Hunting with a side by side

[Darren96]

Hi everyone, this is my first post here and I am wondering who hunts with a sxs shotgun. I plan on picking up a double barreled 20 gauge by May for spring season if money allows. Any tips would be appreciated as well, I like the idea of having two different chokes for a close shot or long shot, so what chokes do you guys use in doubles?

[davisd9]

Do not shoot a double for turkeys but the most common issue I have heard is barrels shooting different poi/poa.


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[Darren96]

I have heard that problem too. I was only planning on using it if I could get it to pattern good enough, it will mostly be used for rabbit and grouse. My designated turkey gun is a Winchester 1912 in 12 gauge with a full choke, but I like to switch it up every now and then.

[Aim@it]

I hunt with a twenty double choked full and modified. It is an older model that was made light and with 26 inch barrels , it is my favorite turkey gun for the reasons you mentioned short and or long shots.The gun patterns very well with Fed. heviweight. The barrels re regulated to be on target at 40 yds. Beyond that the left barrel will drift to the right ,the right barrel will drift to the left. I don't have any issue with that as I have never shot beyond that range. It is nice to have the selection of barrel and load when making a shot. If you have the option to shoot the gun before you buy it , you can check the poa and poi. I was lucky in that my gun shoots well. I have taken some nice bucks with slugs and turkeys with shot while hunting from tree stands. I like the option. If you like to hunt close and can get a good double , they can be a joy to hunt with.

[The Woodsman]

I will be toting my first SxS this spring. We will see how it goes.

[Darren96]

Thanks guys, oddly enough my cousin would be using it more than I would. He'll be 13 by the time spring season rolls around, he wants to shoot 3.5 inch 12 but mom said 20 only (that and I only have 3 inch chambered shotguns)

[Bowguy]

Most double barreled guns shoot dif poa., especially the mass produced ones. It takes some messin to get them to shoot roughly the same and that's normally at only a given distance. The difficulty getting to be close I'm sure is a big part of the reason quality double guns start in the thousands.,
If you're worried about distances and your pattern experiment with loads n chokes til you find one works for you.
A reason I'd think why many guys don't carry them also is the good ones are pricey and walking through the dark, dragging a bunch of stuff in the rainy or wet woods is prob not the best thing for it.
That being said hunting w doubles is a great way to do things, I'm just saving mine for wing shooting.
The older ones won't come w choke tubes and even newer ones won't work w extended tubes if they do,

[Darren96]

Most double barreled guns shoot dif poa., especially the mass produced ones. It takes some messin to get them to shoot roughly the same and that's normally at only a given distance. The difficulty getting to be close I'm sure is a big part of the reason quality double guns start in the thousands.,
If you're worried about distances and your pattern experiment with loads n chokes til you find one works for you.
A reason I'd think why many guys don't carry them also is the good ones are pricey and walking through the dark, dragging a bunch of stuff in the rainy or wet woods is prob not the best thing for it.
That being said hunting w doubles is a great way to do things, I'm just saving mine for wing shooting.
The older ones won't come w choke tubes and even newer ones won't work w extended tubes if they do,

Thanks for the input, the one I'm looking at will be used mostly used for grouse, rabbit and squirrel. I would like to take it out for turkey once or twice a year, but I'm sure my 12s will see much more use and if I really feel like a 20 I'll take my single shot out.


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[BandedSpur]

Over/unders are generally a bit easier to deal with for turkey hunting than are SxSs. You will likely see a little vertical difference in POI between the two barrels but none from side to side. These issues can be somewhat mitigated with load management. I find it tougher to deal with the horizontal POI differences suffered by SxSs.

[Darren96]

I'd get an over under if I could find one with double triggers. I prefer double triggers to a selector


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[BandedSpur]

I'd get an over under if I could find one with double triggers. I prefer double triggers to a selector


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Good point. Beretta will retrofit DTs on their O/Us, but that's a pricey option.

[Bowguy]

I'd get an over under if I could find one with double triggers. I prefer double triggers to a selector


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Good point. Beretta will retrofit DTs on their O/Us, but that's a pricey option.

Any double gun w double triggers is likely to be pricey no matter how you come by it

[Darren96]

For the time being I'll be leaving the sxs for rabbit and grouse. If I want to use a 20 I've got my NEF single shot that I'm getting threaded for tubes. Thanks for all the input though, I really appreciate it.


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[Izzyjoe]

That's what I found to be true! Back in the summer I was looking for a o/u that I could use as a universal shotgun, mostly for small game, but one that could be used for deer, turkey, well I shopped around and I was shocked at the prices, a real nice auto can be purchased for less money! I guess I'm different cause I can't see paying that much for a two shot gun.