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21 - 32 of 32 Posts
One main reason is that most people shoot better (hit more targets) with an O/U. Many/most of the competitive skeet and sporting clays shooters use O/U's. They select whatever helps them score higher.

I love SxS's and own a half dozen. BUT, I can score higher in any clay game with my Citori.

I hunt with the SxS's, because I enjoy them, and an occasional missed bird isn't a big deal.

gold40
 
isn't an o/u a more modern design? sxs's had external hammers which i've never seen on an o/u. and they had double triggers which i've never seen on an o/u, either. did the hammerless design and the advent of the single trigger lend themselves to the design of the o/u? then you have to wonder how stock shapes and choke tubes figure in the evolution. and what influence pumps and semis had in its design. it would be great if anybody knows the time line relative to the development of the breach loading hammer sxs, hammerless sxs, o/u, pump, auto. thanks
 
There are double triggers on O/U's - Browning's Superposeds come to mind
 
quartering said:
isn't an o/u a more modern design? sxs's had external hammers which i've never seen on an o/u. and they had double triggers which i've never seen on an o/u, either. did the hammerless design and the advent of the single trigger lend themselves to the design of the o/u? then you have to wonder how stock shapes and choke tubes figure in the evolution. and what influence pumps and semis had in its design. it would be great if anybody knows the time line relative to the development of the breach loading hammer sxs, hammerless sxs, o/u, pump, auto. thanks
good points - I htink you are right regarding external hammers and the 19th c shotgun evolved as a SxS (I think)

BUT the O/U is an old configuration also very early 20th c or late 19th c I think. They've been around a long time.

Yes, I've seen DTs on O/Us too. Some are retrofits. I think a few hundred dollars will retrofit a Beretta Silver Pigeon to DT.

I don't think pumps and semis had influence ont he early O/U design evolution. As I recall it was British.

The SxS may have evolved as far as it can - it might be sort of like the P-51 Mustang - about as good a reciprocating engine-powered fighter as can be made.

Prices may come down with the introduction of new machining techniques. At some point the concept of "interchangeable parts" might come true for SxS shotguns!

Beretta's line of Silver Pigeons and Onyx O/U are the largest selling O/Us in the world and they are rather good and (in my opinion) remarkably nice-handling for guns in that price range.

There is distinctly different "feel" to O/Us and SxSs. It's not just in the visuals.
 
droopy said:
Another observation is that O/U rules the target disciplines whereas SxS seem to be a little more popular in the field.
Because most O/Us are big boat oars suited to breaking targets, and most SxSs are trim little things perfect for carrying in the field all? (unless they have a beaver tail forend and pistol grip, then they're boat oars too)

SxSs are neat, and I used to shoot the boat oar I had (Steven 311) fairly well, but I'd take a super light weight auto or pump as a field gun any day.

~Michael
 
Shotgunguru said:
Two reasons mainly, price and durability.

Dollar for dollar (Euro for Euro?) the OU offers more quality than the SXS.

The OU has proven itself in the toughest test of all, target shooting. No SXS can stand that kind of brutal use. And yes I know of the two Boss guns used by Eley and which digested 1 million rounds etc. So far that endurance has not been duplicated on the target field.

The OU is one tough tool!

There is also the mechanical angle. The OU with is Blitz lock (firing mechanism on the trigger plate) offers simplicity, reliability, ease of regulation and safety, more so than the outdated V sprung actions of the sidelock and Ansond Deeley boxlock. And before any sidelock afficionados react, please think of the criterion of simplicity mentioned above.
Shotgunguru,

I read your posts with great interest. I read that ''SxSs are as durable as O/Us depending on age - older guns had steel that isn`t as good as modern guns. Technically a SxS exerts less leverage on the hinges than an O/Us top barrel which is the reason that many O/Us incorporate secondary locking at the top or middle.
Live Pigeon guns ( invariably referred to as just `Pigeon Guns` ) are Trap guns - but used in the days when live Pigeons rather than clays were utilised''.

My question, So is it possible that because of the O/Us are better than SXs in target shooting, in terms of single sighting plane,dynamics etc, that they are more popular than because of their durability? I don't know but most modern decently made SXSs are as durable as O/Us? Appreciate your reply.Thank you.

Best-
Vikram
 
shotgun Guru,
While you make a very interesting argument, academiclly. A quality sxs is every bit as strong in the real world. Now, not being a million round clay shooter but a feild shooter, I expect any one of my sxs guns to outlast me by at least one generation. I also know that over the course of my shooting life i will pack around several less hundred pounds.
 
Shotgunguru,

Further to my previous post, is it true that not many O/Us these days use a Blitz type action, the distinctive feature of which is that it is a trigger plate boxlock. I read that it's a Pretty antique action nowadays and most O/Us utilise a modified Anson & Deeley action. `Best` O/Us use sidelocks just as best SxSs do.

Like to know your views.Thanks.

Best-
Vikram
 
Interesting thread.

I shot sxs's from early childhood. The first o/u I ever saw was in the late 50s on the Wyatt Earp TV series when Doc Halliday sometimes used one. (The series was not known for its historical accuracy!) This was also about the time when clayshooting first started so can I suggest that O/Us were introduced as a more suitable gun for the new sport as its greater weight reduced the perceived recoil. The traditional sxs was retained as it was easier to carry on the grouse moors due to its lighter weight.

Pumps and semi autos have never been popular in the UK. In game shooting it was, and maybe still is, considered unsporting to take more than two shots at a single bird. For clay shooting the fact that they cannot be broken and therefor seen to be safe is a big disadvantage. One clay club I used to belong to insisted that they were sleeved (put in a case) when being taken from stand to stand for this reason. The UK law was also changed in the 80's (?) to limit the magazine capacity to two rounds which took away their only other advantage.

So sxs for the moorland shooters, O/U for clays and pumps/semi autos looked down on by everyone!

O/U's are more popular because more people shoot clays than go rough shooting.

Too simple?

John
 
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