Help me pick a double?

Y

yidava25

Regular
Super GunNutz
Rating - 100%
93   0   0
Location
La Crete, AB.
I've owned several SxS hammerguns for brief periods and realized that, for a clay & grouse gun that I actually wanted to use, I'd prefer something a little more modern. If those of you who have spent time with doubles could give some advice on what actually matters to you I'd be interested to hear it. I've been scrolling through the listings on that site with all the used European guns and can't find anything that matches my wish list: a side by side with an English style (straight) grip, ejectors, and single trigger. Google says such guns exist but they seem to be hard to find on the used market. If I find one, will I wish I went O/U? Am I passing up nice guns for the wrong reasons?
What would you buy, what would you avoid? I'm not dead-set on any of those features, but in my mind that would be the combination that would look the best and be enjoyable to use.
 
Go to Intersurplus. They have reams of SxS shotguns. Watch the weight, some are heavy. Also, a few have 2.5" chambers so watch that as well.

Don't be afraid of double triggers. Once you get used to them you will prefer them. They are the quickest to chose the choke you need.

Happy scrolling. See you in a month with a report. :)
 
yidava25 said:
I've owned several SxS hammerguns for brief periods and realized that, for a clay & grouse gun that I actually wanted to use, I'd prefer something a little more modern. If those of you who have spent time with doubles could give some advice on what actually matters to you I'd be interested to hear it. I've been scrolling through the listings on that site with all the used European guns and can't find anything that matches my wish list: a side by side with an English style (straight) grip, ejectors, and single trigger. Google says such guns exist but they seem to be hard to find on the used market. If I find one, will I wish I went O/U? Am I passing up nice guns for the wrong reasons?
What would you buy, what would you avoid? I'm not dead-set on any of those features, but in my mind that would be the combination that would look the best and be enjoyable to use.
Click to expand...
It is all personal preference, not much of a right or wrong answer. My tastes are hammers, extractors, two triggers, splinter forend. I only has two shotguns with ejectors, a BT-99 trap gun and 12ga, sidelock, straight grip, d two trigger Midland that is for sale. Nice gun but has ejectors so down the road it goes. A friend is a sxs guy but he likes American guns (I like English) so he HAS to have single trigger, pistol grip ejectors and beaver tail forend, everything I don’t like in a sxs but he likes them snd that is all the matters. Whatever floats your boat, they are out there once you are reasonably sure of what you want. Happy shopping.
 
I was given a salvaged Browning BSS 20ga. It had been run over by a pickup truck. :oops: Barrels had a gentle curve, buttstock and forend wood were gone. Jason at Gunco corrected the barrels - I cannot tell that the work was done. Ads on CGN found brand new forend wood, and a clean used straight grip buttstock and trigger guard. Single selective trigger and ejectors, mechanically perfect. Bright shiny bores. Really nice little gun now. The barreled action was free; barrel work was most reasonable, the wood took the better part of a year to find and wasn't cheap. Still, the total investment is substantially less than what one of these brings in the auctions.
 
Last edited:
I had a (custom ordered) Huglu 200 AE set up how you describe. Not sure if they make it anymore.
For most shooting tasks I prefer an over under with a pistol grip. After a while the straight grip/ single trigger made less sense… in the double trigger you can make a quick choke decision.
For what it’s worth the next side by side I get will be a light weight double trigger English stock splinter forend with extractors and swamped rib for the specialized task of walked up gamebirds.
Good luck with the search! It is fun to try out new things
 
Interesting. In my mind I was just seeing these things as being advancements, ie ejectors and a single trigger being advancements in development. But apparently that's not universally so. I can understand the double trigger thing. Those of you that prefer extractors, why is that so? To save the bother of picking up hulls?
As you can probably tell I've never yet really immersed myself in the shotgunning world, beyond waterfowl type stuff. Living in northern Peace Country Alberta we have some of the best geese and duck action on the planet but I love the classic look of a double and the way they carry.
 
My Iside 20 gauge is as you describe. I was going to sell it as I shoot O/Us better but decided to go for a last walk with it last week and bagged a limited of Ruffies. Grouse on the fly guns, for me anyway, are harder to find than just a gun that fits well and breaks clays. Be it half way over a log or bent like a pretzel around some aspens, the flush always seems to be when you are in the most awkward part of a step. Light, fast and with no thoughts of follow through is pretty much the rule and pretty much the opposite of a clay gun. This gun just kills grouse like it has a vendetta and every time I think I should let it go it convinces me not.

Anyway, back in the safe it went and the Iside would still be the first place I would look if I were you. Seems there is several places carrying them now as well. I have been shooting several different models of FAIR guns for many years and the mechanical parts are reliable.
 
I have ejector and extractor guns, and I prefer ejectors, but it is one more thing that can go wrong.
Pay attention to the fit above all else.
Single trigger SxS's are not common, and like ejectors, is another complication to go wrong.
I prefer a SxS over an O/U; it just seems more lively.
 
I have various configurations of sxs but my favorite is a slim rounded action straight English stock splinter forend dual triggers and extractors. I like my doubles light and 26" barrels. I prefer extractors due to less strain of cocking the ejectors. Most of my sxs guns are vintage so its less stress than fighting the springs and adding force on the wood and action. Just a smoother operation. When hunting with a nice sxs its different. Its not about maximum firepower and reloading speed. It becomes more about the fine handling and craftsmanship of the arm. For me any way.
I think by skipping dual triggers youre missing out on alot of vary we'll built vintage guns
You didnt mention a budget so ill recommend project upland by rfm. They have a build simulation on their site thst allows you to build your own gun and for what you get its reasonably priced.
Other examples are beretta 486
Fausti dea
FAIR iside
Fabarm autumn
Ithaca had a single trigger as well. I want to say it was the 200 but I could be mistaken on the .model number
If looking for used try to find an aya yeoman or matador single trigger. Aya always used good steel
 
I don’t like ejectors because, A-dont need them, B- as mentioned increased the effort to open the gun, and C- not interested in picking up my hulls. IMO, unless you are shooting FAST, they provide zero advantage over extractors but at least three reasons not to run them…….first me. My buddy that insists on ejectors (will NOT buy a shotgun without) but deactivates the ones that can be. His reasoning for insisting on them is he feels they are adding big quality 😂. I suggested he buy my Fox model B cheap and it is obviously top tier since it had single trigger 🤮, selective ejectors 🤮 and beaver tail forend 🤮. Gotta be best grade with those features. 🤣😂
 
I just sold a cool Husqvarna 615 AS with the English stock, double beads, extractor, dual trigger. 1952 vintage. Very sweet gun. They're out there! Keep an eye on Great North Guns....they have euro stuff too. And the auctions. Kidd bros has a big one next month.
 
cosmic said:
Ithaca SKB 100E or 200E. Very well made, and reasonably priced on the used market.
Click to expand...
They are not a cheap as they used to be before the internet made more folks aware of them.

The 100 is preferred as it comes with a splinter forend. The 200s are complete with a robust beaver tail. I'm not aware that the 100s came with ejectors. Mine is an extractor. Very good field guns as well made as a BSS but handle better. I wish mine had another trigger. :)

aJimoja (1).jpg
 
Arcosdad said:
I just sold a cool Husqvarna 615 AS with the English stock, double beads, extractor, dual trigger. 1952 vintage. Very sweet gun. They're out there! Keep an eye on Great North Guns....they have euro stuff too. And the auctions. Kidd bros has a big one next month.
Click to expand...
When dealing with GNG, make sure to ask a lot of questions about the condition of used guns.

I learned this the hard way.
 
I have a 30" 12 ga BSS (it's a heavy pig that swings like an oar but serves well enough on a clays field or in a boat) and a 28" 20 ga. The 20 ga is relatively svelte as BSS's go and handles very well as an upland gun while being robust enough for clays without much felt recoil. Fixed full chokes in the 12 were opened to mod and IC. The 20 ga. has its original mod barrel on the right but the left was threaded to take a thin wall choke tube. My recommendation, unless you want to go down the new gun route, would be to find either a BSS 20 or an SKB 20 and if it fits buy it and open the chokes. Of course that's not the only right answer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom