I have been using sxs guns for turkey hunting for some time now, and I've spent a lot of time testing them much like one would test a rifle. When I shoot a turkey, I want him standing with his head up so that I can center the pattern on his neck and head. My guns have about a 16" wide kill pattern at 40 yards, and it's about 16" from the top of a gobbler's head to the base of his neck, so I would aim halfway up his neck and hit the center of his vital area with the center of the pattern.
Obviously, this is a different use of a sxs than what 99% of other users are doing, but it is absolutely essential that both barrels shoot to the same point of impact. I've found it extremely difficult to get a sxs gun to do this and would not recommend anyone to try it.
I've tested 8 guns and am yet to find one that would shoot both barrels to the same POI without modifications. I have used mostly cheap guns, but I don't think the cost of the gun has a whole lot to do with it. Two of the worst ones were Berettas, and the best one was a CZ that cost $550. Much of the problem is that I'm shooting heavy loads and the guns were designed for field loads. With a heavier load, the tendency is for the right barrel to shoot to the right and the left barrel to the left. The problem is also made worse by the fact that I am using short, light guns so that they will be easy to carry.
I found only one exception to that tendency, and it is a cheap Spanish gun made in the early 70s. With it, the left barrel shoots way to the right, and the right barrel shoots way to the left. It does this with any load, and the only thing I can figure out is that it was improperly made with too much convergence. It was so bad that if you shot at a can at 40 yards, neither barrel would put a single pellet in it. It was in excellent condition; I'll bet every previous owner experienced a whole lot of frustration with the gun.
My belief is that it is impossible to make a sxs that will shoot every load to the same POI. The gun is designed with a certain amount of convergence to center the patterns of both barrels with a certain load, and when you use heavier or lighter loads you are going to have issues. I think the problem is not as bad with a heavier gun, but I don't want to walk 5 miles with an 8 pound gun when there are much lighter alternatives.
I have managed to make 2 of my guns usable for turkey hunting and have posted pics on here before. My primary gun is a $486 Yildiz with an eccentric choke in one barrel. It weighs 5 lb 6 oz and is ideal for what I want. I also made the Spanish gun usable by taking a chainsaw file to the chokes. It isn't hard at all to move a pattern in any direction you want if you file the very end. I'd much rather do this on a gun with screw in chokes, but the Spanish gun was worthless without modifications.
Stan, the biggest barrier to me buying a new sxs is that one like I want doesn't exist. With my Beretta down, and me about to go on a long anticipated hunt, I would go buy one tomorrow if it met my specifications and was a reasonable price. I'm not spending more than $5k on a field gun, and there isn't one like I want sold anywhere.
