Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire SxS Shotgun Hunting

I’ve got the typical shotguns to hunt with. But, I have a hankering for an older, high comb dbl bbl to carry on some walk about shooting. I’m not retiring my others but just want an older more traditional shooter. Probably a 20g as a weight saving measure.
What is your experience w SxS?

I have and have shot a Stevens model 311 in 20 ga since 1976. It's a great gun for $127 new.

kwg

I have several that I hunt with still.

Great for upland rising birds, especially english stocked OK on decoyed ducks.

2 springfield 5200 16s, an AYA 16 (its like pointing my finger), and a dickenson 12.

Sounds like a great idea. But I have to ask...why a high comb? A shotgun which fits you well is the best answer.
Rick

Model 24s are classy old double guns if you can find one.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...s/8217508/WINCHESTER_Model_24_20_Gauge_D

The older ones I’ve pointed have such drop that they don’t feel right. I’ve pointed one 12g w higher comb and it comes up to cheek very naturally. That’s my finding.

My two hunting shotguns are an Ithaca 100 20, ic and mod, and a Navy Arms 12 ga muzzle loading double, cyl and cyl

Years ago, while TDY to Oklahoma for the military, I was invited on a bird hunt with a buddy of mine working his dog (planted birds). I said sure, but being TDY from Alaska, I obviously didn't have a shotgun with me. Another military TDY guy had an old 1921? Ithaca Lefever 12 ga SXS double trigger. I'd never shot a SXS double trigger in actual hunting, normally using my Winchester 101 OU.

That Lefever was the most natural pointing, shooting, just don't think- react shotgun I've ever shot at actual birds. We cleaned out the partridge that my buddy paid for to train his dog. There were still tons of pheasant on the property that the owner told us to go ahead and take (he later told me that my buddy's dog was the best he'd ever seen, and just wanted to keep seeing her work).

I ended up taking 12 pheasants with that SXS, mostly head shots. And 2 of the birds were true doubles. I gave the guy who loaned me the SXS $200 on the spot, and took it home with me.

I have a beautiful SXS CSMC 20 ga in the classifieds here. Might be what you are looking for.

It is the only long gun I own.....for: hares, pheasant, partridges.



From American classics I recommend A.H. Fox of Philadelphia, Utica or Chicopee Falls. In modern American try to find trigger plate actioned Ruger Gold Label (commonly called round action). New production with reasonable price tag would be Turkish Akus shotguns sold in USA by several companies. There are always used affordable Birmingham made English shotguns in 12ga from extra light 2" guns to 3" wildfowlers. In vintage English guns you want something with heavy proof or 1&1/4oz or more to shoot standard American game loads. There were also numerous game guns from: Italy, Belgium, Japan, France, Germany, Austria and Spain. If you want best bang for buck in game gun it would be old Sakaba (Ithaca-SKB), Ugartechea 30 or a new Akus field grade from Cabelas. These are made and well established pattern of Anson & Deeley sytem of Westley Richards fame. The downside of old guns is they are not steel shot or other hard non-tox shot compatible meaning wit will he very expensive to use them in the future.

Love my SXS's. If anyone has a mint Browning 26" MOD/IMP and wants to sell it let me know

I've got an SKB 12 gauge, the old kind manufactured in the 1990s. Much higher quality than the current versions. Also selectable barrels, flush mounted choke tubes, and an adjustable comb. I hunt with it but prefer my 28 gauge O/U. It takes awhile to get used to the sight plane.

AYA model 2.

I’ve got a nice Yildiz 410 that I’m setting up as a turkey gun. My buddy in Alabama has a stoeger 20 that he likes to turkey hunt with. The yildiz is around 5 lbs and a dream to carry. Nice gun for the money.

It's all I use when I am able to get out. I do have a high comb 410 O/U if you're interested.

I have two 20’s by SKB. A 280, 26”barrel quail shotgun and another that I think is a model 300 ? with 28” barrels, both with English straight grips. I shoot both of them really well...they just fit right.

AYA Matador, 20 gauge, sweet. I traded a 22/250 PO Ackley for it.

I have a 20 gauge Ithaca double. Light as a feather.

Yep. There was a reason the old shotguns of yore had a lot of drop in the buttstock. They wanted meat and that meant shooting in a hurry with head up and they werent worried about a bit of kick to the shoulder.
In those times they didnt consider busting a bunch of clays and wasting shells a good day of shooting.