What is the Benefit of an O/U? Sem-Autos Cost Less.

Aamdskeetshooter said:

Most serious Skeetshooters have gone to 30” inch barrels. Some even to 32”. Even in international Skeet using a low gun position.

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Huh. Interesting. I don’t pay attention to competition. Guess I’m old school.

alucard0822 said:

More compact action, no cyling delay, better balance, a different choke for each shot, longer barrels for a given OAL. There is more fitting involved with the lockup, you have 2 trigger groups, 2 barrels, gas systems and mag tubes are relatively cheap to build. In either a semi or O/U, you can get a useable low-end gun for $500, more money gets better fit and function. There is a point around $2K-$3K where the materials and build are about as good as they can be, over that usually adds aesthetics, sometimes accesories, exotic materials, or true custom services.

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^^That about sums it up

My Grandfather hunted pheasants in the mid west as a boy and they dove in Arizona after his service during WW2. He always preferred his OU shotguns over his side by side saying moving up and down is a more natural motion than side to side and since the OU was narrow you didn't lose sight of your target as you swung...I don't know as I have never fired a double of either type...My brother got my dad's 16 gauge side by side in the will...

Most has already been covered, but I will add that a decently priced o/u will outlast a semi by a mile and the o/u will have a lot less problems. I started my clays shooting on trap and was using a field grade Citori lightning back in 1993. It worked alright. In 1994, I bought a Beretta 682 Super Trap with a two barrel set. 1996, a Beretta 686 Onyx sporting. 2002 a Beretta 682 Gold sporting. 2003 a Beretta 391 Teknys semi. The 682 trap gun has had tens of thousands of rounds through it without a single hiccup. I use the 391 semi for the vast majority of my sporting clays shooting nowadays, and it has had its share of hiccups. It was failing to cycle for a while, until I figured out how to take a drill bit on a dremel to the gas ports. Have also had to replace the recoil spring a couple of times on it. I just shoot really well with it and enjoy the reduced recoil from it, that it makes it tough to shoot my 682 Gold sporting instead. Hell, I continually debate going to a Benelli semi for sporting clays, but I just like how that 391 feels when I put it on my shoulder.

OP, buy a cheaper semi auto to get your feet really wet on clays. Then, if you really get into it and want an o/u, save up for something in the $4,000 to $5,000 range. I paid $3,500 for my Beretta 682 Super Trap in 1994, and it was money well spent.

Muleskinner said:

My Grandfather hunted pheasants in the mid west as a boy and they dove in Arizona after his service during WW2. He always preferred his OU shotguns over his side by side saying moving up and down is a more natural motion than side to side and since the OU was narrow you didn't lose sight of your target as you swung...I don't know as I have never fired a double of either type...My brother got my dad's 16 gauge side by side in the will...

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I honestly like the picture of a SxS much better than an O/U. With a SxS your front bead is raised above the barrels on the rib anyway, and the lateral placement of the barrels gives you a good reference for lead distances. Not that "sight picture" even matters that much on a shotgun. If the gun is properly fitted (in regards of comb height, drop, and LOP) all that stuff becomes secondary as the way it conforms to your natural pointing instinct overrides all else in accuracy.

Nobody has mentioned the most important reason. Different chokes. My first barrel has a wider choke and my follow up barrel is tighter since I will be shooting at a greater distance typically.

HawaiiMark said:

Nobody has mentioned the most important reason. Different chokes. My first barrel has a wider choke and my follow up barrel is tighter since I will be shooting at a greater distance typically.

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You did not read very well. It was mentioned early on by alucard0822:

More compact action, no cyling delay, better balance, a different choke for each shot, longer barrels for a given OAL. There is more fitting involved with the lockup, you have 2 trigger groups, 2 barrels, gas systems and mag tubes are relatively cheap to build. In either a semi or O/U, you can get a useable low-end gun for $500, more money gets better fit and function. There is a point around $2K-$3K where the materials and build are about as good as they can be, over that usually adds aesthetics, sometimes accesories, exotic materials, or true custom services.

You don't have to bent over and pick up empty hulls.

GrimReaper said:

Because it's a rich old guys sport for the most part and the rich old guys are willing to pay a premium for something that looks fancy

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

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I like it... and I guess at 72 I fit in that old guy part, but not the rich part.
Reminds me of the Beverly Hillbillies when Granny outshot Mr Drysdale with
what I think was a .22.. someone else had a slingshot and did the same
thing.

Think most everything was covered. The vast majority of clay sports are shot by ou. Safety is huge! If Inam in a squad of 5 guys you can tell in a second if everyones gun is open and safe. The guy with the auto gets watched like a hawk for its much harder to know if the gun is loaded.

Aamdskeetshooter said:

Most serious Skeetshooters have gone to 30” inch barrels. Some even to 32”. Even in international Skeet using a low gun position.

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I tried the longer barrels on skeet. Didn't like the shift in the weight of the gun, and it seemed to take longer to get on target. A lot harder to hit the low station 8 bird especially. Went back to 26 inch and was a lot happier.

O/U, SXS, Semi-auto, pump, and lever shotguns

As stature, being short, feeds into how the gun fits (especially comb) has an influence which shotgun you prefer and which you shoot well. In 1968 I was shooting trap and skeet with an 1100 Remington with 30 inch full choke 3 in mag capable.I was doing well on trap with hand loads but not so in skeet as I had to beef up the rounds power to eject consistantly. Got a reup money bonus and kitchen pass to buy an O/U. Choice in 1968 was Winchester 101 at $875 or Miroku for $850. Chose Miroku as it is 24 inch barrels skeet/cylinder bore over improved modified. Immediately jumped from 17 out of 25 to consistent 23-24 and frequent 25 out 25 with normal green dot hand loads. Was shooting 400 to 800 rounds per week. Got into German hunting and hunting style competition for 'practice'. Had to use same shotgun for skeet, trap and running rabbits. In order to get the second trap shot (if you missed) the improved cylinder was loaded with #7 shot inside a AA championship match wad that allowed breaking clays consistently at extreme (to me) ranges at and a little more than 60 meters. Still shoot my Miroku ok and only repair has been firing pin.
Now at 3/4s of a century old, I use either my 870 18 in barrel or the 1100 with a modified 26 inch for Tactical clays. Cowboy Action (CA) predominantly use 1897 Winchester pump clone, sometimes a side by (12 or 20 gauge with and without mule ear hammers) and liking my CA Pards' 1887 two drop lever clone (next purchase).
Do prefer the O/U for skeet 24 in barrel. For sporting clays my Winchester model 91 O/U made in Belgium with dual selectable triggers (either trig fires both barrels with another pull, rear trigger fires bottom barrel first then top, while front trigger does reverse) improved over modified 28 inch barrels. Have been known to shoot sporting clays with a Browning semi-auto 30 inch barrel multiple chokes. I just shoot for fun now and often most of the shooting disciplines: centerfire n rimfire rifle & pistol, 3-gun, cowboy action, etc. So not real good at any just fun as the devil!

jjfcars said:

You don't have to bent over and pick up empty hulls.

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Well, if you only have extractors. If you have ejectors, you're still bending over.

dreadpirate said:

On Grab A Gun; the best Beretta semi-auto they have is like $2700. The best Beretta O/U is like $4900!!!! The semi-auto Beretta A400 Xcel is a rather sophisticated semi-auto with a Kick Off shock absorbing system that has next to no felt recoil. The O/U's in comparison are very low tech. I never realized that O/U's (from the same manufacturer) were at such a premium.

Can anyone explain to me why people pay the extra $$$$ for an O/U??

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I'm surprised nobody noted the lower recoil from the extra mass of the extra barrel.

Using the "Rule of 96" negating different velocities which has a lot to do with felt force.

Some don't like the double thump of semi auto's and having the choke tubes setup differently assist you in the short and followup shots.

A large part of the cost is the labor involved in regulating the barrels. They must be soldered together, test patterned, and if off, must be taken down, refitted and test patterned again - ad infinitum. This is neither cheap nor quick. Same deal with double rifles, and you don’t see those start for less than $5000.
I love a side by side, but shoot my Beretta A302 withclays.
DocAitch

tallen702 said:

Well, if you only have extractors. If you have ejectors, you're still bending over.

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All competition guns have ejectors. You eject the hulls into your hand. There are guys that can hold their hand 8” from the breach and still catch the hulls. They make a game of it. A classic sign of a new shooter is when they eject the hulls over their head or into their face. We make sure NOT to laugh because we don’t want to make a new shooter more self conscious than they already are.

campns said:

I'm surprised nobody noted the lower recoil from the extra mass of the extra barrel.



Using the "Rule of 96" negating different velocities which has a lot to do with felt force.



Some don't like the double thump of semi auto's and having the choke tubes setup differently assist you in the short and followup shots.

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Of course the gun that weighs more will recoil less assuming everything else remains the same. But a semi’s action soaks up a lot of recoil cycling the action. More so with gas operated guns as opposed to inertia operated guns.

JHE1956 said:

I tried the longer barrels on skeet. Didn't like the shift in the weight of the gun, and it seemed to take longer to get on target. A lot harder to hit the low station 8 bird especially. Went back to 26 inch and was a lot happier.

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If you shoot swing through, yes you would prefer a lighter gun with a shorter barrel. The top shooters shoot sustained lead. The speed of the swing is slower so the longer barrel doesn’t prevent them from hitting low 8 (or any other bird). Casual shooters can shoot any of the shotgun games with what they have available. And have fun and break birds. It just isn’t necessarily the best gun for the game. It’s like killing a bear with a .22 lr. I’m sure it’s been done but it’s not really the right gun for the job.

tallen702 said:

Well, if you only have extractors. If you have ejectors, you're still bending over.

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Naw, with just a brief practice, you learn to catch 'em as they are ejected!

Well, maybe not when you're shooting doubles like in sporting clays and skeet. (but I do still catch 'em sometimes)

dreadpirate said:

On Grab A Gun; the best Beretta semi-auto they have is like $2700. The best Beretta O/U is like $4900!!!! The semi-auto Beretta A400 Xcel is a rather sophisticated semi-auto with a Kick Off shock absorbing system that has next to no felt recoil. The O/U's in comparison are very low tech. I never realized that O/U's (from the same manufacturer) were at such a premium.

Can anyone explain to me why people pay the extra $$$$ for an O/U??

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I’m sure there have been lots of replies...

If you are shooting trap, skeet, or sporting clays, O/U shotguns are great from a safety perspective.

You never have to wonder if an O/U is loaded; the chambers are clearly visible and there are no surprises.

Someone on the first page indicated that the are $5000, but that’s hardly true. A Browning 625 is $1000.00 and a damn fine gun.

Semis have their place, but in the end it’s all a matter of what you want to use the gun for.

If I could only have one gun, it would probably be a Beretta A400 of some sort.... easy to clean, difficult to break, will shoot everything for 3/4oz skeet loads to 3.5 inch AAA loads (anti aircraft )