doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Why don't we like O/U shotgusn?

For me it depends on the gun; I do have a Merkel 301E built in 1964 which is a really nice gun, only when shooting it it feels like the gun is working against me, at the opposite, my FN Special Chasse B25 is very pointalbe and fast reacting, as is my side by side Verrees& Oste in cal 20.

The last itme this moronic topic arose I felt compelled to comment at length. Except for coule quickies I'll refrain from that this time. I'd suggest that the "carry-ability" of a gun is so important that Rocketman should explore a machine to quantify that along with the equally important "MOI". And that whole concept or WTF you you categorize it of differing "point-ability" is so lame as to beggar imagining. Suggesting that the mere arrangement of a double gun's barrels can detectably differentiate a gun's dynamics has to rank right up there near the top of Old Wives' Gun Tales. I mean, I've heard some incredible contradictions to the generally accepted laws of the physical universe as we currently know them from other sources but this one is right there with them.

This would all be wonderfully amusing if I didn't think that some of you are serious. hahahaha

have a day
Dr.WtS

"Moronic?" I am grateful that you're "amused" but surprised you wasted your time responding.

I like a sxs more for two reasons.
1. Every O/U I've ever handled felt heavy in my hands and carried heavier than a sxs of equal weight. Don't know why, but it just did.

2. The view down the barrels of a sxs pleases me and, more importantly, provides me a "table" upon which to place the target. If I let my thumb and ring/pinky fingers wrap around the barrels a bit, I even cup the target. (I'm going back and forth about which fore-end grip to use, but that's another story.) In other words, I like the picture I see sighting an sxs far more than the one I see sighting a O/U. Liking the sxs picture more, I feel I shoot better and, since I'm in a pleased and confident sense of mind I'm thereby more confident and therefore shoot better because I'm more confident.

And those are all the reasons anyone needs to justify any preference, I suppose.

As to the feel of history when picking up a sxs, I agree. it exists, and it's worth indulging. I have a slightly different feel with my Simson, b/c I have fired every round that went down that gun's barrels since it left the factory. With it, I hunted ducks with lead shot back when that was still legal. I've hunted all sorts of northeastern small game with it (never any quail in my neighborhood), with more or less success (mostly less). It's been a loyal friend and companion in hot, dusty cornfields, dew-covered grassy hummocks full of rabbits, and snowy grouse woods, brier tangles and fencerows, and the close alder, birch and pine mess of hunting snowshoe hare. Everyone who's seen it has admired it (even when they make a little fun of the basketweave Euro sling) and I get a little reflected glory for having made a good choice.

In terms of double gun ownership folks with vertical guns far outnumber those with horizontal ones. I found SxS with single nonselective mechanical trigger and same choke in both barrels. I like it as much as any O/U in its price range. I suspect balance on the hinge pin long barrels and ease of use is why I shoot it almost exclusively now. Very easy to use even with thicker gloves.

Tough call, but if I really had to choose one for everything it would be an O/U.

Except when its one of these:

Pride and joy

Nice stick. Regia from Turkey?

the above is a long awaited 28 bore from Purdey with a piece of Steve Sidki's Turkish on it

Well this was an aristrocrat I had the honor of putting through its paces this weekend. Stole my heart. Still tight as a drum 90 years later

The barrel placement may be all wrong, but at least it has two triggers...
Steve
Oops, almost forgot, nice wood!