Some folks in England think you’re a crude fellow to come to the field with anything other than a side-by-side.

I bought a Fox Sterling . I have a Barretta 626 and a great solid gun. My boy got hooked on both and was in trap competition in high school. The Fox unfortunately peeled the barrel . My Barretta was a 26 " and not a great fit . About the same time I had the instructor tell me to get away from a side by,so we bought a Barretta 32" field and trap,but my son went cold. About the same time I bought an LC Smith field grade in beautiful condition. The LC was a 100 year old gun and I was reluctant to peel another side by. We went to a gun smith and ex trap champ that fitted guns . We first gave him the Barretta . He put a Lazer in the barrel and told my son to swing it. He said " Bring this home and put it in the closet ". So what else do you have ❓ I said I have an LC and he said bring it in . He did the same with the LC and said " Perfect" ❗ now go and shoot it to my son. My son said it's just a sewing machine or typewriter 🙄 ❗ He went out and wasn't thrilled until he shot two perfect 25s. I was concerned about the LC and the gunsmith said " This is like new and built better than most new shotguns". My boy instantly became our top gun . The LC took every bit of it and held great. We still were told to get him into a trap gun ,but why when he out shot guns 10 times the price with full chokes❓ Then a champ walked up and said he doesn't have to powder them ,I recommend boring the chokes. My boy said "No" ❗ He loved powdering them . I agreed . I do wonder what his score would be if it was bored ,but never would I and I'm glad he didn't want to. 😎

When my friend and I were 17 he and I both purchased side by side shotguns. I purchased a Savage Fox Model B. He purchased the Stevens Model 311. Both were chambered in 12 gauge with 28 inch barrels choked in modified and full. We harvested a lot of rabbits, squirrels, quail, and pheasants with those guns. We hunted ducks with them as well until steel shot was forced on us. Both guns were then semi-retired at that time. We are now 67 and still hunt together. Since bismuth shells are reasonably priced now we have pulled our doubles out of the safe and are using them again for ducks. Both guns could be called “blue collar” side by sides but they have been real work horses and well worth what we paid for them at the time. I take mine to the trap range and can still break 22 out of 25 with it outscoring some of the kids with their fancy trap guns.

Very good video..I have a couple of side by side shotguns my favorite is a 1920 LC Smith Field Grade that was my Great Granddaddy’s....it was mainly used to hunt rabbits and such during the Great Depression when times were really hard..the old shotgun is still rock solid even now

shimming the lug has gotten me a few good shotguns for almost nothing! so much that i had to sell them for the short term profit..my foolish youth!

I prefer old classic shotgun or any other gun over some of the new ones

Double trigger all the way.

Hunt with a side by side and you will love it !

These are the working family farm gun that many were hardware store brands because that what your family ancestors could afford and justify with family budget. Despite lusting after the nicer brand names models. Collecting local branded single and double barrel shotguns from the family run hardware stores ; from your local area is an area where you can get a great collectible gun, while not having to pay higher end collector prices. As few see the value that the history of their ownership holds through out their age of half a century to century since they hit the shelf when new.

I see SxS Doubles as an art form.

There is a simple elegance to a classic side-by-side that the modern "clay-bashing-drain-pipes" will never have.

I have always been a BIG Fan of the Fox shotguns and am Quite fond of my Fox Savage 410!!! 🤠👍

I love all doubles, side by sides, that is. My absolute favoites all have hammers- love my " blue collar" Stevens Tool and Arm model 235's!

I love the old double guns and even some of the boxes the old shells came in were beautiful also such a different time .

As the old Cajun called it ; a "two shoot shoot gun". I love side x sides and o/u"s!

As far as I'm concerned, you can't spend too much time with us, sharing your knowledge of SxSs. Especially, for me, AH Fox, Sterlingworth, and Spanish doubles in general. Thank you!

I bought a Stevens 311H in 20 gauge in the early 80's, it is my favorite and still use it often. I love a side by side. I really thank you for your videos!

Jack O'Connor also wrote about side by side shotguns. It is exceptionally interesting and fascinating, including single selective triggers.

Michael McIntosh's wife was a high school classmate of my wife. He wrote several great articles for The Missouri Conservationist Magazine about American shotguns. Once, I met him and enjoyed his take on great guns. You showed the Browning BSS which is my favorite field gun. When I was younger my enthusiasm for upland gunning knew no bounds and the only gun to shoot was a SXS. I kept wearing out the triggers and seers on Spanish double guns which, when corrected by a gunsmith, increases the trigger pull. A gunsmith told me to find a new home for the Spanish double and get a BSS. He was so right. Even though the BSS has a single trigger, I got used to it. After firing literally thousands of rounds thru the Browning, it never failed me once. The only problem I had with the gun was the fit of the stock: Too much drop at the comb. Some Duct Tape and two thick leather pieces raised the comb height so that I could find the target with both eyes. Fit of the stock on a shotgun is critical. Depth perception is off and one cannot mentally correct the parallax problem.

I’m 26 years old and I saved up for the Remington 1900 always wanted an old side by side shotgun