O/U Shotgun set-up

[bdirks]

So I have pulled the trigger and bought a Savage 555 20ga Compact with 24" barrels to have set-up as a turkey gun. I plan on sending it to Sumtoy to get drilled and tapped and a Burris FF3 mount installed. I plan on using the Uncle Mike's shotgun sling swivels.

For those of you running a dedicated O/U turkey gun, what is your set-up? Are you running lead in your close barrel and tss in your long barrel or are you running tss in both? What choke tube constrictions are you using? For my long range tube I think I am going to use a .462. This is a little tighter than the .470 Sumtoy tube I run in my Winchester SXP Longbeard. If you are running tss in both barrels, what is your close range tube constriction, .485?

Remind me again, which barrel is your long range barrel, top or bottom?

Thanks for all your help!

[RED NECK]

That is the exact o/u I am wanting to purchase later this winter if I can locate it. My goal is to have it be ready for 2023,I plan on having it dipped amd .Enjoy!

[BandedSpur]

You have your choke constrictions off by .1". They should be .562, .570, .585, not .462, .470, and .485.

I have run an O/U turkey gun since 2009. Mine is twelve ga, so constrictions are going to be different. I use TSS in both barrels. I run a 1.625 oz handload of 9s (same as 20 ga load) in the BOTTOM (long range) barrel and a 1.25 oz handload of 9s in the TOP (short range) barrel. It doesn't make much difference which barrel is your long barrel if you are shooting the same loads in each. Just know that the felt recoil will be greater in the upper barrel due to the physics of how an O/U is put together. Recoil from the bottom barrel is more straight back into the shoulder with less muzzle rise and cheek slap compared to the top barrel. That is why all competitive clays shooters shoot the bottom barrel first. It is easier to get back on target for doubles shooting the bottom barrel first due to the aforementioned greater felt recoil and muzzle rise from the top barrel.

I got started in the O/U game after missing a couple of very close range birds with my 1187. At first, I wanted the most open pattern possible in the short range barrel to prevent close range misses. I started with lead 7 handloads and a cylinder choke. That gave a huge pattern in close but ran out of pattern at 20 yds. That left a large gap in capability between the short range barrel and my long range barrel that really comes into its own at 40 yds. Imp cyl was still forgiving and was good to 25 yds. Mod was a bit tighter and good to 30 yds. Eventually I decided that I wanted to be able to shoot with both barrels to 40 yds. The only way to make that happen (with my desired 1.25 oz load) was to shoot TSS in the open barrel as well.

I run a ST .675 in the long barrel that gives the tightest possible pattern (equivalent to a .555 or .562 for 20 ga). I run a light mod in the open barrel that is pretty forgiving at 20 but still puts 110/10" at 40. I would experiment with the factory imp cyl, mod, and full if your gun came with those with your desired load to get the patterns you want in your open barrel. You will just have to decide if you want the most open pattern possible from your open barrel (in which case I would use lead), knowing that there will be a gap from 20-40 yards where neither barrel is optimal. Or...use TSS in both barrels and shoot a .555/.562 in one and a .585/.590 in the other. I would choose the latter option and have all distances covered from 20 to 40 and beyond.

[firedup]

Tristar upland hunter 20 ga.  IC .555 in lower barrel shooting handloaded TSS #9. Factory modified or Carlsons Light modified (about .600) in upper barrel shooting #5 or #6 lead. At the 15-25 yard range it doesn't seem to matter which combo as far a solid killing pattern. Have to work with POI alittle to get it dialed in. I also shoot a red dot type sight so adjustments are simplified.

[wchadw]

I run Sumtoy 562 with #9 tss for long
Sumtoy 585 and pheasant 7s load for closer


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[SumToy]

Alot of it is what shell you plan to run.   If TSS in both barrels you run a 562 and then 585 to maybe 595.

Now I would run something in the 562 with TSS and 570 to 575 with a cheap lead load for the short stuff.   

[Tom007]

I change it up in my Cynergy over-under depending on what type of hunting I am doing. If I am running/gunning in the early Northeast woods with no foliage, I run tight chokes in  both barrels. My lower barrel is my long range no matter what. I use a Rob Roberts .660 non-ported in the bottom with Federal Heavyweight #6's. In the upper barrel, I use a Browning Full strut .650 with#6 Longbeards. When I sit over decoys, I use the Roberts .660 and Federal Heavyweight 6's in the bottom. I use the Browning Spreader Choke with Federal 3rd degree in the upper for the close shots. It's nice to have the 2 choke option....

[SM]

Tristar upland hunter 20 ga.  IC .555 in lower barrel shooting handloaded TSS #9. Factory modified or Carlsons Light modified (about .600) in upper barrel shooting #5 or #6 lead. At the 15-25 yard range it doesn't seem to matter which combo as far a solid killing pattern. Have to work with POI alittle to get it dialed in. I also shoot a red dot type sight so adjustments are simplified.

I have that same O/U. How far off are your barrels to each other ?  Are they close enough to not matter ?

[Ihuntoldschool]

One thing to consider with O/U each barrel will shoot to a different POI as far as elevation.  Obviously how far apart will vary depending on gun, choke, load etc.

[hunter85]

I my 555 I am using a .565 in the top barrel and a .600 in the bottom shooting Fed #9 tss in both barrels. I did not want to shoot different loads cause I just know my dummy self would put the wrong load in the wrong barrel and mess everything up. I use the top barrel as my long barrel as I feel that it is going to have better poa/poi as that is what you are sighting down. No proof to that just what my head feels. I started with .555/590 and got higer 10 inch numbers and I don't remember what they were and opted to go with more open chokes for forgiveness and have over lay of yardage from either barrel.

[Boll Weevil]

I have a 12 and a 20; both Heckler & Koch.  The 12 has ported barrels, 3.5" chambers, Rhino chokes...660 on top and 673 on the bottom.  When i carry it (rarely) I shoot #6 Longbeards in my long barrel and whatever copper plated lead shell I have laying around in my short barrel...the turkeys hate it.

The 20 has a 580 in both barrels but I shoot Federal TSS 8/10s in my long barrel.  After lugging a 12ga around for decades it's an absolute joy to carry and will flat wear a turkey's face out.  It throws an absolutely wicked pattern.

[Tom007]

I have a 12 and a 20; both Heckler & Koch.  The 12 has ported barrels, 3.5" chambers, Rhino chokes...660 on top and 673 on the bottom.  When i carry it (rarely) I shoot #6 Longbeards in my long barrel and whatever copper plated lead shell I have laying around in my short barrel...the turkeys hate it.

The 20 has a 580 in both barrels but I shoot Federal TSS 8/10s in my long barrel.  After lugging a 12ga around for decades it's an absolute joy to carry and will flat wear a turkey's face out.  It throws an absolutely wicked pattern.

Nice looking duo there!

[Ridge Rooster]

Those OU are sharp! What mounting system are you using and how are the barrels regulated? I have been wanting to add an OU to my turkey arsenal but have been concerned with barrel regulation.

Ridge Rooster

[Boll Weevil]

Those OU are sharp! What mounting system are you using and how are the barrels regulated?
Ridge Rooster

Uncertain on barrel regulation but POI/POA is spot on for both.  Burris FF3s are mounted on B-Square picatinny rail; rock solid.

[Tom007]

Those OU are sharp! What mounting system are you using and how are the barrels regulated?
Ridge Rooster

Uncertain on barrel regulation but POI/POA is spot on for both.  Burris FF3s are mounted on B-Square picatinny rail; rock solid.

That BSquare rib mount looks good. What model is it, and does it cover all rib sizes? Thanks