Rise & Fall of American SxS's

[Mills]

That is true, but you don't see many pumps either

[C.O.B.]

It's evolution. Back in the day the big name shooters who represented not only manufacturers but ammo companies as well all shot SXS's. Remember that's how Arthur DuBray made his living, selling Parker's to competitive shooters as well as the general public.
In 1948 my Grandfather won the Class C championship at the Detroit Gun Club by breaking 200 straight from 16 yards. I have the trophy. According to my Mom his favorite trap gun was a Parker.

[Brett Hoop]

I will be the first to admit I don't shoot my small frame Parkers as well as I do a Browning Superposed. In part because I used to be addicted to trap and shot a Broadway for years.
I am planning to shoot a few clays this year with my Parkers and see if I can't improve.

I choose to hunt birds exclusively with Parkers, it just adds to the fun, my game bag doesn't always need to be heavy. Today it's much more about watching the dog work and see him get hot. If I knock one down for him once in awhile he's happy. If I miss them all he still gets in the truck and goes home with me.

[Big D]

One less thing to screw up. Can you say "Short Stroke"?

[Southpaw]

We may have to get the resident metallurgist Edgar to weigh in, but I think some of the pros have figured out for consistent shooting that sxs have some barrel flex. O/U's I think have it some but its supposedly more manageable.

I have heard about barrel flex before but, I don't know. Here is an article on it, maybe something to it.

https://shotgunreport.com/2016/04/06/barrel-flip/

[Dean Romig]

I don't buy that...





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[Southpaw]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

I don't buy that...





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Mind justifies the heart and I love my sxs's as much as next guy that also enjoy's theirs. But for sake of discussion and if someone is neutral and faced with the knowledge of pros and cons for of choosing between an O/U, SXS, or Semi Automatic then its a knock. Might not matter to the weekend warrior busting brush but if the game is at the highest level of competitive shooting then it might be a factor. Hence someone suggessted or asked why don't you see the pros using SXS in competition well...this might be one of the reasons. It might not be "the" reason but I am also not a competitive shooter.

Heck for some reason I have a Ruger O/U in arsenal that was designed for sporting clays. It definitely works in that environment pretty well and I shoot in the 80's with it pretty consistently but I don't shoot that much. Take my sxs's to same course and I lose 8 to 10 breaks. Is it me or the gun, it could be mostly me and some gun, (more likely), or it could be mostly gun and a little bit of me. My vote is against me but results are the same. BTW I did take that Ruger on a quail hunt once and crushed it, but at the end of the day I was fatigued some. That gun also weighs about 2.5 pounds more than my sxs's so lugging it around in the brush was not as fun.

Could it be that some gun flexing is putting target in edge of pattern more than with other, maybe. But if difference in winning or loosing comes down to one clay in a competition which gun do you choose. Hence, there are many lighter O/U's I can lean to and have a lighter O/U that I can carry into the woods and I shoot it very well for me. But I like the look, feel and the way a sxs carries in the field. I have the luxury of choice. But there are many young shooters that don't have that choice and if they can pick a more utilitarian gun that is a double gun, then they lean to the O/U and don't look back.

[todd allen]

A quick lesson on hitting a flying target with a SxS.
Rule # 1: See the bird, shoot the bird. If you're seeing the bbls, go back to rule #1

[J.B. Books]

I would not dismiss the value of having a third shot, as a long time waterfowler I can tell you a third shell in the gun can be very handy in the event of a swimming cripple. It can be the difference between retrieving or losing a bird. A third shot can also be used effectively on decoying geese (when the limit allows more than 2 birds) because they can't get away from the decoys that fast. With that said, I prefer old doubles for the same reason most of you do. I was up to Cabela's in Scarborough last week, I don't think they had ten used double guns in their Gun Library.

[Dean Romig]

Pete, what do you deduce from the fact they have fewer than ten doubles? Cabelas not taking them in? They are selling faster than they can replace inventory? People are not trading them in so much anymore?......





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