Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns What's your SG action preference order?

Just thought I'd maybe stir some activity on the SG subject.
MIne in order are:

Semi-auto. My pick if I could only have one, but just slightly ahead of the next one.
SXS. Love the look and nostalgia, even though I don't shoot them quite as well as the others.
And I wish I could switch the above 2 but can't help what I like, especially if shooting magnum 12 gauge or even 3" 20s.
O/U
Pump
Single shot, which I've owned in the past but not currently. Hmmm, might have to remedy that?

As much as I like rifles, for my home territory and available hunting, shotguns get more use through the season and are therefore more practical/justified if you have to have a reason for what you own. For the record like many here "need" has nothing to do with it for me. Got a new bird dog this year and I'm anticipating more SG trigger time if God and health gives me some good hunting years yet.

My trouble is, I like them all.

O/U - 1
Semi - 2
SxS - 3
Pump - 4

Reason - I've never owned a SxS though I'd love to and I suspect it would move to 1 but it's at 3 due to never using one. O/U is what I have the most experience with, hands down. I'm just not a pump guy, never found them to be especially pretty, advantageous etc. The only pump I "prefer" is a Rem 31. Got a friend who's a M12 nut but he won't shoot a 31 because I think he knows, it would destroy his house of M12 cards lol.

Pump
Semi
O/U
SxS
Single shot
I love shotguns mostly Winchester model 12s, early 870s ,1100s , Winchester model 50s and Super X model 1s in that order. Also have 101s , Savage/ Stevens 311s and others

I really like double guns. SxS then OU. Depending on the gun, I shoot them as well as anything else.

Love pumps. I have an old Rem 17, it’s a sweet gun. Local shop has a super cool old Marlin 19 on the rack. It’s been refinished and polished within an inch of its life, but it’s still pretty damn cool. Hope it sells soon. Lol.

Auto- My favorite shotgun is a Belgian A5 Mag Twenty. It gets equal time for upland and dove as a couple SxS’s. My go to duck gun is a al390. That said, most autos to me are more like utility tools.

Single shot- never cared for them much. Don’t own one.

1. pump

2. SxS

3. O/U

4. autoloader

Madmooner 390 with the square receiver is my preferred SA. If I had to that could be my only SG.

I had a Marlin 19 for a few years. The one I had was in very good shape given it's age and I bought it mostly as a cool old wall hanger. It resided in brass hangers on the wall in my living room for about 6 years but I also took it hunting some and killed a bunch of squirrels and a couple fall turkeys with it. I kinda wish I still had it but eventualy traded it straight across for a Wingmaster in excellent condition which was worth a lot more than I paid for the Marlin.

I have S×S tastes, but a pumpgun budget.

actions are designed with a purpose in mind. since I have numerous purposes for a shotgun, I own one of each in no order. each does what its designed to do.
sorta like a closet full of shoes.
you dont play football with tennis sneakers.

Have owned:

6 O/Us....3 currently
6 SAs......2 currently
1 single...retained
1 pump

Sold, traded, gifted some....

My biggest regret was selling a gorgeous beretta A303, that was a winner.

I have 3 O/Us and 2 Autos. Soon to be 4 O/Us. Had a beautiful Merkel SxS I just couldn't shoot it for beans. Owned a couple 870s but nothing crazy, pumps don't get me all worked up. I prefer an O/U.

My Browning 725 Field 26” 12 is my favorite, and I can’t think of anything that I want to do that it won’t, but right now I have four pumps because I really like the old ones.

Also have one gas-operated Browning 20 that works well, but I’m not crazy about the plastic parts inside. Had to replace a couple of those that had deteriorated, apparently from age, before I got it. It was made in 1995, and looked almost new. I’d prefer an original A5, but nice 20s cost as much as the Citori.

I like SxSs, but can’t hit schitt with them. My old Stevens 311 hangs around for nostalgia.

My Henry SS .410 shoots Brenneke slugs like a rifle, throws great patterns to 30 yards with 5-pellet 000 buck, and deadly (so far only on paper) TSS patterns to at least 40. Kills clays to about 35 with 7 1/2 target loads. Damn shells are like gold now though.

To sum it up, I like them all, each for where they shine.

1. Semi auto
2. OU
3. SxS

Have zero use for a pump shotgun.

O/U
Auto
Pump
SxS (just don't shoot them well)
Single
Bolt

SxS for me.

Shoot them better than anything else.

And make it double triggers.

Shrap--great pics. Beauty.

Damn Kirk, the pattern in those Damascus barrels is just stunning.

That is what caught my eye when I first saw it. It is a William Powell lift lever, bar in wood 12 gauge that was made in 1871. It is an early cartridge gun and is a pleasant to shoot as it is to look at.

I have been killing grouse with it already this fall…