Hem
Well-known member
What about the guy that has one of every kind? ....
Side-by-Side Shotguns
- Thread starter Southern Elk
- Start date
Hem
Well-known member
...and uses each?
I would guess a lost soul.
I would guess a lost soul.
Hem
Well-known member
I started at the top of the ladder through inheritance, fell to the bottom, and made it half way up again. Chutes and Ladders.
noharleyyet
Well-known member
Tradewind bringin' the lampoon...I'm with Hem, guess I better upgrade the field attire.
Irrelevant
Well-known member
Or....
A regular gun got sick of packing a 28" beat up pump around for chukar, one so heavy and long he never had a chance to catch up to a red legged devil, so he upgraded to lightest gun he could afford, an old benelli auto, and he's been sprayin' and praying since before he new the term or owned an auto. For him it's more of a lifestyle
A regular gun got sick of packing a 28" beat up pump around for chukar, one so heavy and long he never had a chance to catch up to a red legged devil, so he upgraded to lightest gun he could afford, an old benelli auto, and he's been sprayin' and praying since before he new the term or owned an auto. For him it's more of a lifestyle
Have a friend with a CZ sharptail in 12. I've handled the 20, and it feels pretty good, though maybe a little heavy compared to some. It has a single trigger, which can be a dealbreaker for some. If I ever head down the sxs 20 gauge path, I'm sure that's what I'd pick up.
BWAAAAAA...that's pretty damn funny. I think there's a bit of truth in here.
My waterfowl gun is an 870 express. It kills things with great aplomb. I got it at a pawn shop for $200. I may have overpaid for it.
@Southern Elk: The new budget priced SxS's are serviceable guns, but they're more likely to breakdown and bust springs, fade on case colors (which are chemically done, not properly so) and don't have the fit or finish of used guns. Used guns from a variety of places and eras can be had for under $1K, but the decent ones that will last for your lifetime, and probably another, start around $1k. I'd rather spend the money on a used shotgun of proven manufacture than a new gun imported from Turkey. I think the used guns are a much better value based on level of craftsmanship & finish.
I would suggest German or Austrian doubles. They are all hand crafted, finely tuned & wonderful guns to hunt with. A J.P. Sauer & Sohn side by side is a good place to start your exploration. They're available from field to royal grade, and can come with extractors or ejectors. Most will be cast off (for right handed shooters) and choked fairly tight. Don't let any of that stop you. For a serviceable field gun, opening chokes is perfectly acceptable. You're not going to open chokes on a highly collectible gun, just one that is going to be used, so no loss of value, and you actually would increase resale possibilities by having a gun that people will want to shoot.
Other brands/makers to look out for:
Ferlach
Simson
Merkel
Griefelt
Krieghoff
Kettner
Honorable mention:
Browning SxS (Japanese gun, a little heavy but a wonderful partner in the woods)
SKB (Japanese)
Aya (Spanish)
Darne (French)
American guns to look out for:
Fox
Parker
Winchester
LC Smith
(There are a lot of variations and different manufacturers of the American pieces, so do some extra research to ensure the best bang for the buck).
Salmonchaser
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2019
- Messages
- 2,433
Really a great chukar pic
Excellent information. I mentioned in my initial post that by going to a variety of gun shops that he would find one that spoke to him, but I forgot about pawns shops and estate sales, where we did find some good deals. Can you still buy firearms from pawn shops and estate sales, with the new laws ?
Ben, His initial post mentioned a price point so I didn't go as far a you did but you have given him some good names to look for. I just recently recommended a Krieghoff K -20 Victoria to a lady. Also Beretta in Italy---- Spain has Aranzabal, and Arrieta which unfortunately cost as much as Purdy and H & H in England, but beautiful and well made shotguns nonetheless . In the states Connecticut makes some nice ones, their own plus Fox and others, but they also are a bit above the price point you mentioned
Good list Ben. Best of luck in your search Southern Elk
If we really want to spend @Southern Elk's money, then we can move over to the British doubles.
My dream shotgun is a John Dickson & Sons Round Action.
R
rwc101
Guest
I've been in search of the elusive used SXS in an actual gun store where I can handle it. Still haven't found one.
You'll need to make the time to go south or east to find a shop that can fit you as well. The most expensive double is a club unless it fits. The cheapest double is a wand if it's properly proportioned.
R
rwc101
Guest
A gun that fits shorties like me without extensive gunsmithing is even rarer than the most elusive English double.
AMEN !
Ben, in reference to your post #53-- yeah, a custom made side by side from Holland and Holland should work for him (-:
BrentD
Well-known member
Yes, hunting for SxS shotguns can be a bit like hunting elk in Iowa. You can't kill one where they ain't.
Shopping the new Virtual Way is scary but it's what you have to do to get started. I bought my first before the internet, but I bought it sight unseen based on reputation that I heard from others. It worked and my Merkel is still with me though no longer my most often used gun. You learn a little bit here and there, then find some candidates, ask a few folks for their opinions and finally, dive in. If you find you don't like it, a used gun rarely loses much, if any money and may actually acquire value. Ben's suggerstion to go after the German/Austrian guns is a good one. They are dependably solid guns. I pointed out just a couple decent candidates that I think you could dicker for. Sell it when you learn more about what you like and move on and up as you go. You can always cut, extend, bend, etc, guns to fit - though some more easily than others.
Hang out at the Laramie shooting range. The trap, skeet and sporting clays guys are helpful. Go to a Sporting Clays match and walk around asking questions. You might even come home with a gun. But the gun store? Waste of time. If one shows up, it will probably be of the club variety, not the wand types.
I guess, like anything else, you gotta dive into the deep end to find out how to swim. Lots of resources around to help...
R
rwc101
Guest
If I found one easy I wouldn't have anything to obsess over long, dark winter nights.
1976
Active member
I made the jump to side by sides a few years ago, and I went the semi cheap way by going with CZ. My first one was a 20 gauge sharptail, I love that gun even though the trigger pull was a bit on the extreme heavy side, CZ told me through use it will get better or their is a shop in Missouri that specializes in CZ custom work, I went the shoot a lot method and it worked. Now I have a 28 gauge sharptail, its a joy to carry and is on its second yr and they must have fixed the factory trigger problem cause it was great out of the box, also have 16 gauge sharptail, good gun but a bit heavy. this past fall I picked up a 20 gauge bobwhite, now that gun handles excellent but I will admit it took a while to get used to the double triggers. When it comes to shotguns I am a stickler on gun fit, and the CZs have been dead on compared to other brands of SXS, my opinion is can't go wrong with them and price point is pretty good with fit and finish being excellent for an turkish and Cech import.
