2nd try Lightweight 20ga SxS?

H

huntingfish

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A little while ago, I posted a thread asking for information on SxS and got a ton of questions coming my way. I was not prepared and didn't know what to answer.

I had finally settled for a Stevens O/U in 12ga even though I really wanted to try a 20ga. Well, I sold it after trying a 20ga for the first time. So the search for a SxS is going to resume!

Here's what I think I'd like:
Something lightweight (no more than 6lbs, 5.5lbs would be even better)
English stock
Single trigger
Ideally, ejectors but not a deal breaker
No exposed hammers
Not a fan of big fore-end
Chokes: With or without. Either way is ok. I have a tendency to over-complicate things, so I think I would prefer without chokes.
Rounded receiver: I've seen a tiny 20ga (video on YT) with them. Those are a beauty! They probably help keep the weight down...I'm guessing they are crazy expensive thought, are they? Only other one I've actually handled was a Beretta 486 Parallelo (or was it parabelo?). WOW, that thing was nice, but 9k is about 9 times over budget lol.

Ideally, in the 1000$ mark would be perfect. Might be able to raise that up to 1500$, but would rather not. I understand this will severely limit my choice...I don't mind getting a used one.

I've checked the Akkar Churchill 520 (reviewed on CGN by a member). Seems to have great reviews. I would of loved to handle it first though.

There's the Huglu 20ga english stocked 200A at a hair over 1k. But it weighs 7lbs.
The Churchill 520, 20ga english stocked at about 1k (on special now at 940 I believe), weighs at 5.6lbs. Chokes too. Sounds great.
Any other make/model I should keep in mind?

Cheers!

David
 
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With the parameters you have set out, I would be looking for an Ithaca/SKB model 100 or 200. Like their O/U brethren the model 600, they are very well made and relatively undervalued. And in your price range.
 
You're working the forums hard these days. If memory serves, you didnt like the 12 because of recoil. Buying a very lightweight 20 offers the same potential....
 
An Ithaca/SKB 100/200 would be ideal. I've had a couple of 12 gauges and one in 20, it was around $1100 back then as I recall but the last ones I've seen advertised are more like $1500 to $1800 which is still pretty good value for the money but maybe more than you want to spend still, I'd keep an eye out for one.
 
You're asking for a lot at that price.
I agree with a SKB 100.
But a FAIR Iside EM would be exactly what you are looking for, you'd need to shop between $2000 and $2500, and there are very few turning up on the used market.
 
The only other thing about Ithaca 100's and 200's is that the majority of them that I've seen have pistol grip stocks and have beavertail fore ends. Not that English stocked/splinter fore ends don't exist, they're just hard to find since the guns were made for the American market. The other thing you want to look at carefully with them is the stock scallops where the wood meets the receiver, they do tend to crack in that area if they weren't fitted properly from the factory. None of mine were cracked and I reinforced that area with bedding compound to help ensure they wouldn't crack.
 
As soon as I saw the header of this post, my thought was "Ithaca/SKB 100". I see there's a few knowledgeable members here who I gladly agree with.
Love mine.
 
cosmic said:
You're working the forums hard these days. If memory serves, you didnt like the 12 because of recoil. Buying a very lightweight 20 offers the same potential....
Click to expand...

With COVID, there isn't much else to do! But yes, I'm getting my stuff lined up for upcoming hunting seasons and getting questions answered ;-)

There's a few reasons for the 12ga, but one of the major one was that I just fell in love with the 20ga (with the Charles Daly auto-auto I just bought).

David
 
Hmmm... The suggestion to get a SKB is valid. Unfortunately, they seem to have gone up in price recently. Not too many years ago they could be had for under 4 figures. Now they seem to be well into four figures. There is a dealer in P'boro that is listing a 200E for just shy of 2K$:sok2
I guess too many people are recommending them.
 
Mount Sweetness said:
You're asking for a lot at that price.
I agree with a SKB 100.
But a FAIR Iside EM would be exactly what you are looking for, you'd need to shop between $2000 and $2500, and there are very few turning up on the used market.
Click to expand...

Well, this is a niiice discovery for me. Never heard of FAIR. Their Iside EM is exactly what I had in mind. The price is way too steep for me unfortunately, but wow! Great looking side-by-sides for sure.

I'll keep an eye out for an SKB. But I would of really liked an english stock. My other choice would be the Churchill. I would love to be able to handle one.

I guess the gun shop (TGS outdoors) didn't look at today's prices when he said SxS are coming down in price and can be had for cheap lol.

Cheers everyone! Thanks for all the great comments.

David
 
cosmic said:
Hmmm... The suggestion to get a SKB is valid. Unfortunately, they seem to have gone up in price recently. Not too many years ago they could be had for under 4 figures. Now they seem to be well into four figures. There is a dealer in P'boro that is listing a 200E for just shy of 2K$:sok2
I guess too many people are recommending them.
Click to expand...

It's hard to find equal quality at reasonable prices these days. Any good double gun be it SxS or O/U with fixed chokes (better lighter field gun with lead) gets more and more attention as time marches on.
FAIR, Huglu, Beretta etc will almost always be a heavier field gun with replaceable chokes.
A non toxic feature that appears fairly permanent unfortunately for some of us.
And don't underestimate a scrooge seeking his partridge and bunny gun. A good used SKB of any sort. The cheapest Winchester or Federal #7.5 lead shells. Then off you go license in hand.
 
Make sure it fits well. A lightweight 20ga double with heavy hunting loads will seem to recoil faster and harder than a heavier 12ga gun
My 20ga sxs kicks rather stoutly. Its a huglu 200b dual trigger straight english stock with chokes
20201025_140544.jpg
 

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brybenn said:
Make sure it fits well. A lightweight 20ga double with heavy hunting loads will seem to recoil faster and harder than a heavier 12ga gun
My 20ga sxs kicks rather stoutly. Its a huglu 200b dual trigger straight english stock with chokes
Click to expand...

That's a beauty right there. And if I'm not mistaken, it's about 7lbs, right? I'd be down for more pics if you have some! Did you get it at prophet river?

David
 
Did someone mention Charles Daly?

I finally joined the 20 gauge crowd having purchased this little lightweight Charles Daly model 275 dating from about 1906. Almost exactly what is on the OP's wish list. Needs a little work but here are a couple of teasers. They don't make Charles Daly's like this any more.


 
ninepointer said:
A friend of mine reports that the Akkar has a slightly robust kick for a 20 ga.
Click to expand...

Do you mean because of stock geometry or the loads being sent down the tubes. Because in most cases, it's the loads, not the gun. And unless you are shooting waterfowl, not much need for anything more than a 1 oz load going 1200 fps.

We've been though this many times before on here. Recoil is PRIMARILY a function of the relationship between the weight of the gun, the weight of the ejecta in total and the speed the ejecta is accelerated to. Gauge, except as it relates to average likely weight of the gun, matters not a bit. The main exception to this rule is the autoloader which attenuates recoil by the process of reloading.

Recoil too much? Shoot the same load out of a heavier gun or shoot a smaller, slower load out of the same gun.
 
While we're on the subject, my 12 g 200E feels quite dainty compared to my field grade O/U's. The only other sxs that I have is a Baikal - although the Baikal has a splinter fore end, the beavertail equipped SKB has a lighter feel. In addition, the SKB has a very modest drop at the comb, the least of any of my shotguns.
FWIW - A Browning BSS would also be a good option, particularly if a high volume of shots is considered (eg sporting activities)
 
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