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CFSpringer

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I’m looking for a new 20. I’ve shot semi automatics all my life and never had one properly fit. That said, I’m a small guy and no standard gun fits me well. My dad when he was in his 20s bought a Belgium made A5 and I love that thing. But i don’t want to abuse it. Anyways, I’ve picked up a few side by sides and love the way they shoulder. But I’ve never shot one, nor have I shot a double trigger. I’m wanting a budget gun, I say that more cause I want to take a gun hunting and not worry about a few dings or scratches happening. That said the CZ Bobwhite I loved to shoulder but double trigger. All that said, is there a semi automatic y’all would recommend and tell me to forget about the side by side dream? Or go forth and prosper with a cheap side by side?
 
CFSpringer said:
I’m looking for a new 20. I’ve shot semi automatics all my life and never had one properly fit. That said, I’m a small guy and no standard gun fits me well. My dad when he was in his 20s bought a Belgium made A5 and I love that thing. But i don’t want to abuse it. Anyways, I’ve picked up a few side by sides and love the way they shoulder. But I’ve never shot one, nor have I shot a double trigger. I’m wanting a budget gun, I say that more cause I want to take a gun hunting and not worry about a few dings or scratches happening. That said the CZ Bobwhite I loved to shoulder but double trigger. All that said, is there a semi automatic y’all would recommend and tell me to forget about the side by side dream? Or go forth and prosper with a cheap side by side?
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Double triggers will be no issue…takes just a little use. Get a S x S, you’ll enjoy it…
 
With respect to benelli-banger, I had a highend Merkel O/U that fit perfectly, but had double trriggers. I kept that gun for over two yrs. but could never master the two trigger setup. Ended up getting rid of it.
 
Mara5 said:
With respect to benelli-banger, I had a highend Merkel O/U that fit perfectly, but had double trriggers. I kept that gun for over two yrs. but could never master the two trigger setup. Ended up getting rid of it.
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I’m sure that happens, but they’ve been around for a century+, and are still used by lots of gun makers…if a decent % of shooters had a problem with them, they’d stop producing them…if it’s really a concern, get a single trigger S x S…go to Cabela’s and bring some $10 snap caps and ask if you can dry fire the gun with snap caps in, see what you think…or buy the snap caps there…I was 36, maybe 38 when I bot my first double with 2 triggers…no real issue…I do recall missing birds but being happy I shot twice!
 
The only new budget sxs with a single trigger that I know of is the Tristar Bristal. If you practice with double triggers, you'll be fine. When you practice move your finger to the other trigger before shooting. Then practice doubles. Having said that I'm going to a single trigger because I've always had a rough time with heavier gloves. If you are not sure buy a used Spanish double. Ive bought them for under 500.
 
I never really fell in love with autoloaders. Killed plenty of birds with them, but they just weren’t for me. I found O/U more to my liking. Got my first sxs last year and really like it, I think maybe more than O/U. Tried the feel of double triggers but didn’t think my beat up arthritis hands that wear gloves all the time would do well with them. About half the time I buy used and if I get rid of it I only am out a couple hundred at most.cheap date these days.
 
First shotgun I ever had was a Remington 1100 20 ga. I didn’t own a pump shotgun until I was 53 and I can’t shoot it worth a darn. I’m an autoloader guy that has some O/U and recently SxS shotguns. My first SxS was a Fair Iside basic 16 ga with double triggers. I took it to SD for its first hunt. I was afraid I was going to blow it with the double triggers. But it was a quick study. By the 2nd walk of the first day, I had it down and it came in handy multiple times to be able to pick a trigger to use the choke I wanted vs a single trigger. On those birds that were beyond my modified choke but in range for full, it was nice to be able to just use the trigger for that barrel. Since then I added two Marlin model 90s; both with double triggers. Now, I don’t want to use a double gun with a single trigger. I still like my autos and I shoot them the most, but there is something special about a double with double triggers.
 
CFSpringer said:
I’m looking for a new 20. I’ve shot semi automatics all my life and never had one properly fit. That said, I’m a small guy and no standard gun fits me well. My dad when he was in his 20s bought a Belgium made A5 and I love that thing. But i don’t want to abuse it. Anyways, I’ve picked up a few side by sides and love the way they shoulder. But I’ve never shot one, nor have I shot a double trigger. I’m wanting a budget gun, I say that more cause I want to take a gun hunting and not worry about a few dings or scratches happening. That said the CZ Bobwhite I loved to shoulder but double trigger. All that said, is there a semi automatic y’all would recommend and tell me to forget about the side by side dream? Or go forth and prosper with a cheap side by side?
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What’s your budget? There are some nice shotguns out there you might be overlooking depending on your budget. I will say that I recently bought a CZ SxS in 28 ga. Haven’t shot it yet, but it does handle nicely.
 
benelli-banger said:
I’d think that practicing with double triggers and snap caps in the house for a few weeks now and again would help a lot…
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Don’t disagree. I think everyone is different. It took about 3 birds for me to get the hang of it. I fumbled the first shot. Slow on the second. third bird that got up, it just felt natural. I think it was harder for me to get used to extractors instead of ejectors.
 
birddude said:
The only new budget sxs with a single trigger that I know of is the Tristar Bristal. If you practice with double triggers, you'll be fine. When you practice move your finger to the other trigger before shooting. Then practice doubles. Having said that I'm going to a single trigger because I've always had a rough time with heavier gloves. If you are not sure buy a used Spanish double. Ive bought them for under 500.
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I wish I could find one for that price in 28 or 16 gauge.
 
Obi_Wan said:
I wish I could find one for that price in 28 or 16 gauge.
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Yeah, they are hard to find in 28 or 16 without jumping up a few more hundred. But lots of Eibar, Zabala, even Stoeger on G.B.. I know a guy who has a Stoeger uplander he shoots pretty good. Like Obi said above, very handy and quick to decide to shoot a tighter choke with double triggers. I actually prefer them but just getting tired of switching guns when it's cold.
 
Browning Citori comes in a smaller size gun sometimes called the white lightning
 
Browning bss is in the wheelhouse. Single trigger, ejectors, last forever, 1k-2k with diligence. And look like you know what yer doing.
 
You can your self a “Small guy”… gave you shouldered any of the compact or youth offerings to check for fit? I see CZ offers a couple if I remember correctly.

Myself being a recent convert from aiming sports to pointing sports, I’ve come to understand and believe fit is much more important than a dream gun, but most dream guns with some additional $ can be made to fit. So if you buy something off the shelf that doesn’t fit well, budget for some fitting cost, or it probably won’t shoot well. Just my understanding.
 
That’s what I’m learning too. My entire life I’ve just bought guns. Never considered fit. Part of the reason that I’m looking for a new gun. I’ve got a 20 gauge benelli ultralight. Everyone loves it, but it’s snappy and doesn’t fit me well. I can sell it and get one of the CZs for half the cost.
 
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CFSpringer said:
That’s what I’m learning too. My entire life I’ve just bought guns. Never considered fit. Part of the reason that I’m looking for a new career be. I’ve got a 20 gauge benelli ultralight. Everyone loves it, but it’s snappy and doesn’t fit me well. I can sell it and get one of the CZs for half the cost.
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Probably the weight of the gun. Took me a few years to get used to mine. I went from a 12 gauge Browning Gold Hunter to the 20 gauge Benelli for my dedicated pheasant gun. Close to 2.5 lb difference. I love the Benelli now. You can do some shimming to improve gun fit along with different height recoil pads.
 
CFSpringer said:
I’m looking for a new 20. I’ve shot semi automatics all my life and never had one properly fit. That said, I’m a small guy and no those new a520 gauges are really nice those new A5 20 gauge Browning are very nice standard gun fits me well. My dad when he was in his 20s bought a Belgium made A5 and I love that thing. But i don’t want to abuse it. Anyways, I’ve picked up a few side by sides and love the way they shoulder. But I’ve never shot one, nor have I shot a double trigger. I’m wanting a budget gun, I say that more cause I want to take a gun hunting and not worry about a few dings or scratches happening. That said the CZ Bobwhite I loved to shoulder but double trigger. All that said, is there a semi automatic y’all would recommend and tell me to forget about the side by side dream? Or go forth and prosper with a cheap side by side?
Click to expand...
 
I'm not a C.Z. fan but they are making a bob white g2 intermediate now. It's made for smaller/ younger shooters. If not for my bias towards CZ I would have bought one and lengthened the butt. The reason for me would have been the 26-inch tubes.
 
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