Anyone else love Over and Under Shotguns?

I being of sound mind and body, with a slight affliction for firearms, have owned many shotguns. All can and will do the job if you do yours.

I was really into side by doubles and had 11 Parkers and Philadelphia AH Foxes along with a Westly Richards and some more. P.S. Among the others, were Win M-23 in 20 and 12 gauge, a browning, an Ithaca and several Spanish ones. I did lots of bird hunting, quail and Pheasant.

I also did Skeet and Trap with Model 12's or a Beretta 303.

I sort of tried a little Sporting clays and it stole my mind. I had a higher grade Rizzini SC OU, a Browning sporting clays OU. The Browning action opens on a pin and is higher than the Italian OU's I found a Beretta OU and was in heaven. It was the same when I tried a Browning Citori for birds, it just does not fit me well. I bought a Beretta Onxy light weight 12 and it was a pure light weight joy to carry hunting.

I went thru a period in my life, some call it freedom others might call it a divorce, and ended up selling all my guns in a child custody battle. Wrong attorney he bled me out.

I ended up with a Rem 870 in 20 and one pre 64 M-70 in 270 Win. After the financial dust settled I bought a Benelli SBE and used it for ducks along with Pheasant and a little sporting clays. I had M-12 for trap and used a Browning B80 someone had added chokes to for skeet.

If I ran a cross a Beretta Onyx lightweight 12 fairly priced I would be all over it. I probably will never own another Parker or AH Fox, all are too pricey and all I see in Parkers are #2 frame heavy full and fuller choked well worn guns which were some ones duck gun back in the day.

I would probably look closely at any Italian OU. The hinge is low in the action and it does fit me well.

Again being of sound mind and an over worked brain I like all shotguns. Right after I win the lottery I am getting some light SxS for bird hunting, some OU's for trap and skeet, not sure on sporting clays, maybe just keep on using my SBE as it shoots and ejects light 2.75" thru 3.5" loads.

Right now my fun guns are a Benneli Montefeltro in 20, Win M-12's in 12 and 16 for doves and this year my opening day dove gun will be a basket case ithaca M-37 I bought last year and rebuilt.

Mr. OP I love OU shotguns, but no more than SxS or autos or pumps or single shots. Now why did I trade off the Browning 99? I have a sound mind but don't remember why???
 
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Over-Under

Admire the over-under and have owned many over the years ( SKB 500, Beretta BL4, Superposed, Winchester 101, Citori, Perazzi, Remington 3200, Ruger Red Label), but due mainly to eye issues switched to the venerable Remington 1100 semi-auto over 20 years ago.:o But to answer your question; if there is one I wished I had kept, it would be the old Beretta BL4:)
 
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model70hunter,

this whole thread is going the wrong way, dramatically. I am a gun addict and have bought several Korths this year, also an Anschutz 1710 and the Merkel 200E is very pleasing. It makes me wonder if I shouldn't get another shotgun.

I am tempted to look for a Merkel 40E SxS or a Simson, Suhl, which is basically the same gun but differently branded. I am spending way too much money on guns but do not feel unhappy doing so.

Oh, I wouldn't do it for myself but for the children! And my oldest son would appreciate and care well for a luxury model while his younger brother is more into "black tactical" guns.
 
I didn't own a O/U until I was in my 50's. I hunted birds for 40 years with a Browning A 5, then a Merkel 16 SxS. I began crunching clays in 01 with a Fabarms O/U 12 ga., it is a beautiful shotgun and it fits me perfectly. I have a weakness for 16 ga. Sgn's and bought a couple Browning Citori's with upgraded wood and a 28 ga. browning that matched the 16's. These are all 6 lb guns and are a joy to carry and shoot. My bird hunting partner passed in 05 and I ended up with his Browning Citori in 410, which he had downed hundreds of birds. Don't hunt birds anymore, but I shoot clays regularly and all of these guns get their day at the range.
 
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I don't choose my shotguns, they choose me.

When handling a shotgun, I turn myself in a direction that i won't "sweep" anyone. I position myself as I would on the trap line, close my eyes and raise the gun to my shoulder. When I open my eyes, if i'm on target, she's a winner If not, then the gun doesn't fit me. That's not to say it couldn't be made to fit, but I've never taken it to that extent.

I'm fortunate that Brownings fit me, as do most Remingtons (870 and 100). I have a Citori for the field and a Broadway for trap. I don't claim to get perfect scores, but looking down a Broadway is almost cheating!
 
I had a Browning Citori and several Valmets. The Valmets were sweet guns.
 
I'm a side by side guy by nature but I do keep one O/U around. It a Fausti in 28 ga and is a sweet handling little number. I used to have these in all gauges(12,16,20,28,410) but wasn't unsing them enough to justify keeping them.
Jim
 
I owned 3 Over/Under shotguns a Citori, a Renato Gamba, and a Franchi. All were 12 gauge and only the Citori had screw in chokes. So I gave them to my two sons with each getting one free. My older son bought the Citori from me. Today I have a Remington 870 SP and a Remington 1100 Skeet Model with a Skeet barrel and a full choke barrel. At 72 years old I don't do any bird hunting anymore.
 
I have a Ruger Red Label, with 26 inch barrels, it is a gun I will never sell. I like to use it deer hunting oo buck in one tube, and a slug in the other.
 
Andyd said:
model70hunter,

this whole thread is going the wrong way, dramatically. I am a gun addict and have bought several Korths this year, also an Anschutz 1710 and the Merkel 200E is very pleasing. It makes me wonder if I shouldn't get another shotgun.

I am tempted to look for a Merkel 40E SxS or a Simson, Suhl, which is basically the same gun but differently branded. I am spending way too much money on guns but do not feel unhappy doing so.

Oh, I wouldn't do it for myself but for the children! And my oldest son would appreciate and care well for a luxury model while his younger brother is more into "black tactical" guns.
Click to expand...

I know what a Merkel is and have heard of Suhl, Germany. Growing up next to a large Army base I traded into many nice guns GI's brought back from PX's in europe. I had one German OU, I think it was made by a small shop or group of folks in one area, I do not remember the name, it was very well made except the stock did not fit me and it was heavy.

I've had the best luck with Italian OU's for fit and I hit more targets with them.

I have seen some Merkels at ranges, very well made. Hold on, I'll be right back; I just did research on Simson, WOW, some history. Are you referring to a Simson made before they went bankrupt in 2002?

I found a Simson Side by side listed for $850 in one of the online auction houses, Engraved ones get pricey.

Most I saw were fixed chokes and mainly full and full.

I was intrigued by their history. Guns, bicycles, excellent cars , mopers and motorcycles. Their motorcycles have a cult following in eastern europe. This is the link to their story. Simson (company - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Your post has furthered my knowledge, thank you Andy.

I'd also be interested in hearing what Shotgun you purchase.

Duane.
 
I have had a Ruger Red Label for 30 years or so and we get along just fine. the SD pheasants do not like the Ruger.
 
Had a Browning Citori and a Winchester but sold them years ago,
Currently my only O/U is a 12 gauge Ruger Red label with English stock like this
wm_6774287.jpg
 
I traded into a Laurona O/U 12 gauge imported as a Ted Williams for Sears 25 years ago and while I truly enjoy it I am a 16 gauge kook at heart, so when a Marlin 90 in 16 showed up at a local gun show at a more than fair price I jumped on it. It got its first trip to the range in July and I was impressed. I also own a few SxSs (12, 16 and 20) but that Marlin has a balance and feel that just fits me.
 
I bought a Beretta BL-3 at the Rod and gun club on base in Vicenza Italy 1970. Traded enough booze and cigarette coupons to get into it at $47.00 An employee at the Rod and Gun club would go down to the factory and pick one out for you. Unfortunately, that did not include a fitting, and although I still have it, it never fit me. I had a 12 ga Superposed but found the receiver too tall, top to bottom. Bought an early 20ga Std wt Superposed and have been in love ever since. A really great gun, fits me perfectly.

Charlie
 
I've shot but never owned O/U's. I've always owned and preferred double-trigger side-by-sides. I can't hunt anymore, but they are still my preference. My house shotgun is an elderly and battered 12 gauge Stevens SXS I had cut to twenty inches and load with #4 buck.
 
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