Happy Thanksgiving! and a shotgun question, side by side or over under…which do you guys prefer and why?

Ghillbert

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Happy Thanksgiving guys and gals! Just wondering about the pros and cons of each and your opinions. Happy shooting!
 
Thanks stubblejumper! I didn’t realize you could use different chokes on each barrel, interesting! Both choices make sense thanks!
 
I have hunted mainly with SxS guns of all gauges ( both Smokeless and black, cartridge and muzzle loader) for about 55 years now, just because I prefer them.
I started hunting with an O/U 20 however.
I prefer two triggers and one choke open and the other tighter, but my favorite bird gun is a cyl/cyl black powder cartridge 12.
Cat
 
I’m kinda new to shotguns, I have just the one so far its a Mossberg 590a1 in Magpul furniture. I have tried trap once with the ranges shotgun, it was quite fun.
 
I prefer the sxs for faster handling and lesser opening angle. When hunting in snow or a blind swinging the barrels of an ou open to remove and load cartridges and #### it is much greater meaning it take more room and gets the muzzles closer to snow and mud. Sxs also cut the wind better than an ou if hunting in high winds
Although I have differing styles of sxs guns my preferred style is dual trigger and straight English stock
As stated above if I were using heavy loads for repetitive shots I move to a heavier ou or semi auto but I still hunt geese and turkey with sxs guns
Everyone's different. I hear ppl say they prefer the single barrel sight plane of an ou where as I never notice because I look at the target not the barrels.
I also prefer shorter barrels and a lighter gun and more sxs guns for that bill than ou guns
To truely figure out what you like you need to visit alot of stores or skeet ranges and shoulder as many as you can. The stock shape and rib style really change how a sxs feels and points
A straight stock lends itself to instinctual snap shooting where as a pistol grip must be driven into the target. A prince of whales round knob grip splits the difference. The forend type also affects handling. I prefer a slim splinter forend on a light fast swinging gun but don't mind a fat beavertail on a heavier gun meant for more structured shooting
Lastly the sxs to me has much nicer and more graceful lines. Looks are important
 
To answer the OP question.

Both.

I like a SxS for hunting.

And an O/U for target shooting.

Why? Stubble jumper ^^^ answered the Why portion in post #2.

Now, keep your eye's open for really good bargains at your local CGN gun store.

You will need both. Gee. once a guns salesman...
 
Thanks brybenn and bluelynx! So much to learn, every different facet of firearms ends up with multiple rabbit holes heheheh good thing im not claustrophobic
 
It's largely a matter of fashion and right now the fashion is all on the side of over-unders. As a rebel whose early exposure was to them, I prefer the company of side by sides, even though I'm seen in the company of each.
 
Right on Big Bad! I see it’s usually side by side in movies rarely see over unders in Hollywood hehe
I have yet to try over unders yet but i was the guinea pig with my buddy’s tactical sxs pump lol it jammed up and wouldn’t fire second round….was a warranty issue hehe not the first time I’ve tested his new guns, starting to wondey why now hahah
 
I like o/u
Dbl trigger is good to have
If I see a rabbit further away I squeeze the back trigger closer shots the first trigger gets the squeeze
Shotgun: Franchi Brescia (1967) vintage.
 
I have both and like them equally, in the right context. A left handed Benelli O/U is my most preferred trtap gun - but less expensive O/U work for both trap and hunting. My SxS range from a modern 410 to a '70s farm gun to a couple european hand builds from the '60s. The problem for my Sxs guns is that in trap most tend to heat up and get sticky to open. BUT, they present a wider aiming platform to point and lead from so they're great fun to shoot .
 
Anything light weight and balanced will do. I had a Boito .410 sxs coach gun , savage Milano .410 o/u and also liked my Remington 870 pump 12 ga special field with 21 in barrel and english stock. Now I just use my H&R 12 Pardner single shot
 
Depends what you want to do with it...

For upland/hunting, I like double-barrels (giving me the options of two chokes) with double-triggers (Easier for me, than fumbling a selector, even more so with gloves on).
- I prefer side by side, straight-English stock with a splinter forend... but wouldn't have any qualm using a O/U... and I lets not forget the good old trustworthy single.

For plinking and getting ready for the apocalypse, I'll take a pump.
 
Order of preference:
SxS
O/U
Semi-A
Order of proficiency braking clays :
Semi
O/U
SxS
Bothers me but I can’t escape the fact that I don’t shoot them as well . In my defence my semi has a magnetic true glow sight .
I have shot clean rounds of skeet with every shotgun I own , I can shoot any shotgun that fits me. I don't have any Hi viz or glow sights, as I find them a distraction .I concentrate on the target, not the beads.
 
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