Side by side

nathaniel · October 4, 2011, 12:23 AM

I want to get a new shotgun. I want a side by side I can use for cowboy action shooting but also for hunting so it needs to be able to shoot 3" steel shot. (I have to use steel for any kind of birds on the land I hunt). What are your suggestions?

lamarw · October 4, 2011, 06:29 AM

Krieghoff Essencia

svt40 · October 4, 2011, 06:42 AM

The Stoeger line may have what you want. Steel-shot screw in chokes and you can get it in a coachgun size. There good working man shotguns. In this country it was the Stevens 4.5 decades ago.

Dave McC · October 4, 2011, 10:16 AM

Look around for a new Baikal or an old Savage 311.

Doyle · October 4, 2011, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Look around for a new Baikal or an old Savage 311.
__________________

I wouldn't advise running steel shot through an old Savage 311. Their barrels are pretty thin.

oneounceload · October 4, 2011, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Krieghoff Essencia

They're proofed for steel?

If the 311 has barrels similar to my Savage/Fox BSE they'll be fine. Those sewer pipes have wall thickness you can measure with a yardstick

nathaniel · October 4, 2011, 07:29 PM

I really like the feel of the stoegers but Ive been told that you cant shoot steel shot out of them.

BigJimP · October 4, 2011, 07:32 PM

An Essencia ......

and a Baikal in the same discussion ....that's pretty funny ....

( that's like putting a Lexus SUV and a rusty - and broken skate board into the same discussion...)...interesting ...

oneounceload · October 4, 2011, 08:31 PM

Jim - retired lawyer I know has an Essencia - very nice handling gun, even if it is a Kreighoff....(makes me wonder if they actually make it themselves) - you should shoot one - swings nice -

A WHOLE lot better than a Baikal, Stoeger or Savage/Stevens............

BigJimP · October 5, 2011, 11:29 AM

A whole lot better is a big time understatement ...but I'm not a SXS guy ...so while its an interesting gun / just not something I want.

But if I get a chance to shoot one ...I'll take it ....

nathaniel · October 5, 2011, 08:48 PM

Ok Ive decided on the Stoeger uplander but I have a few questions. First, I cant find any chokes for the stoeger, is there a choke from a different maufacturer that will work for the stoeger? Second, I've been told they come covered in cosmoline, whats the best/easiest way to get this off the gun? Second, can you shoot buckshot and slugs out of this gun? Will it damage it? Third, what is best on a side by side, single trigger or double? What model of the uplander do you guys suggest? Do you guys have any experiance with this model, if so how are they? Sorry for all the questions but Im new to side by sides.

Doyle · October 6, 2011, 08:56 AM

Shooting slugs out of a SxS is an iffy proposition. The reason is that SxS barrels are frequently poorly regulated - especially in one of the cheaper models like Stoeger. Barrel regulation is the "art" of soldering them so that both barrel tubes are as parallel as humanly possible, and therefore hit the same point-of-aim. With most SxS guns, you'll find that one barrel shoots the slug to a fairly significant point-of-impact than the other barrel does.

oneounceload · October 6, 2011, 12:24 PM

Most guns have some form of rust preventative on them any good cleaner will suffice

If the gun has removable (as opposed to fixed) chokes, Briley and others will have after-market ones you can buy

I use my SxS for birds and I like double triggers as I have an instant choke selection - faster than moving any lever

While most guns can shoot slugs and other heavy loads, eventually that heavy pounding takes its toll - especially with the side flexing inherent in a SxS - if it gets to be too much for the gun, it will start to be "off the face" and will need to be tightened back up - depending on what is needed, it could be fairly quick and cheap, or long and pricey

Antique Shooter · October 6, 2011, 08:41 PM

Good choice nathaniel! I have a Stoeger Uplander and like it alot. The Stoeger Uplander uses the same chokes as Winchester, and Browning Invector. DO NOT USE BROWNING INVECTOR PLUS. Yes, I have fine antique doubles, but none that will shoot a 3"!

I would go with Carlsons's Chokes. I use the extended steel shot chokes with great success. They also have quite the variety of chokes.

The link is below,

Antique Shooter

http://choketube.com/wbmw.html

nathaniel · October 6, 2011, 11:09 PM

Thanks for the help guys I really appreciate it.

October 4, 2011, 12:23 AM	#1
nathaniel Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2010 Location: North Dakota Posts: 600	Side by side I want to get a new shotgun. I want a side by side I can use for cowboy action shooting but also for hunting so it needs to be able to shoot 3" steel shot. (I have to use steel for any kind of birds on the land I hunt). What are your suggestions?

October 4, 2011, 06:29 AM	#2
lamarw Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2010 Location: Lake Martin, AL Posts: 1,234	Krieghoff Essencia

October 4, 2011, 06:42 AM	#3
svt40 Member Join Date: September 27, 2011 Posts: 51	The Stoeger line may have what you want. Steel-shot screw in chokes and you can get it in a coachgun size. There good working man shotguns. In this country it was the Stevens 4.5 decades ago.

October 4, 2011, 10:16 AM	#4
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 14, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,831	Look around for a new Baikal or an old Savage 311.

October 4, 2011, 07:29 PM	#7
nathaniel Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2010 Location: North Dakota Posts: 600	I really like the feel of the stoegers but Ive been told that you cant shoot steel shot out of them.

October 4, 2011, 07:32 PM	#8
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 9,963	An Essencia ...... and a Baikal in the same discussion ....that's pretty funny .... ( that's like putting a Lexus SUV and a rusty - and broken skate board into the same discussion...)...interesting ...

October 4, 2011, 08:31 PM	#9
oneounceload Junior member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: N. Central Florida Posts: 8,518	Jim - retired lawyer I know has an Essencia - very nice handling gun, even if it is a Kreighoff....(makes me wonder if they actually make it themselves) - you should shoot one - swings nice - A WHOLE lot better than a Baikal, Stoeger or Savage/Stevens............

October 5, 2011, 11:29 AM	#10
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 9,963	A whole lot better is a big time understatement ...but I'm not a SXS guy ...so while its an interesting gun / just not something I want. But if I get a chance to shoot one ...I'll take it ....

October 5, 2011, 08:48 PM	#11
nathaniel Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2010 Location: North Dakota Posts: 600	Ok Ive decided on the Stoeger uplander but I have a few questions. First, I cant find any chokes for the stoeger, is there a choke from a different maufacturer that will work for the stoeger? Second, I've been told they come covered in cosmoline, whats the best/easiest way to get this off the gun? Second, can you shoot buckshot and slugs out of this gun? Will it damage it? Third, what is best on a side by side, single trigger or double? What model of the uplander do you guys suggest? Do you guys have any experiance with this model, if so how are they? Sorry for all the questions but Im new to side by sides.

October 6, 2011, 08:56 AM	#12
Doyle Senior Member Join Date: June 20, 2007 Location: Bradenton, Fl Posts: 4,128	Shooting slugs out of a SxS is an iffy proposition. The reason is that SxS barrels are frequently poorly regulated - especially in one of the cheaper models like Stoeger. Barrel regulation is the "art" of soldering them so that both barrel tubes are as parallel as humanly possible, and therefore hit the same point-of-aim. With most SxS guns, you'll find that one barrel shoots the slug to a fairly significant point-of-impact than the other barrel does.

October 6, 2011, 12:24 PM	#13
oneounceload Junior member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: N. Central Florida Posts: 8,518	Most guns have some form of rust preventative on them any good cleaner will suffice If the gun has removable (as opposed to fixed) chokes, Briley and others will have after-market ones you can buy I use my SxS for birds and I like double triggers as I have an instant choke selection - faster than moving any lever While most guns can shoot slugs and other heavy loads, eventually that heavy pounding takes its toll - especially with the side flexing inherent in a SxS - if it gets to be too much for the gun, it will start to be "off the face" and will need to be tightened back up - depending on what is needed, it could be fairly quick and cheap, or long and pricey

October 6, 2011, 08:41 PM	#14
Antique Shooter Member Join Date: August 13, 2010 Location: South Central Pennsylvania Posts: 98	Good choice nathaniel! I have a Stoeger Uplander and like it alot. The Stoeger Uplander uses the same chokes as Winchester, and Browning Invector. DO NOT USE BROWNING INVECTOR PLUS. Yes, I have fine antique doubles, but none that will shoot a 3"! I would go with Carlsons's Chokes. I use the extended steel shot chokes with great success. They also have quite the variety of chokes. The link is below, Antique Shooter http://choketube.com/wbmw.html

October 6, 2011, 11:09 PM	#15
nathaniel Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2010 Location: North Dakota Posts: 600	Thanks for the help guys I really appreciate it.