
You really have to intentionally pull the trigger, if you just pull it where it breaks, it won't strike the primer.

I was hoping someone might have another manufacterer that I could check out.

CZ has some nice SxS.
I beleive they are Turkish made.
Nice wood, case hardened colored metal, and nice fit and finish.

As far as shotguns, it is not what you paid for it - It is how it fits.

Here is something I posted on a Beagle Board a while back.


There are two major things regarding shotgun fit. Length of pull and drop.
I have read magazine articles and books on how to determine all that. I really didn't learn much.
The close my eyes and point method has always worked for me.

The length of pull is critical because is the gun is too long, you will not get it mounted well. For me this results in guns that point high when shouldered. The butt of the gun is too low in the shoulder.

On the same note a gun that is too short will be loose in the shoulder. This will cause a lot of problems because the I will shoot the gun before it is pulled in.

Drop is one thing that is missing on many shotguns. It is the amount of drop from the line of site (top of barrel) to the top of the stock. Brownings typically have a good amount of drop (probably why I prefer them). Most your off the shelf guns have a relatively straight stock that require me to drop my head to the gun.

Now with that said, you can learn to shoot a poorly fitted gun. I have had to make modifications when the temperature is in the teens and I am wearing a lot of clothes. This causes the length of pull to be too long, because the extra clothing at the shoulder. So two things that I will do. The 1st is when you mount the gun, throw the gun forward, pull back, and then shoot. What this intentional movement does is let the butt clear the clothing before you pull it back to the shoulder.

The second is how you carry the gun. When I know I have too many clothes to shoot good, I carry the gun with butt stock over my forearm, essentially out side the elbow. This causes me to raise the butt of the gun first when I am mounting it.
The butt comes from the outside into my shoulder, instead of from the arm pit up.

Some people practice a "cheek weld". I have done it, and it helps on a skeet range but doesn't do a thing for me in the grouse woods when I am making a snap shot.

All the struggle can be avoided if you buy a gun that fits and points good.
I finally did just that, and started hitting a lot more.

http://americanbeagler.huntingboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=40412&p=249796&hilit=eyes#p249796

CZ has some nice SxS.
I beleive they are Turkish made.
Nice wood, case hardened colored metal, and nice fit and finish.

As far as shotguns, it is not what you paid for it - It is how it fits.

Here is something I posted on a Beagle Board a while back.



http://americanbeagler.huntingboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=40412&p=249796&hilit=eyes#p249796

I'll second the CZ. I shot trap with a guy who had a CZ O/U and it was :grinpimp:

Citori is quality too. I'd seriously budget about $1500 for what you are looking for if you want all the criteria I listed

Here is the "close your eyes and point" method of fit I was referring to.


A shotgun is a piece of pipe that shoots a wad of shot.
They all shoot the same (especially with modern chokes), so the main thing you are looking for is fit and comfort.

The first thing I do when I pick a shotgun, I pick out a spot on the wall/ceiling/distance, close my eyes, then shoulder the gun like I am going to shoot that object. Then I open my eyes to see where the gun is pointed. (obviously I do this after I check to make sure it is empty). I do this several times. I have found that most guns will point high (mainly because they are too long for me), the bottom line is that if I can't point it at an object with my eyes closed - I don't want it.

I've shot some high dollar custom fitted guns on the skeet range. One man was insulted when he asked what I thought.
I shrugged and said, "It doesn't fit me". I guess he thought because he had $2500 invested in it, I was supposed to love it.

Most shotguns are too long for me. I'm 5'8" and 170#, I have to take the recoil pad off most shotguns when I buy them.
Also, I like them as light as I can get them. I like double barrels, Ithica 37's (but most are full choke), and others. I really like my Browning Auto-5, but it was made for shooting, not carrying. It is heavy.

I've always been fond of side by sides, but it really doens't matter to me as long as it fits and doesn't weigh a ton.

I like my Stevens SXS. I have a 12 and 20 ga. Dad's baby is his Parker.

I like my Stevens SXS. I have a 12 and 20 ga. Dad's baby is his Parker.

Parkers are noicee :smokin: