![]() The greater weight, the more ergonomic gripping surfaces, the single trigger, and, most of all, the narrow view down the rib of an o/u simply make it easier for most people to shoot. Even driven-game shooters in England, for whom the classic double gun was invented, are switching to o/u’s, particularly for shooting high driven pheasants, which are the popular thing now. The rest of the world has made more or less the same determination: Double guns are pretty, o/u’s are easier to shoot. In the waking world, where missing is a strong possibility I usually reach for an o/u to improve my chances. My dream gun is also a double because when I shoot in my dreams, I don’t miss a whole lot. No sporting arm is as graceful as a double gun, and in my view, the MacNaughton is the most beautiful gun of any type ever made. Expensive icing, but just icing.īoth my current and former dream guns are side-by-sides. The MacNaughton, which replaced the Model 21 a while ago as my dream gun, would be icing on the cake. It’s okay if it’s not there (again), because compared to many in the world, I already have a lot to be thankful for. Phil Bourjaily Dream Gun: Over/Under or Side-by-Side?Īnother Christmas is on its way and my fingers are crossed to find a bar-in-wood MacNaughton under the tree. A selection of Fausti Stefano doubles and o/u’s from Pheasant Fest in Des Moines. ![]() If you want an o/u as your truck gun, the Condor Supreme might be for you. The gun functioned well, and at 8 pounds it had a weight-forward balance that would make it a good choice for waterfowl or light clay-target duty. But you don’t buy a $500 o/u for looks you buy it as a practical break-action shooter. The lowest-priced model I tried, the Brazilian-made Condor had the worst fit and finish. At 7 1⁄2 pounds, it’s a little heavy for an upland shotgun, but that’s the end of its shortcomings. The Turkish-made Sterling has a slightly weight-forward balance that makes smashing clays a snap. Although I didn’t care for the laser-cut stippling in place of checkering, it is a distinctive, modern look that matches the two-tone silver receiver. My test gun’s walnut stock had better grain than I’ve seen on o/u’s costing twice as much. CZ Upland Sterling CZ Upland Sterling Jim Golden The attractive, straight-grained wood has a tasteful satin finish, and the checkering is neat and sharp. Like any alloy-framed o/u, this one feels slightly muzzle-heavy, but in a way that makes it easy to swing through targets. The 555 is surprisingly lightweight and lithe for a Turkish gun. 6 oz.)Įxtras: Five chokes, trigger lock, foam earplugs Point of Impact and Regulation: Very good Handling To approximate handling in a field situation, I shot low-gun skeet with each gun. Trigger Pull Using a Lyman digital trigger-pull gauge, I measured the pull for both the first and the second shot. Over the course of a week, at home and at the range, I evaluated all four guns for the following:īarrel Regulation and Point of Impact Shooting each gun from a solid rest at a steel pattern plate 25 yards away, I checked point of impact relative to point of aim, and whether the top and bottom barrels shot to the same spot.įit and Finish I closely inspected wood-to-metal fit, wood quality and finish, checkering, barrel bluing, and receiver finish. I tested 12s, but each comes in 20 gauge, too. They had much better triggers than I’ve seen on previous imports, and all four shot to point of aim with the top and bottom barrels. The four models I recently tested all functioned as intended out of the box. Even better, these affordable guns are improving. While entry-level models from established makers start at around $2,000, some of the newest imports cost less than half of that. Beyond the cachet, there’s the reliability of a break action and the advantage of two chokes. Most upland hunters either own an over/under or aspire to. We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.
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