5 Reasons I shoot O/Us and Doubles in the Uplands

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by finsfurfeathers

Dismissed may read a bit harsh but I agree with you. This reads more like five reasons to give the wife for permission to buy another gun. In reality for me there is only 1 reason to use a gun...because I prefer this one and it feels good in my hands.

---

Exactly, none of the 5 reasons is actually a good reason unless you are looking for justification to drop money on a gun.

If you buy a pump 12ga you can shoot anything and have very little difficulty. The same can be said for a semi (if kept clean), a bolt, double, single, pretty much whatever you want to shoot.

I have a buddy who wanted an O/U, so he bought one. I guess he looks odd hunting deer with it but that is his shotgun and he enjoys shooting it so he will do well with it.

It it fun taking a bolt 410 to the trap range :), singles are better than doubles though.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Fox

Exactly, none of the 5 reasons is actually a good reason unless you are looking for justification to drop money on a gun.

If you buy a pump 12ga you can shoot anything and have very little difficulty. The same can be said for a semi (if kept clean), a bolt, double, single, pretty much whatever you want to shoot.

I have a buddy who wanted an O/U, so he bought one. I guess he looks odd hunting deer with it but that is his shotgun and he enjoys shooting it so he will do well with it.

It it fun taking a bolt 410 to the trap range :), singles are better than doubles though.

---

... and if we really, really wanted to we could do all our fishing with only one fishing rod. But most of us who fish own more than one rod, geared towards certain species and techniques. Like one of the commenters below the article stated, its really a first world problem.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ninepointer

... and if we really, really wanted to we could do all our fishing with only one fishing rod. But most of us who fish own more than one rod, geared towards certain species and techniques. Like one of the commenters below the article stated, its really a first world problem.

---

I also have many tools, I use them all for different purposes and work from high handicap down.

What I was getting at is that the 5 reasons have very little bearing on a hunt.

5) Look Good - Very open to interpretation
4) Don't Litter - Whom ever does not pick up their shells is just lazy, it is rare to have them fall so far that you cannot find them
3) 2 Chokes - Most of the time the shooter is concentrating on the bird, they should not be thinking about what trigger they are pulling or did they click over the selector switch. 2 chokes can be nice, and 2 different shot sizes as well, but if you have the bird in the center of the pattern it should not matter if it is modified or improved in 99% of scenarios.
2) Gun always works - Only ever had 1 jam on my pump, had jams on my break actions, had jams on the bolt
1) Feel safer - Well if you feel safer with a break action then you need to think about how you use your firearm. If someone with a break action has it broken and pointing at me I am flipping my lid the same as if they are pointing a semi at me. Safety is good gun handling practices and has nothing to do with the action itself. If you get caught using poor practices it does not matter if your gun is a break or a semi.

I am sorry, I thought it was a snooty article.

For the record, my favourite gun is a double side by side 16ga, I used it for a tom this spring, many grouse and rabbits and I picked up a bunch of wads so I can reload for it and take it to the trap range.

I love the double but I would never write an article saying it was safer or better in any way than any other shotgun.
If the gun fits you and you like it then use it.
If that means it is a brand new tactical pump or a muzzle loader have at er.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Fox

4) Don't Litter - Whom ever does not pick up their shells is just lazy, it is rare to have them fall so far that you cannot find them

---

That's pretty funny. I used to do all my upland shooting with a pump. And I like shooting pumps. But from the standpoint of picking up shells, no thanks. This is one real benefit to a break gun, preferably one with extractors instead of ejectors.

Come hunting woodcock with me some day, and we'll see how much time you spend hunting for spent hulls instead of birds.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Fox

1) Feel safer - Well if you feel safer with a break action then you need to think about how you use your firearm.

---

I can't recall the last time I met someone in the field who didn't break open his O/U when he met me and stopped to chat. And I can't recall the last time I met someone with a semi or a pump who did make safe. You can surely debate whether making safe is necessary there, but make sure to multiply by all those other scenarios where people really should make safe but don't bother. There are lots, when you get into thicker cover. Easy handling is safe handling; inconvenience encourages sloppiness.

If you think design has nothing to do with safety, then I'm sure you'll agree that guards over moving machinery are just an unnecessary cost that employers shouldn't be burdened with. If the worker would just stand clear, there'd be no problem, right? No substitute for workers staying alert!

That's all that needs to be said on that one.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by welsh

That's pretty funny. I used to do all my upland shooting with a pump. And I like shooting pumps. But from the standpoint of picking up shells, no thanks. This is one real benefit to a break gun, preferably one with extractors instead of ejectors.

Come hunting woodcock with me some day, and we'll see how much time you spend hunting for spent hulls instead of birds.





I can't recall the last time I met someone in the field who didn't break open his O/U when he met me and stopped to chat. And I can't recall the last time I met someone with a semi or a pump who did make safe. You can surely debate whether making safe is necessary there, but make sure to multiply by all those other scenarios where people really should make safe but don't bother. There are lots, when you get into thicker cover. Easy handling is safe handling; inconvenience encourages sloppiness.

If you think design has nothing to do with safety, then I'm sure you'll agree that guards over moving machinery are just an unnecessary cost that employers shouldn't be burdened with. If the worker would just stand clear, there'd be no problem, right? No substitute for workers staying alert!

That's all that needs to be said on that one.

---

I grab every shell

I also break open the action of any gun I have when around people, this is common safety practices.

It may be easier to grab shells from the back of the break action of crack open the break when approaching a person but a couple minutes to grab your shells and 1 little push on the pump release makes the gun unable to fire.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by welsh

That's pretty funny. I used to do all my upland shooting with a pump. And I like shooting pumps. But from the standpoint of picking up shells, no thanks. This is one real benefit to a break gun, preferably one with extractors instead of ejectors.

Come hunting woodcock with me some day, and we'll see how much time you spend hunting for spent hulls instead of birds.



I can't recall the last time I met someone in the field who didn't break open his O/U when he met me and stopped to chat. And I can't recall the last time I met someone with a semi or a pump who did make safe. You can surely debate whether making safe is necessary there, but make sure to multiply by all those other scenarios where people really should make safe but don't bother. There are lots, when you get into thicker cover. Easy handling is safe handling; inconvenience encourages sloppiness.

If you think design has nothing to do with safety, then I'm sure you'll agree that guards over moving machinery are just an unnecessary cost that employers shouldn't be burdened with. If the worker would just stand clear, there'd be no problem, right? No substitute for workers staying alert!

That's all that needs to be said on that one.

---

I converted from U/O to semis for multiple reasons (some I mentioned before), but anyone with real life experience will not argue the safety aspect and the shell problem. I even contemplated to buy a UGB25 to have a break action semi auto, but didn't because of its technical issues.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waftrudnir

I converted from U/O to semis for multiple reasons (some I mentioned before), but anyone with real life experience will not argue the safety aspect and the shell problem. I even contemplated to buy a UGB25 to have a break action semi auto, but didn't because of its technical issues.

---

Only the shell problem would be I'll give you. My Brown 12 with a flip of the magazine cut off and a pull on the tab its as open as any break open safty is never an issue in safe hands.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by welsh

I can't recall the last time I met someone in the field who didn't break open his O/U when he met me and stopped to chat. And I can't recall the last time I met someone with a semi or a pump who did make safe.

---

While I'm certainly a big fan of double guns; I also own & hunt with 2 pumps, and I used to own a Beretta semi. However, I have to say that I share Welsh's observations in this regard. I think it has to do with those simple yet extra steps it takes to make a pump/semi safe, including occasionally having to pick up an ejected live shell from the ground. Human nature is what it is.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TPM

Semi's certainly have come down in weight. Both my SxS's weigh in around 7 lbs but they are by no means light weights by upland game gun standards. A good game gun should be a lot closer to 6 lbs than 7lbs. Interestingly enough my current go to bird gun is an Ithaca 37 pump in 16ga. Handles well, shoots well and weighs in at 6 lbs 2oz.

---

Nice!
Good weight/3 shots/always goes bang every time/16 hits like a 12 and carries and shoots like a 20.For one gun to do all a pump is a good choice for sure.
I do like the SS,OU and semis sometimes to though:-)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ninepointer

Not surprising, considering the Model 37 receivers were sized for each gauge. A friend of mine has one and when you pick it up you know you're holding a true 16 ga., not a 12 ga. in disguise.

Not that this has anything to do with anything, but I've always preferred the snick-snick sound of Model 37's action over the clackety-clack of an 870.

---

Carry and point better to.