Why Buy a SxS

I often find It ironic, that on a site primarily focused on traveling across continents to pursue trophy game, how utilitarian or pragmatic people are about their choices and rationale, and sometimes critical of those that are not. The whole endeavor here is both adventure and frivolous indulgence.

Why a sxs? They are super dam cool!

Thank you 318AE,

The older I get I seem to need to kill less but still enjoy the whole process.
Archery hunting for instance; I don’t need to kill another Buck for the wall. But still like an excuse to go sit outside waiting for the sun. So I got into making my own all wood bows. Or sinew backed bows. Now a cagey old doe is a trophy because I need the animal even closer. I enjoy a stroll with those bows. Holding them. Shooting rotten stumps, logs, leafs.

I seem to need to learn new tactics or skills. I have in the last year switched to vintage SxS’s
I’ve always had the typical Savage or other less expensive SxS shotguns. When growing up I had a cheap single shot 20 GA. hammer gun. It was a big deal for me to see a Fox, Ithaca etc. And never saw a Parker or LeFever as a kid.

So maybe the SxS is not as good at killing for some people as a tactical shotgun. (I think it can be)

But for some guys hunting and fishing has become a function follows form endeavor. Making it harder on the human by limiting ourselves to an antique or “outdated” tool.

I don’t need more trophies and won’t starve if we don’t kill a full bag. But I still enjoy the hunting process. If I didn’t adapt and learn new things as I am now with vintage SxS’s. I wouldn’t be as excited to get in as much bird hunting as possible this fall.

CZs in any flavor are great, especially the newer ones with coil springs. I bought a bobwhite as a beater SxS some years back and it’s been great. Hard black chrome finish is still pristine, even after many trips of getting tossed in the ranch pickup and bounced around. The thing points like a dream and kills like no other!

Altitude sickness said:

Laying out the Scott SxS for tomorrow’s goose hunt. Here’s another reason.
The quality level of engraving.

You didn’t specify vintage but. You would spend a tidy some for this engraving on a modern gun. View attachment 716353

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See... Damn sexy.

I own a number of both and shoot them, I think, equally well. For estate type quail hunting, I use either a Grulla .410 Sidelock SxS or a William Atkins 20 bore. For wild quail or huns it is usually the Atkins or a Luchini hammer 20 bore. It works well on quail because it is a modern built hammer gun with a normal safety. In other words, it works just like any other OU or SxS when cocked and on safe. For doves, I typically use a 20 bore OU "Inverness" by CSMC or a tightly choked 28 SxS by Darne. For pheasants, I have a number of SxS twelves that are most often packed for the trip. Competitive pigeon shooting is with guns built for that purpose in both SxS and OU configuration. My primary waterfowl gun is a CSMC 12 with 3" chambers - though I only use 1 1/4 ounce loads for ducks or geese - and never ever use steel. I might also add that I never use 1 1/4 loads on pheasants. A properly choked light game gun with 1 1/8 ounces of number 6 shot is perfection.

From a purely aesthetic point of view - nothing beats a SxS.

PanhandlinPat said:

CZs in any flavor are great, especially the newer ones with coil springs. I bought a bobwhite as a beater SxS some years back and it’s been great. Hard black chrome finish is still pristine, even after many trips of getting tossed in the ranch pickup and bounced around. The thing points like a dream and kills like no other!

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I have the first version of the CZ Bobwhite that has a case color receiver. It's close to 20 years old now and has had thousands of rounds of 20ga shells through her and she is still as tight as the day I got her. For the money, I don't think there is a better side by side on the market.

i have been shooting a browning BSS in 20 ga for over 30 years and have just picked up a merkel 47E in 20 ga. i love my pump and semi auto shotguns, but the double barrels make me want to wear funny looking cloths when hunting.

I started out with both rifles and shotguns that were single barrel. the next step was O-U shotguns which gave way to SxS shotguns followed by a SxS rifle. The main difference that I note is that the SxSs are shallower with more on the same(similar) plane. The O-Us are deeper from having two barrels in a vertical plane. For me, going from low gun to firing is quicker with the shallower profile gun, although if I were actually times, there wouldn't be a great deal of difference.

They look classy !

It’s easy for me. I’m an average shotgun hand. So as such I may as well look good while not shooting well.
So the SxS is the clear choice.

Red Leg said:

I own a number of both and shoot them, I think, equally well. For estate type quail hunting, I use either a Grulla .410 Sidelock SxS or a William Atkins 20 bore. For wild quail or huns it is usually the Atkins or a Luchini hammer 20 bore. It works well on quail because it is a modern built hammer gun with a normal safety. In other words, it works just like any other OU or SxS when cocked and on safe. For doves, I typically use a 20 bore OU "Inverness" by CSMC or a tightly choked 28 SxS by Darne. For pheasants, I have a number of SxS twelves that are most often packed for the trip. Competitive pigeon shooting is with guns built for that purpose in both SxS and OU configuration. My primary waterfowl gun is a CSMC 12 with 3" chambers - though I only use 1 1/4 ounce loads for ducks or geese - and never ever use steel. I might also add that I never use 1 1/4 loads on pheasants. A properly choked light game gun with 1 1/8 ounces of number 6 shot is perfection.

From a purely aesthetic point of view - nothing beats a SxS.

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how do you like your CSMC I have have always wondered how they compare to a british gun for example?

Ltach578 said:

About 10 years ago I bought my first OU shotgun, a Browning CXS 12 ga. Since then I have added a CXS 20 ga and a Citori Ultra XS 28 ga. Now I have the itch to buy another shotgun, am thinking about buying a SxS. It would be mainly for clays and maybe an occasional hunting trip. Thinking either another 12 ga, maybe a 16 ga, or maybe even a 410.

Why should I consider a SxS, are there any benefits of a SxS over an OU? Any recommendations for a budget friendly gun option?

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The only advantage a SxS offers over an O/U is on vertical rising targets whereby the width of the two barrels helps the shotgunner keep from canting the shotgun e.g. Live Pigeon Shooting or similar shooting. All other shotgun sports advantage is O/U.

mdwest said:

I dont know that I NEED a quality SxS... I have quality O/U and semi guns that are suitable for pretty much anything I'd ever want to hunt with a shotgun and every clays game I'd ever want to play...

but... I definitely WANT one... specifically I've been eyeballing a few light 20 options out there.. Im too much of a cheapskate to just go buy something that I know I dont really need... but.. if I happen to find a really good deal on something I like, a SxS shotgun will likely be my next firearm purchase..

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Just saw this old post… I rectified this want with a really nice AyA No.3 16ga last year that I picked up for a steal.

Now I’m searching for something similar in 28ga.

An O/U for some people may be the better gun for higher scores and more dead birds.

If that was all I was after I would use my Benelli auto loader

Altitude sickness said:

An O/U for some people may be the better gun for higher scores and more dead birds.

If that was all I was after I would use my Benelli auto loader

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Some places won't let you hunt with a pump or auto. It's O/U or SxS only.

I guess what I meant was.

When I hunt for myself I’m not into “limiting out” so the SxS makes it challenging and fun.

Now when invited by the younger guys in my goose hunting group. They want limits. So I try to do my part.

On my Son In Laws farm, he wants more pigeons shot. So I try to shoot more than one.

But the other day I shot one wood duck and called it a day. Mallards and others are struggling with the recent dry spells so I get my kicks without being greedy.

Same with pheasant. I don’t need a limit to be successful

Fortunately I don’t hunt anywhere that dictates the weapon of choice. But I choose an antique anyway.

BeeMaa said:

Some places won't let you hunt with a pump or auto. It's O/U or SxS only.

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I have seen some advertised as SxS or O/U only with no gauge larger than 20.

I don’t shoot shotgun much any more .
It a little 410 auto if I do.
But I started on sxs the first shotgun o shot was a fox stererlingworth
I went to pumps in my teens and never went back. Had so much time on rem 870 and win 1300.

If I were to be invited to such a place. I would then take my dainty Westley Richards SxS 20

I hunt with SxS’s because they look way cooler and it’s a lot more fun. If I absolutely have to eradicate something with a shotgun I have an 870 that’s been to hell and back in my youth and an SB2 that has killed geese by the truck bed full. The only exception is my single shot 10 gauge that I turkey hunt with.