the_sandman_454

At some point I am interested in aquiringeither an over and under or side by side shotgun.

What I don't know is what are the advantages and/or disadvantages of either? The only shotgun experience I have besides my 870 Remington is my dad's .410 bore side by side shotgun. From that little bit of experience, andalso just based on looks, I am currently leaning towards a side by side of my own.

I'm considering both 12 and 20 guage. Bore size isn't the topic of this post though, I'll save that for later.

Useage islikely to be primarily breaking clay targets both in the air and along the ground, although rabbit and other small game hunting is a distinct possibility in the future, as is hunting for a variety of birds. The clays usage is simply informal, just a handful of us taking turns shooting clays at our property, not a dedicated formal setup with positions and so forth. I can't see taking part in something more formalon a regular basis.

So the question is: Will I be at a distinct disadvantage for any of these activities if I picka side by side, or for that should I go with an over/under?

trailer

From a personal preference I like the O/U better. I had a Citori and found this shotgun handled very well. I also find it’s easier to point with the view of a single barrel then a sxs. I have a little 410 sxs and if I could go back on my choice the O/U would be my choice now. Just my 2¢...

kelbro

I have both and both do well. I personally prefer the classic looks of a nice SxS. My son shoots my Superposed O/U more than I do and he is very good with it. I let him shoot my SxS and he was missing a lot. Must be something about the wide vs. narrow sightplane because they are the same length barrel, same choke, etc... You should try both before you decide.

You can usually get a good SxS for less money than a good O/U.

eldeguello

I agree with kelbro. The O/U is technically superior because it has but one sighting plane, but a well-executedSxS is much prettier, balances better, and has a certain quality that the O/U's seem to lack. OTOH, a poorly made SxS can be a real clunker, and lack everything a good one has. Certyain SxS's are really outstanding, such as the Parker, L.C. Smith, and the Win. M21, not to mention the better british doubles. And I have seen some really nice J.P. Sauers and similar quality German pieces.

kirby375

I have both, and like them for different reasons. I have a Winchester 101 12ga with 30" barrels that balances, and shoots like an extension of my arm. I prefer it for pheasant hunting, and shooting clays. I have beautiful little Spanish made ,410 bore sxs that I love for small game hunting, it's always a big decision when I go rabbit hunting wether to take it, or the .22, I love to shoot running targets, so the .410 goes a lot. I have an old 20ga sxs that I picked up at a farm auction a few years ago, and I really have no idea who made it, can't recall if there is even a name on it. It was pretty dirty when I got it, and I took it completely apart and cleaned it up, it shoots and handles very well, I have downed a few pheasants with it. I originally intended to give it to my grand daughter, as it is very slim and dainty, but it's very light, and kicks like a mule for a 20ga. I have a few others, as well but you get the idea. The only thing I can say is, get what pleases you, and get used to shooting it. I love doubles, and single shots, they are the most basic of firearms, and a lot of fun, and I get pretty nostalgic about them, but that's just me.

Pawildman

I own and shoot both. Back in my trapshooting days, it was nothing but single barrels and/or O/U's. As has been mentioned, the single barrel under the sighting plane is much more preferred. I can't ever remember a double barrel shooter(SXS) at trap with the exception of a few casual hunters who wanted to see how they could do. Got to be a reason for this,right?
Hunting gun is a different story for me. I always have loved the way a good double handles The classic lines and grace are unbeatable in my mind. My favorite go-to uoland gun is a little 28 ga. SXS I picked up a few years ago. I kind of feel it is maybe easier to pick up the muzzle of the gun with your eyes when mounting at game with the SXS due to it's broader profile. Anyhow, that's my $.02 also......

ipscshooter

Seems to me that the decision comes down to two things (1) performance, and (2) aesthetics.

From a performance standpoint, I would take a close look at what competitive shooters use. In trap, skeet and sporting clays, the top shooters will typically use an O/U (or occasionally a Semi-Auto), but, O/U's dominate the competition. There has to be a reason for that.

Aesthetics? It's hard to beat the graceful lines of a nice SXS. There is a wide variation in aesthetics among O/U's. I use a Browning Citori and have really enjoyed using it in sporting clays competitions, but, fIind that it looks rather obese next to many of the Berettas and some of the other nice Italian O/U's...

nchawkeye

My dad gave me a Spanish 12 gauge double sxs back with I was 12...I killed squirrels, rabbits, ducks, doves, geese and deer with that gun...I don't understand how looking down 2 barrels is so hard for some...I keep both eyes open when shooting and I don't even see the barrels...Mine also has the double triggers, which I prefer...Unfortunately, I don't really know who still makes a good sxs...

Guess I prefer a sxs...

cjwink

I grew up clay shooting and we always used O/U... I have had a couple of SxS and they are just tough for me to get used to.. One thing to note is that a lot of sxs come with dual triggers. This completely throws me off also.. So keep that in mind also. To me the O/U is superiour, but it is because what I grew up with..

jtb1967

I do feel the O/U has a slight performance edge, but it really comes down to what you're comfortable with. I grew up with O/U's. To me a SxS feel "fat" in my hands. I know several bird hunting buddies that wouldn't carry anything but a SxS though.