Side by Side for Trap/Skeet?

destrega09 · November 7, 2005, 10:12 PM

Just started shooting trap with a friend. I think the Ruger side by Side is a sweet looking shotgun, and I'm thinking about picking one up, but all the talk I hear about trap shooters is that O/Us are the way to go. For obvious reasons I agree that it's probably easier, but I think I could learn to hit with the side by side. Anyone ever use a side by side for trap/skeet?

wcandres · November 7, 2005, 10:25 PM

You get used to what you're shooting. I've been shooting informal skeet for the past few years with my old Fox Model B. 24" IC & M. You get used to that "fat" sighting plane. I have a much harder time now with an O/U.

Pointer · November 7, 2005, 10:30 PM

Once

SxS's are difficult because you have to make adjustments "in flight" for which you don't have much time.

This is especially difficult with doubles and in skeet shooting.

O/U's point much easier and therefore acquire the target-line more smoothly.

everardov · November 22, 2005, 06:18 PM

Hi, when I first started to practice sporting clays and skeet i din't have a O/U so i started with a spanish side by side AYA, by the way is beautifull, but is not good for the porpouses mentioned above for a lot of reasons.

In my poor opinon and limited experience.

First and most important of all, the balance, the construction of a side by side is very diferent than O/U, the last provides a more solid and easy to handle construction which aids you to make a smoother and sustained swing which is very important in order to improve accuracy.

Another thing is the interchangebility of the chokes, since most of the side by side shotguns have fixed chokes with tight constrictions you are giving away a lot of advantage.

In a sesion of trap, skeet or SC, a shooter burns at least 100 shotshells, since the side by side is much lighter than the O/U the recoil is greater, and you wont feel it in your shoulder but in your middle finger because of the trigger guard.

The double trigger(if is the case) you may get used to, but it doesn't helps.

The last but not least issue to take in to consideration is that after several shotshells burned, the side by side starts to warm up like hell, and due to this, the action may starts to fail or may be difficult to break in order to reload due to the difference in the expansion coefficient.

Despite all i mentioned above you have a beautifull gun for hunting.
Best regards.

Omaha-BeenGlockin · November 22, 2005, 06:54 PM

Once you get good with a shotgun---the gun itself doesn't matter all that much----shoot what you want and feel comfortable with.

rugerdude · November 22, 2005, 07:50 PM

It all depends on what you get used to.

I started out with a maverick 88 pump with a 28" barrel, and I was never very good with it, but I was messing around with my uncle's mossberg 590 and it turns out, that I shot much better with a really short barrel (20" or less).

I now use a mossberg persuader (18.5" barrel) for skeet, and I can't do nearly as well with a full length gun now.

but that's okay, because I do well with the persuader.

Fit is important, but if you practice enough, you'll be able to use just about anything.

kudu · November 22, 2005, 08:15 PM

Just remember how light the Ruger is, 6 pounds plus change. Most trap guns weigh in around 8+ for recoil reasons. They may be fine for carrying around in the field all day but can be brutal when you shoot 3 or 4 boxes of shells in a row.

Jim Watson · November 22, 2005, 09:02 PM

You can have fun, but the winners don't use them any more.

K80Geoff · November 23, 2005, 05:22 AM

Back around the turn of the last century everybody used SXS's. Annie Oakley used SXS exclusively and she could probably still outshoot most of the "Pros" around today.

The real enjoyment would be whupping their butts using your SXS

Jbar4Ranch · November 23, 2005, 10:27 PM

I busted more clays with my Ruger Gold Label the second time out than I normally do with my Franchi o/u which I've shot for several years. I shoot trap now and then, but skeet is a whole 'nuther ball game, and I've never tried it.

November 7, 2005, 10:12 PM	#1
destrega09 Junior Member Join Date: November 7, 2005 Posts: 1	Side by Side for Trap/Skeet? Just started shooting trap with a friend. I think the Ruger side by Side is a sweet looking shotgun, and I'm thinking about picking one up, but all the talk I hear about trap shooters is that O/Us are the way to go. For obvious reasons I agree that it's probably easier, but I think I could learn to hit with the side by side. Anyone ever use a side by side for trap/skeet?

November 7, 2005, 10:25 PM	#2
wcandres Member Join Date: October 24, 2005 Location: MN Posts: 17	You get used to what you're shooting. I've been shooting informal skeet for the past few years with my old Fox Model B. 24" IC & M. You get used to that "fat" sighting plane. I have a much harder time now with an O/U. __________________ Bill Another bewildered traveler, on the information superhighway!

November 22, 2005, 06:18 PM	#4
everardov Junior Member Join Date: November 15, 2005 Posts: 11	Side by side for trap Hi, when I first started to practice sporting clays and skeet i din't have a O/U so i started with a spanish side by side AYA, by the way is beautifull, but is not good for the porpouses mentioned above for a lot of reasons. In my poor opinon and limited experience. First and most important of all, the balance, the construction of a side by side is very diferent than O/U, the last provides a more solid and easy to handle construction which aids you to make a smoother and sustained swing which is very important in order to improve accuracy. Another thing is the interchangebility of the chokes, since most of the side by side shotguns have fixed chokes with tight constrictions you are giving away a lot of advantage. In a sesion of trap, skeet or SC, a shooter burns at least 100 shotshells, since the side by side is much lighter than the O/U the recoil is greater, and you wont feel it in your shoulder but in your middle finger because of the trigger guard. The double trigger(if is the case) you may get used to, but it doesn't helps. The last but not least issue to take in to consideration is that after several shotshells burned, the side by side starts to warm up like hell, and due to this, the action may starts to fail or may be difficult to break in order to reload due to the difference in the expansion coefficient. Despite all i mentioned above you have a beautifull gun for hunting. Best regards.

November 22, 2005, 06:54 PM	#5
Omaha-BeenGlockin Senior Member Join Date: December 13, 2001 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 1,183	Once you get good with a shotgun---the gun itself doesn't matter all that much----shoot what you want and feel comfortable with. __________________ I take the leech that's bleeding me Can't stop to save my soul I take the leash that's leading me -------Metallica

November 22, 2005, 07:50 PM	#6
rugerdude Senior Member Join Date: July 6, 2004 Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma Posts: 1,443	It all depends on what you get used to. I started out with a maverick 88 pump with a 28" barrel, and I was never very good with it, but I was messing around with my uncle's mossberg 590 and it turns out, that I shot much better with a really short barrel (20" or less). I now use a mossberg persuader (18.5" barrel) for skeet, and I can't do nearly as well with a full length gun now. but that's okay, because I do well with the persuader. Fit is important, but if you practice enough, you'll be able to use just about anything. __________________ "The SKS is a rifle, made the way they should be, out of a heavy block of crappy commie steel, set in an inletted semi-reshaped 2x4." Not my quote but I agree completely.

November 7, 2005, 10:30 PM	#3
Pointer Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2005 Location: Utah Posts: 2,559	Once SxS's are difficult because you have to make adjustments "in flight" for which you don't have much time. This is especially difficult with doubles and in skeet shooting. O/U's point much easier and therefore acquire the target-line more smoothly.

November 22, 2005, 08:15 PM	#7
kudu Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2004 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 273	Just remember how light the Ruger is, 6 pounds plus change. Most trap guns weigh in around 8+ for recoil reasons. They may be fine for carrying around in the field all day but can be brutal when you shoot 3 or 4 boxes of shells in a row. __________________ "a shootin' we will go"

November 22, 2005, 09:02 PM	#8
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,544	You can have fun, but the winners don't use them any more.

November 23, 2005, 05:22 AM	#9
K80Geoff Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 1998 Location: NE Pennsylvania Posts: 3,639	Back around the turn of the last century everybody used SXS's. Annie Oakley used SXS exclusively and she could probably still outshoot most of the "Pros" around today. The real enjoyment would be whupping their butts using your SXS __________________ I am no longer a member of this forum. Bye!

November 23, 2005, 10:27 PM	#10
Jbar4Ranch Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 1999 Location: Near Helena, Montana Posts: 1,719	I busted more clays with my Ruger Gold Label the second time out than I normally do with my Franchi o/u which I've shot for several years. I shoot trap now and then, but skeet is a whole 'nuther ball game, and I've never tried it. __________________ Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets replaced... SASS 47015