Hunting Washington Forum

Other Hunting => Upland Birds => Topic started by: pickardjw on October 12, 2024, 08:01:12 PM

Title: Upland Side by Side
Post by: pickardjw on October 12, 2024, 08:01:12 PM: Went out for opening day here in NE OR. Most of the guys I was with were running side by sides. Several Fox's in the group. I borrowed a 20ga semi-auto. It was light which was nice but I'm sold on getting a side by side. Love the way they swing and point.

Budget under $1k, preferably under $800. Happy to buy used on gunbroker to get a better value. Any suggestions on what to look for? Barrel length suggestions?

I don't hunt a ton of upland, no dog. Might use it duck hunting for fun. Just an excuse to add a gun to the safe.
Title: Re: Upland Side by Side
Post by: baldopepper on October 12, 2024, 08:38:18 PM: Personally have an old uggie 20.gauge Double. Not a real well known gun (real enthusiasts know them) but I love it. One of those guns that just seems to float to your shoulder and follows target easily. I shoot it better than any gun I've owned. Not the cheapest, but you might find one in your price range. Check em out online.
Title: Re: Upland Side by Side
Post by: pickardjw on October 12, 2024, 08:43:25 PM: Quote from: baldopepper on October 12, 2024, 08:38:18 PM
Personally have an old uggie 20.gauge Double. Not a real well known gun (real enthusiasts know them) but I love it. One of those guns that just seems to float to your shoulder and follows target easily. I shoot it better than any gun I've owned. Not the cheapest, but you might find one in your price range. Check em out online.

“Uggie” is the brand or is that a typo/auto-correct?
Title: Re: Upland Side by Side
Post by: baldopepper on October 12, 2024, 08:48:46 PM: Actual name is Ugartachea but commonly referred to as Uggies. You'll find info online under uggies.
Title: Re: Upland Side by Side
Post by: wadu1 on October 12, 2024, 08:53:17 PM: The Weatherby Orion is not bad, I picked one up this spring. Sportsmans Wearhouse has them for under 1K. They are made in Turkey with Weatherby's design, warranty is handled by Briley in Texas.
https://weatherby.com/store/orion-sxs/ (https://weatherby.com/store/orion-sxs/)
Title: Re: Upland Side by Side
Post by: pickardjw on October 13, 2024, 09:08:53 AM: Quote from: baldopepper on October 12, 2024, 08:48:46 PM
Actual name is Ugartachea but commonly referred to as Uggies. You'll find info online under uggies.

Ahh gotcha, thanks for the recommendation.

Quote from: wadu1 on October 12, 2024, 08:53:17 PM
The Weatherby Orion is not bad, I picked one up this spring. Sportsmans Wearhouse has them for under 1K. They are made in Turkey with Weatherby's design, warranty is handled by Briley in Texas.
https://weatherby.com/store/orion-sxs/ (https://weatherby.com/store/orion-sxs/)

I handled one of the Orion's in Sportsmans yesterday. Seemed nice enough.

What's the general consensus on single vs double triggers? My gut says there might be more of a learning curve with the double.
Title: Re: Upland Side by Side
Post by: wadu1 on October 13, 2024, 09:48:16 AM: Don't let double triggers bother you. In some ways they are better, less parts to go wrong. I have both in my stable of SXS doesn't bother me. If you are going with the classic look then check out some of the older ones. To name a few, Uggie's, AYA, SKB/Ithica Savage/Fox may be found in your budget. I would also read up on what to look for in specific SXS, Box lock over Side locks and how to ring the barrels to check solder joints.
Title: Re: Upland Side by Side
Post by: Lalo on October 13, 2024, 12:59:20 PM: I love classic doubles, but with non-toxic restrictions a modern gun is better. Not sure about OR, but WA is becoming harder to hunt without steel shot.
Title: Re: Upland Side by Side
Post by: CP on October 13, 2024, 01:36:37 PM: Yeah, double triggers are fine, but I find myself pulling the same trigger twice sometimes. That doesn’t work too well. But I love bringing the old double out every now and then.
Title: Re: Upland Side by Side
Post by: CP on October 13, 2024, 01:40:42 PM: Sorry about the "upland" ducks. How about some grouse instead?
Title: Re: Upland Side by Side
Post by: follow maggie on October 13, 2024, 03:26:57 PM: I have a Weatherby Orion that bought in 2001. It’s a good gun. It has lots of rounds & lots of hunting through it & I still use it in he first 1/2 of the season. I like short barrels in an upland gun, 26”-28”. They’re easier to get around on a fast flushing bird.
Title: Re: Upland Side by Side
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on October 13, 2024, 03:44:31 PM: Had a chance to buy some SxS from the factory in Turkey when I was deployed there, kick myself every time I think about it.🤯
Title: Re: Upland Side by Side
Post by: Utah on November 30, 2024, 08:41:16 PM: CZ Bobwhite Gen 2
Title: Re: Upland Side by Side
Post by: jackson7 on November 30, 2024, 09:45:32 PM: SKB are nice guns. single trigger, can shoot steel. Will not break the bank. weight is another thing to consider.
Title: Re: Upland Side by Side
Post by: GWP on December 01, 2024, 07:08:28 AM: Used can be good if you check them out. I have had two that the barrels were separating. It was costly to have them re-regulated and re-soldered. Both were tighter fixed choke someone was shooting steel (I presume) out of.
I sold off my single trigger ones. I much prefer the double triggers, but some like it the other way around.
One older model to be cautious about is the Winchester Model 24 ‘round action’, as the shell extractor is spring actuated, not mechanical. If the springs have gotten weaker the empty may stick and you will need to drop a weight down the barrel to pop it out.
One of my favorite SxS’s though, particularly in 16ga.
Any of them in 16 gauge are always a temptation for me.
Good luck!
Title: Re: Upland Side by Side
Post by: boneaddict on December 01, 2024, 09:05:57 AM: I use an over under, but I sure do like the classic look of a SxS, and yes Oregon is also going mostly steel or non tox
Title: Re: Upland Side by Side
Post by: Badhabit on December 01, 2024, 10:34:12 AM: Browning BSS or SKB 100 or 200 should be in your price range.
Title: Re: Upland Side by Side
Post by: John B on December 09, 2024, 01:52:28 PM: Quote from: Utah on November 30, 2024, 08:41:16 PM
CZ Bobwhite Gen 2

This is probably your best bet at $1k price point. If you plan to take it duck hunting look at the All Terrain. It's ceracoated and has rare earth magnets to hold your shells in if loading in a blind
Title: Re: Upland Side by Side
Post by: BD1 on December 09, 2024, 04:27:42 PM: I bought a CZ Ringneck in 20 guage from a member on here. I love it. I would ask on some hunting websites. Some people buy them and for whatever reason decide to get rid of . Mine is the single trigger.
Title: Re: Upland Side by Side
Post by: wadu1 on December 09, 2024, 04:49:01 PM: I picked up a nice L.C. Smith this year for $700. Downside it was made in 1925, they did not offer 2 3/4" until 1935 so my gun has 2 1/2 chambers, not a big deal for me, I can load for them. For hunting I would be loading Bismuth were nontoxic is required.
Title: Re: Upland Side by Side
Post by: GWP on December 09, 2024, 05:00:57 PM: I just posted up an auction of 7+ lbs of #6 Bismuth on 16ga Society to help support that site. Lots of good 16 gauge info over there.
Loves me some 16ga SxS, but any of them are fun.
Title: Re: Upland Side by Side
Post by: SeaRun1 on December 09, 2024, 05:11:59 PM: I have the Sportsman’s Warehouse CZ Bobwhite Gen 2. It is the same as regular the G2 butis faux color case hardened. 20 gauge swings nice and is 6.5 pounds. Wood is ok not great.

SR1
Title: Re: Upland Side by Side
Post by: salish on January 05, 2025, 12:02:38 PM: Quote from: Lalo on October 13, 2024, 12:59:20 PM
I love classic doubles, but with non-toxic restrictions a modern gun is better. Not sure about OR, but WA is becoming harder to hunt without steel shot.

I was concerned about the same thing. I shoot 16ga in several of my upland guns, including an LC Smith sxs. I grew weary of being concerned about hunting several areas in one trip, where there are non-tox requirements. I decided to buy a case of non-tox shells from BOSS and they have proven to work very well for me. It wasn't an easy decision because I'm on a pretty strict budget and they're pretty expensive. But I'm glad I did. I can travel anywhere and hunt without worry. I still have a lot of lead shells to use up, but I can't pick and choose specific areas to hunt for that. By the way, I hunt with all vintage guns, none of which will handle steel.
Title: Re: Upland Side by Side
Post by: jetjockey on March 18, 2025, 10:22:21 AM: Don’t do it. Trust me. This is a rabbit hole you will not return from. Ask me how I know! Also, don’t go cheap, and don’t go Turkish. RST will be your new friends, and you can never have just one.
Title: Re: Upland Side by Side
Post by: Dave Workman on June 26, 2025, 11:37:51 AM: For me there is nothing quite like hunting high country fool hens with a double. They're lighter than a pump or semi-auto, more compact, and for me they seem to point better.
Gotta love them doubles!
Title: Re: Upland Side by Side
Post by: Dave Workman on June 26, 2025, 05:08:05 PM: From last year's opener, another great memory.
Sept. 15 cannot come soon enough!
Title: Re: Upland Side by Side
Post by: ghosthunter on June 26, 2025, 05:46:33 PM: I have Coach Gun Supreme I bought from a member here in 12 ga. Screw in Chokes works great for grouse.

I like the compact size.