# side by side or over and under?



## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

which shotgun do you folks use for pheasant shooting?


----------



## Aimless1 (Sep 25, 2011)

Both. Depends on my mood. Both are 16ga.


----------



## hobbsy1010 (Jun 4, 2011)

Hi Guy's,

Looked about getting into shooting last year, went on a taster session with clays really liked it, was quite good at it (apparently)
according to the instructors for somebody who had never shot before!! Had the use of a Blazer F3 under and over, very light and very responsive.

My next step, looked into getting license in order to purchase a gun.
Having looked into it a bit more recently, I've found out a few things that have made me hold back on taking the 'Plunge'.
Firstly the initial cost   I didn't expect it to be cheap but your looking at a couple of grand(£££!!) just to get second hand basics ??? ???
Secondly i spoke to a family friend who has shot for most of his life and he has lost interest due to the lack of places of where he can shoot! He usually just likes to 'Rough Shoot' on farm land with owners permission. But getting this permission from the land owners seems to be getting more difficult!!
So I've just started looking down the road of 'Vermin' control (rats,rabbits and pigeon) on agricultural land with wait for it......
high powered Air Riffle!!!!
Start up costs a great deal cheaper also farmers/land owners seem to be a bit KEENER when approached with free vermin control offers.

Hobbsy


----------



## Aimless1 (Sep 25, 2011)

No need to start with what you think you want or the"best" for you. Pre-Owned is fine.

You might try gun brokers like http://www.guntrader.co.uk/ to bring your cost down. 

Don't know if you have shooting preserves or gun clubs, but both will rent guns for the session on this side of the pond.


----------



## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2009/09/pheasant-hunting-with-annie-vizsla.html

My CZ 20 gauge o/u has served me well as my first and only shot gun. South of $900 new a couple years ago. 

RBD


----------



## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I love O/Us. I shoot a Browning Citori O/U 12 gauge even though we have pumps and semi autos. The one thing I wish I had done differently is started with a 28 gauge. Its a much lighter gun for walking the fields. Now if I try to use a light weight gun I over swing them. I would have to spend many hours on the trap and skeet fields to change this problem.
You don't need to go overboard on cost for a pretty gun but do your research on buying one that's reliable. Nothing more aggravating then just hearing a click when you pull the trigger and the bird flies away. Then your dog will give you the look. Shoulder a few guns and see which one fits you best.


----------



## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

S/S O/U semis or pump new/used - AS I've said before the first step in getting a shotgun that you will love is to go to a great gun store and get the measurements for a gun that will fit you - LOP Cast Drop etc - what you will be hunting and where - they will tell you what barrel length and Ga that works best for the type of hunting you will do - in 20mins with a great gunsmith you will know more than 99% of people that go into a store and buy off the the rack- IMO-this is fool proof and free - look up the best 100 shotguns ever made and you will find a lot of them are entry level guns- good hunting!


----------



## Aimless1 (Sep 25, 2011)

RE, agree gun fit is important and I've had gun smiths do a windage estimate as you suggest. Unless you are shooting a try gun you are not getting fit properly to a gun.

If you're truly interested in being fit for a shotgun then invest in a gun fitting which takes place at club or shooting facility. Mine took more than 2 hours as we tweaked and adjusted until we got it just right. I was fortunate that Bryan Bilinski of Fieldsport is only 4 hours away.

The dvd The Art of Shooting Flying with Bryan Bilinski and Tom Huggler will help to make you a better wingshot and demonstrate the importance of gun fit.

I am not a shill for Mr Bilinski, but can attest to the value of a proper gun fitting.


----------



## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

I'm a wood ***** - a pretty piece of wood and my heart melts - LOL look for a straight grain in the wood in the palm of the stock running parallel with the barrel this is the strongest and the first place a stock will crack - I have had three of my guns restocked to my measurements from blanks I cut from the root ball I saved over 30yrs ago of a fiddled American black walnut not as pretty as Carpathian marblecake but when the sun brings out the gold in the fiddle strips its music to my eyes!


----------



## Aimless1 (Sep 25, 2011)

OK, now i'm jealeous! ;D


----------



## Mischa (Feb 17, 2010)

I'm pretty well set on getting my gun/hunting licenses this year.

I'm looking for a break action, and would like a side x side because they seem a little less common, and I just think they're cool when it comes down to it... 
Trouble is, there aren't too many available in a beginner level gun. 
I went to a gun shop with a buddy and they had every style of shotgun except side by sides, so I haven't even held one up yet.

What do you guys think about this one? I've been reading mixed reviews about the quality. I don't want it to look good, but would like it to work.
It comes in the gauge I want, with the chokes I want. 
I'd prefer a 28", but 26" is fine for me I'm sure. I don't think I'll worry about getting fit until I'm ready to buy a nicer gun. 

http://www.basspro.com/Stoeger-20-Gauge-Uplander-Side-by-Side-Shotgun/product/10217965/105687 
thoughts?

-Dennis


----------



## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

Mischa-go to gunsinternational and check out their prices-looks like 400-650 for the gun your looking at-I love S/S with double triggers they are truly great looking-my only advice would be to make sure the LOP is correct for you-all the rest you can correct in your mount to the gun-start out with the wrong LOP in your first gun and you will never know what to correct in your mount-at that price their a lot of great guns 2 look at


----------



## Bernie (Jan 17, 2011)

I have always used a pump and will probably will never change. It's all in what is behind the sights. Good shells will help too. I remember years ago I was on an all day bachelor outing with 15 other guys shooting sporting clays among other things. One guy was a past Virginia Trap Shooting Junior Champion and of course he did better than everyone else. He was shooting some high dollar auto 12 Ga. I was second with just two fewer clays than he. I remember all the guides talking about was "the way that guy could shoot that pump".


----------



## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

Bernie-I agree-The Remington 870 Wingmaster pump is in the top 20 of the best shotguns ever made-mine is over 45yrs old and still shoots like it did out of the box-good news now is you can get them configured any way you want-over 2mil made that says it all-great entry level gun that will last forever!


----------



## zigzag (Oct 4, 2011)

dont forget the browning BPS, A leftys dream gun.


----------

