Affordable Double-barreled Shotguns

jwise · July 26, 2001, 03:26 PM

I've always had a special place in my heart for double-barrel shotguns (side by side.) I don't have a lot of money, so I was wondering if you guys knew of a company who makes a decent side-by-side 12ga. for a truly affordable price. I will eventually want two side-by-sides, one ornately decorated, and the other a "coach gun" with an 18" bbl.

The ornately decorated, long barreled, side-by-side will be used to demonstrate the beauty of firearms and be shot very rarely (it will become a family heirloom.) The coach gun will be kept loaded and used to fend off 'goblins.'

Any suggestions? Please include websites.

July 26, 2001, 03:47 PM

I am not sure of manufacturers off hand, but I know that when I lived inNew Mexico, my dealer used to get in a lot of imports that weren't bad in price at all. Be glad you want a side by side model though. They are extremely inexpensive compared to over/under modles for some reason.

taco · July 26, 2001, 04:58 PM

For under $250 you can get a Rossi SxS with 18". It even has the rabbit ear hammers. I have one from about 10 years ago and it is good quality shotgun.

dZ · July 26, 2001, 08:31 PM

i like the Russian Baikals imported by EAA:
http://www.eaacorp.com/firearms/shot...213/index.html
http://www.eaacorp.com/firearms/shot...h43/index.html

240-700 dollars
http://216.22.162.209/p618.htm#eaamp213c

ATTICUS · July 26, 2001, 08:45 PM

Here's your goblin getter. Click on IGA coach gun (right side)
$338
http://www.theoutdoorscenter.com/Out...t/FrameSet.asp

huntsman · July 26, 2001, 09:36 PM

Jwise , you can always find a nice looking wall hanger for a couple a hudred dollars .Not shootable but nice to look at, try auction arms or ask around at Gunshop.com someone should have a old belgium clunker to sell

AS for a short barreled gun look for a Stevens 311 R it's there riot gun.

Good Guy · July 26, 2001, 11:41 PM

This month's American Rifleman has a very good writeup on affordable side-by-side shotguns. If you're not a member, join up and ask that your subscription be started with the August issue. Good article!

MK11 · July 27, 2001, 12:19 PM

I second the IGA coach gun. The Russian stuff looks interesting too. One thing, if you can find one with external hammers, get it. A loaded coach gun with internal hammers is always going to be "cocked & locked," which may not be good for the spring tension over time.

I think the coach gun is a seriously underrated home defense weapon.

jwise · July 27, 2001, 03:35 PM

Thanks for the advice! Good point about the external hammers. I hadn't really thought about that, but it sure makes sense!

Does IGA or Stevens have a website? I can't seem to get any info on them. The Baikal's look like a good deal.

Keep the info coming!

Drundel · July 27, 2001, 06:32 PM

Howdy, Jarrell. Time for a new toy eh? You ever get your tactial?

Ewok_Guy · July 27, 2001, 07:03 PM

Norinco makes an affordable 12ga SxS.

dick w. holliday · July 28, 2001, 05:42 PM

Most of my double gun experience lately has been involved with cowboy shooting and i see a lot of the foreign doubles giving problems--i guess they are trying to cash in too quick on the fad--seems like the older foreign guns were better--as for the stevens 311's they work fine but the cowboy crowd is buying them all up--i hit all the pawn shops i can and don't see many 311's around..i don't think they are available as new guns any more...i've got an old Savage-Fox model B that my dad gave me as my first shotgun and it is basically a fancy 311 (as far as i'm concerned) but it is in too good of shape to play cowboy with it....Don't want any guns with hammers either.......Dick

OkieCruffler · July 28, 2001, 08:50 PM

You can't go wrong with a Stevens 311 (I'm abit partial to them since I've got 8), but it takes some hunting to find them. The Savage Foxes are very sweet looking guns for abit more money and abit more hunting to find. I was shooting a friend's IGA coachgun last week and it was alot of fun if you aren't looking for anything too purdy.

OkieCruffler · July 28, 2001, 09:09 PM

Looks like I spoke too soon. www.gunsamerica.com and
www.auctionarms.com both have several 311's from $200 up. Looks like I've found a place to spend my tax refund check.

ATTICUS · July 29, 2001, 09:04 PM

Jwise: IGA coach guns are made/imported by Stoeger Industries. I couldn't find a website, but they are fairly common guns and can be found at many gunshops and gunshows.

July 26, 2001, 03:26 PM	#1
jwise Senior Member Join Date: January 18, 2001 Location: Texas Posts: 677	Affordable Double-barreled Shotguns I've always had a special place in my heart for double-barrel shotguns (side by side.) I don't have a lot of money, so I was wondering if you guys knew of a company who makes a decent side-by-side 12ga. for a truly affordable price. I will eventually want two side-by-sides, one ornately decorated, and the other a "coach gun" with an 18" bbl. The ornately decorated, long barreled, side-by-side will be used to demonstrate the beauty of firearms and be shot very rarely (it will become a family heirloom.) The coach gun will be kept loaded and used to fend off 'goblins.' Any suggestions? Please include websites.

July 26, 2001, 08:31 PM	#4
dZ Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 1999 Location: Exiled, Fetid Swamp, DC Posts: 7,548	i like the Russian Baikals imported by EAA: http://www.eaacorp.com/firearms/shot...213/index.html http://www.eaacorp.com/firearms/shot...h43/index.html 240-700 dollars http://216.22.162.209/p618.htm#eaamp213c __________________ "O tell the Lacedomecians to damn the torpedoes." BOTR, Chapter V: Some Monsters

July 26, 2001, 09:36 PM	#6
huntsman Senior Member Join Date: March 7, 2000 Location: ohio Posts: 121	double barrel Jwise , you can always find a nice looking wall hanger for a couple a hudred dollars .Not shootable but nice to look at, try auction arms or ask around at Gunshop.com someone should have a old belgium clunker to sell AS for a short barreled gun look for a Stevens 311 R it's there riot gun. __________________ cause he liked the quiet clean country livin and 20 more years slipped away -JB

July 27, 2001, 06:32 PM	#10
Drundel Senior Member Join Date: November 9, 2000 Location: Friendswood, TX Posts: 559	Howdy, Jarrell. Time for a new toy eh? You ever get your tactial? __________________ Shotshell Information Page Texas A&M University Proud member of the Fighting Class of '00

July 27, 2001, 07:03 PM	#11
Ewok_Guy Senior Member Join Date: April 11, 2001 Location: Endor Posts: 1,664	Norinco makes an affordable 12ga SxS. __________________ "Death and honor are thought to be the same, but today I have learned that sometimes they are not." --------------------- " I like big fat men like you. When they fall they make more noise! ...and sometimes they never get up." -Tuco Benedicto Pacifico Juan Maria Ramirez

July 26, 2001, 03:47 PM	#2
PreserveFreedom Guest Posts: n/a	I am not sure of manufacturers off hand, but I know that when I lived inNew Mexico, my dealer used to get in a lot of imports that weren't bad in price at all. Be glad you want a side by side model though. They are extremely inexpensive compared to over/under modles for some reason.

July 26, 2001, 04:58 PM	#3
taco Senior Member Join Date: April 28, 2000 Location: USA Posts: 936	For under $250 you can get a Rossi SxS with 18". It even has the rabbit ear hammers. I have one from about 10 years ago and it is good quality shotgun.

July 26, 2001, 08:45 PM	#5
ATTICUS Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 1999 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 2,100	Here's your goblin getter. Click on IGA coach gun (right side) $338 http://www.theoutdoorscenter.com/Out...t/FrameSet.asp

July 26, 2001, 11:41 PM	#7
Good Guy Senior Member Join Date: August 4, 1999 Posts: 638	This month's American Rifleman has a very good writeup on affordable side-by-side shotguns. If you're not a member, join up and ask that your subscription be started with the August issue. Good article!

July 27, 2001, 12:19 PM	#8
MK11 Senior Member Join Date: April 26, 2001 Posts: 577	I second the IGA coach gun. The Russian stuff looks interesting too. One thing, if you can find one with external hammers, get it. A loaded coach gun with internal hammers is always going to be "cocked & locked," which may not be good for the spring tension over time. I think the coach gun is a seriously underrated home defense weapon.

July 27, 2001, 03:35 PM	#9
jwise Senior Member Join Date: January 18, 2001 Location: Texas Posts: 677	Thanks for the advice! Good point about the external hammers. I hadn't really thought about that, but it sure makes sense! Does IGA or Stevens have a website? I can't seem to get any info on them. The Baikal's look like a good deal. Keep the info coming!

July 28, 2001, 05:42 PM	#12
dick w. holliday Senior Member Join Date: January 13, 2001 Location: NC Posts: 589	Most of my double gun experience lately has been involved with cowboy shooting and i see a lot of the foreign doubles giving problems--i guess they are trying to cash in too quick on the fad--seems like the older foreign guns were better--as for the stevens 311's they work fine but the cowboy crowd is buying them all up--i hit all the pawn shops i can and don't see many 311's around..i don't think they are available as new guns any more...i've got an old Savage-Fox model B that my dad gave me as my first shotgun and it is basically a fancy 311 (as far as i'm concerned) but it is in too good of shape to play cowboy with it....Don't want any guns with hammers either.......Dick

July 28, 2001, 08:50 PM	#13
OkieCruffler Senior Member Join Date: July 9, 2001 Location: Denison Texas on the banks of Texhoma Posts: 1,556	You can't go wrong with a Stevens 311 (I'm abit partial to them since I've got 8), but it takes some hunting to find them. The Savage Foxes are very sweet looking guns for abit more money and abit more hunting to find. I was shooting a friend's IGA coachgun last week and it was alot of fun if you aren't looking for anything too purdy. __________________ John A. Monroe, Never Forgive, Never Forget, Blood Pays Blood

July 28, 2001, 09:09 PM	#14
OkieCruffler Senior Member Join Date: July 9, 2001 Location: Denison Texas on the banks of Texhoma Posts: 1,556	Looks like I spoke too soon. www.gunsamerica.com and www.auctionarms.com both have several 311's from $200 up. Looks like I've found a place to spend my tax refund check. __________________ John A. Monroe, Never Forgive, Never Forget, Blood Pays Blood

July 29, 2001, 09:04 PM	#15
ATTICUS Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 1999 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 2,100	Jwise: IGA coach guns are made/imported by Stoeger Industries. I couldn't find a website, but they are fairly common guns and can be found at many gunshops and gunshows.