onpoint
Active member
Hate, hate, hate double triggers. Give me single selective triggers all day, any day with ejector's.
The trick is, buy a quality gun and you will never have issues with your single triggered gun.
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Question on Side by sides
- Thread starter bones
- Start date
Hate, hate, hate double triggers. Give me single selective triggers all day, any day with ejector's.
The trick is, buy a quality gun and you will never have issues with your single triggered gun.
I have shot Purdey's, Holland and Holland, and Westley Richards, not to mention L.C. Smith, and Parkers with single selective triggers which on ocassion failed, in some aspect of function. Quality is not the deciding factor. I have also shot many of the same makes with SST's that functioned just fine. Bottom line is SST's get out of tune and require more active maintenance than a set of double triggers, but I own and shoot both, some days my mind is clear enough to remember not to pull the first trigger of a double trigger gun twice and expect results!
All my SXS's are double trigger guns. I've never had an issue of not switching triggers. Last month I took my 16 ga Sterlingworth to the range and shot some 5 stand with it. I was half way through the round before I realized I was unconsciously switching triggers. I had been shooting a Benelli auto for the most part and hadn't shot a double trigger gun since last fall. I think the difficulty in adjusting to double triggers is overstated. Atleast in my case its not even a consideration.
I use my SXS's as field guns and I do favor the ability of instantly picking which trigger to use. It doesn't happen often but when called for it is a smoother option than fumbling for a button or not having the option at all.
I use my SXS's as field guns and I do favor the ability of instantly picking which trigger to use. It doesn't happen often but when called for it is a smoother option than fumbling for a button or not having the option at all.
Uncle Buck
New member
My current inventory:
Fulton-Hunter Arms--12ga bought at auction for a good price. Have never shot it in approximate 20 years I have owned it, but it has appreciated nicely in value for a cheap but good early 20th Century American double. Like almost all of the era, would make a good club.
American Arms Derby--20ga. (Zabala Spanish) Straight stock double trigger, articulated front trigger, true sideplate that has served me well for what it is. Bought when had FFL for $250.00, early '90s. Treat to carry and I have shot hundred's if not a thousand birds with it. Replaced an ejector spring for $50.00 last year. I carry it about 50% of the time.
Ugartecha 12--straight stock cheapest gun they make. No ejectors, no articulated trigger but a sound gun for the $ and as pointable as any other 12 English style gun. Shot doves of the back deck with it last nite but really do not shoot it all that much. Like the 16s and 20s better.
Ugartecha 16 as above but swings better and hiher quality wood fit and finish. Beleive this is what Aspen Imported. Have only had it two seasons, but have been carring it a lot. I am really getting into 16 ga.
AYA #2 Roundbody 16ga. My lifetime dream. What can I say. Very careful when I shoot it so do not carry it a lot. 17 rounds thru it to date. I missed the first two out of three-a little excited. 15 of 17 pheasants aint too bad tho.
Grulla 12 ga, purchased by my father in Spain, 1963 for less than $200 Basically retired after 37 years of use and one replaced firing pin. I shot every thing with this gun from my junior year in high school including ducks and a few geese.
Franchi Destino 20ga-only SST I have and it's new in the box. Also has chokes while all others are fixed. Fancy Uplander--wood to die for 1 of 250.
I don't have the $ to justify all of these guns, just a weakness for English style doubles. The Derby, SKB/ITHACA AND UGGIE are my recs for a decent entry level sxs when you can find them. Nothing wrong with a Browning but the weight. To each his own.
Fulton-Hunter Arms--12ga bought at auction for a good price. Have never shot it in approximate 20 years I have owned it, but it has appreciated nicely in value for a cheap but good early 20th Century American double. Like almost all of the era, would make a good club.
American Arms Derby--20ga. (Zabala Spanish) Straight stock double trigger, articulated front trigger, true sideplate that has served me well for what it is. Bought when had FFL for $250.00, early '90s. Treat to carry and I have shot hundred's if not a thousand birds with it. Replaced an ejector spring for $50.00 last year. I carry it about 50% of the time.
Ugartecha 12--straight stock cheapest gun they make. No ejectors, no articulated trigger but a sound gun for the $ and as pointable as any other 12 English style gun. Shot doves of the back deck with it last nite but really do not shoot it all that much. Like the 16s and 20s better.
Ugartecha 16 as above but swings better and hiher quality wood fit and finish. Beleive this is what Aspen Imported. Have only had it two seasons, but have been carring it a lot. I am really getting into 16 ga.
AYA #2 Roundbody 16ga. My lifetime dream. What can I say. Very careful when I shoot it so do not carry it a lot. 17 rounds thru it to date. I missed the first two out of three-a little excited. 15 of 17 pheasants aint too bad tho.
Grulla 12 ga, purchased by my father in Spain, 1963 for less than $200 Basically retired after 37 years of use and one replaced firing pin. I shot every thing with this gun from my junior year in high school including ducks and a few geese.
Franchi Destino 20ga-only SST I have and it's new in the box. Also has chokes while all others are fixed. Fancy Uplander--wood to die for 1 of 250.
I don't have the $ to justify all of these guns, just a weakness for English style doubles. The Derby, SKB/ITHACA AND UGGIE are my recs for a decent entry level sxs when you can find them. Nothing wrong with a Browning but the weight. To each his own.
beaglebob1
New member
you have great taste my friend!!!
Nice model 23 would be a nice add on to your list.:thumbsup:
beaglebob1
New member
sold my last one on gun broker win model 24 16ga.
like the singles.
onpoint
Active member
quote Uncle Buck
"I don't have the $ to justify all of these guns"
ditto for me and my guns. Some are down right offended by the guns I own. They think because they drive a 2011 new pickup, live in a 4-500,000 house and pull six figures down. They should also own better more expensive guns then me also. sometimes you just can't have it all.
Nice bunch of SxS's ya got there Buck..I'm a stacked barrel guy myself but like a good quality SxS on occasion.
'
"I don't have the $ to justify all of these guns"
ditto for me and my guns. Some are down right offended by the guns I own. They think because they drive a 2011 new pickup, live in a 4-500,000 house and pull six figures down. They should also own better more expensive guns then me also. sometimes you just can't have it all.
Nice bunch of SxS's ya got there Buck..I'm a stacked barrel guy myself but like a good quality SxS on occasion.
'
pheasantaddict
New member
It seems like the price of the AYA #2 has doubled from about 8 years ago.
cheesy
Well-known member
Anybody have any words on the AYA 4/53 that is exlusive to Cabela's? Saw one listed in 16 guage, IC/Mod, $3400 I think was the price. Halfway getting serious about ratholing some money to buy me a good one. Will be awhile before I get saved up though, plenty of time to do the research.
Uncle Buck
New member
Thanks guys.
I have come close to a 23 on more than one occasion. They just keep going up.
I had 3 Superposed at one time and the 1953 3" model shot a pile of geese and ducks before steel came along, first my Dad then me. Should have kept the 20 as the was a good pointing, hard hitting gun. Every thing was mod and full in those days. The third was a very early model, solid rib that I picked up cheap but the guy had put some steel thru it. I was told by a gunsmith it had a slight bulge so I traded for a new Bennelli SE.
Tried to shoot a Red Label 20 but the grip was too slight and I tended to cant the gun which did not help my shooting.
Never owned a Berretta sxs, but alledgedly they have a very good trigger system. They are well built, just a bit heavy.
I am not sure what the deal is with the Smith and Wesson Gold Elite. Turkish tho they did own the whole plant. Handled a couple and seemed nice. You could pick them up for $1,100-$1,200 for a while. See guns called Bellingham's at Cabela's in Rapid City and I am positive they are the same gun. Who has a Fausti with a good number of rounds thru it?
The AYA 4/53 is a good double and reasonable if you can find a good used one.
I have come close to a 23 on more than one occasion. They just keep going up.
I had 3 Superposed at one time and the 1953 3" model shot a pile of geese and ducks before steel came along, first my Dad then me. Should have kept the 20 as the was a good pointing, hard hitting gun. Every thing was mod and full in those days. The third was a very early model, solid rib that I picked up cheap but the guy had put some steel thru it. I was told by a gunsmith it had a slight bulge so I traded for a new Bennelli SE.
Tried to shoot a Red Label 20 but the grip was too slight and I tended to cant the gun which did not help my shooting.
Never owned a Berretta sxs, but alledgedly they have a very good trigger system. They are well built, just a bit heavy.
I am not sure what the deal is with the Smith and Wesson Gold Elite. Turkish tho they did own the whole plant. Handled a couple and seemed nice. You could pick them up for $1,100-$1,200 for a while. See guns called Bellingham's at Cabela's in Rapid City and I am positive they are the same gun. Who has a Fausti with a good number of rounds thru it?
The AYA 4/53 is a good double and reasonable if you can find a good used one.
The 4/53 AYA's were patterned after the english Churchill field guns, short barrels 25" and nice weight to carry all day. before I spent any where near $3400 on a new one, I sure look around for a good used one! They are not hard to find. Might luck into something really nice like a Thomas Turner, London victorian lightweight, with scalloped stock, 12 ga. weight about 5.75 pounds, or a real Churchill in the $3400 range.
Uncle Buck
New member
I was already to buy one when the 16 uggie came up.
Cheesy:
The Cabelas 4/53's are upgraded models with some I've seen having coin finished receivers. I haven't seen a Churchill model Cabelas 4/53. The ones that I looked at all had 29" barrels, swamped ribs, two triggers (like they should) and upgraded wood with a fancy "C" on the trigger guard.
They are nice guns and not that over priced when you look at an Arrieta or Grulla. The best priced hunting double in my opinion would be the Ugartechea. The last time I checked, Lion Country Supply had their Grade 3 boxlocks for ~$2300 with nice wood, double triggers and ejectors. The BLNE's were cheaper. I have a couple Uggies, both Grade IV sidelocks and they are nice guns. A little heavy but definitely managable.
My dream gun, the one that I missed from Cabelas was a T. Newton English double. Weighed 5 3/4 lbs with 2.5" chambers, double triggers, straight stock, splinter grip, 30" barrels and choked cyl and IM. I still can't believe that I let it go
The Cabelas 4/53's are upgraded models with some I've seen having coin finished receivers. I haven't seen a Churchill model Cabelas 4/53. The ones that I looked at all had 29" barrels, swamped ribs, two triggers (like they should) and upgraded wood with a fancy "C" on the trigger guard.
They are nice guns and not that over priced when you look at an Arrieta or Grulla. The best priced hunting double in my opinion would be the Ugartechea. The last time I checked, Lion Country Supply had their Grade 3 boxlocks for ~$2300 with nice wood, double triggers and ejectors. The BLNE's were cheaper. I have a couple Uggies, both Grade IV sidelocks and they are nice guns. A little heavy but definitely managable.
My dream gun, the one that I missed from Cabelas was a T. Newton English double. Weighed 5 3/4 lbs with 2.5" chambers, double triggers, straight stock, splinter grip, 30" barrels and choked cyl and IM. I still can't believe that I let it go
RST and Polywad both offer 2.5" and 2" shells in 12-20ga. excellent quality and performance. Order right off the web, and delivered to your door,in case lots. Due to star crimping, I have been told that 2 & 3/4ths shells will fire safely in a 2.5" chamber, BUT REMEMBER ANY GUN WITH 2.5 " CHAMBERS WILL BE OLD, AND I WOULDN'T DO IT!!! I HAVE NITRO PROOFED DAMASCUS GUNS AS WELL, I STILL ONLY SHOOT BLACK POWDER HANDLOADS THROUGH THEM. Eye sight and hands are not what they used to be but still valued by me!!!! I might add a blown barrel in a collectable antique, is irreplaceable this side of a small fortune, why risk it when the alternative is 8.00-11.00 a box of 25?
onpoint
Active member
I have a SxS that was made in the early 1880's and bought new by my wife's great, great grandfather. It has exposed hammers and London Fluid Steel Barrels. It has 2.5" chambers. I bought 4 boxes of classic load #6's from Poly Wad and even shot Ruff Grouse with the gun last year, just to carry on the guns tradition in the family of providing game for the table.
The gun spent it's whole life on the plains of central South Dakota. The stories it could tell if it could speak would truly be fascinating. Indian's and the Calvary still road that country on horse back. I have a Calvary saddle from that era as well. That gun shot countless numbers of ducks, Pheasants, rabbits and other game for the table and survival. Even may have protected the family from the Indian's of that day and age. I had to buy the gun from my father in-law. He was about to sell it to a Pheasant lodge for display in a glass case. It would have been gone forever. I simply could not allow that to happen.
My two 5th generation sons shooting the gun
The gun spent it's whole life on the plains of central South Dakota. The stories it could tell if it could speak would truly be fascinating. Indian's and the Calvary still road that country on horse back. I have a Calvary saddle from that era as well. That gun shot countless numbers of ducks, Pheasants, rabbits and other game for the table and survival. Even may have protected the family from the Indian's of that day and age. I had to buy the gun from my father in-law. He was about to sell it to a Pheasant lodge for display in a glass case. It would have been gone forever. I simply could not allow that to happen.
My two 5th generation sons shooting the gun
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Thats a cool gun, Onpoint. Funny you mentioned Cavalry I'm a scout with the 7th Squadron 10th Cavalry Regiment.
But this thread has gotten out of hand. I'm just a Staff Sergeant in the Army (with two boys and a wife) and could not begin to dream of the guns some of you have mentioned. Even if I had that kind of money, I don't think I could justify it. I'm saving toward the CZ Bobwhite, and even thats a stretch.
As far as classics go, I'll inherit my Grandfathers Winchester Model 12. Not a double gun, just a utility model pump, classic enough for me though and plenty of history.
Have a Good 'Urn,
bones
But this thread has gotten out of hand. I'm just a Staff Sergeant in the Army (with two boys and a wife) and could not begin to dream of the guns some of you have mentioned. Even if I had that kind of money, I don't think I could justify it. I'm saving toward the CZ Bobwhite, and even thats a stretch.
As far as classics go, I'll inherit my Grandfathers Winchester Model 12. Not a double gun, just a utility model pump, classic enough for me though and plenty of history.
Have a Good 'Urn,
bones