Double Barrels for Ducks

Eric Patterson

Eric Patterson

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My son learned to hunt ducks with a 20 gauge double barrel. As he got older he moved to a 12 gauge semi-auto. He wants to go back to shooting an o/u double. I haven't surveyed the double barrel market in quite some time so if anyone has some suggestions for a reasonably priced o/u double I'd love to hear them. He's been looking at a Franchi Instinct SL but I'm concerned the lightweight aluminum frame means heavy recoil with duck loads. Maybe a good used Citori is the direction we should head.

Suggestions?

Eric P
 
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I think I shoot a o/u better. Add to that my son is left eye dominant so he shoots an O/U and since he upgraded to a 12 he has taken over my Beretta Essential. This led me to start a search for a O/U. I am also a big fan of 3 1/2 inch 12 gauge. I ended up going with a Browning Cynergy. I was able to buy a brand new one for $1350.00. There are not many used on the market as folks that own them love them.
Had I not wanted a 3 1/2 inch, I would likely have bought another Beretta Essential. Great gun that can be had a good price. The only flaw I see in that gun is the inertia trigger system. I have not changed it in mine but conversion to a mechanical is readily available.
 
A Stevens 311 in 20g isn't too expensive. A citori gets up there in price, Browning sxs is expensive.
I've had sxs before and can't hit a lick.
 
Depending on if the gun fits him its hard to beat a citori. Enough weight to help soak up recoil from duck loads. My 3 1/2 " weighs i beleive 8.5 lbs. But that said even with a limbsaver pad i,d much rather shoot 3" x 1 1/4 oz. lds. I beleive all the other o/u ers. are much lighter.
 
Eric,
I have a Stoeger Long Fowler. It kills ducks just fine and was under $450.00 They come in 12 and 20 gauge.
http://www.stoegerindustries.com/over-and-under-shotguns

I have also heard good things about TriStar. They have had pretty good reviews for their Autos. A buddy has a o/u and loves it.
http://www.tristararms.com/products/3-12-mag/overunder/

Let us know what you decide on.

Zane
 
ahh - doubles - real duck guns
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I may be the wrong one to ask - its all I shoot, ducks, upland, clays -- anything

I think it was Joel Vance who said there are two kinds of doubles - one where one barrel somehow slipped down under the other and one kind with both barrels side by side like God intended

the Savage/Stevens 311 and its variants (which included the Fox model B) are solid guns, there are also some field grade classics such as the Fox Sterlingworth, the Ithaca Lefever for example that can be found reasonable. The old doubles and many of the new ones (even O/U) should not be used with steel shot- Bismuth and the tungsten matrix shots are a option

Here is a workhorse- a 3 frame 12ga Parker with 32 inch heavy barrels
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BTW one of our granddaughters has an original of this one hanging in her room
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Eric:
My son started with a Mossberg Youth pump. Then went to a o/u which I did not shoot, but not a gun for a young man that he could travel with and required non-toxic shot. He shot it well. Looked around for an alternative, I was impressed with the Franchi Instinct for a reasonable alternative, price wise, and a gun he could use through his twenties until he has the time and money to make other choices. Apparently a quality gun, aesthetically pleasing and adaptable for upland and waterfowl.

There are a host of o/u s available at a less than 1k but not as pleasing aesthetically and I am not sure of the quality. Bean's carries many new o/u s which are priced below 1k, and at least you would have a name behind any new purchase. Their gun people are great.
 
It's interesting that most on this thread figure that a double barrel must be an O/U. In my vernacular a double barrel is most definitely a SxS. My duck gun of choice the past 5-6 years has been an SKB 385 Sporting Clays 20 GA. 3" SxS with 30" barrels. SxS are much easier to reload in a blind than an O/U as the angle once broken open is less than an O/U. Though SKB is no longer in business, there are nice guns on the used market. Above all, you can't beat the nostalgic effect of a SXS. Good luck on your choice.
 
👍 my go to duck gun is an SXS Ithica/SKB 100 2 3/4 inch with 25 inch bbls. Had the full bbl opened to true mod as the mod bbl was measured IM. Single selective trigger. Wonderful duck gun with 1 1/8 oz of 3's or 4's at 1400 fps.

I started shooting ducks with 2 barreled guns back in 1970 with a citori and lead..... deadly. I also have an SKB 385 12 ga that has scares to show its been in the blind ..... a Fox model B and a NID 10 ga sleeved for 12. All duck guns. I'm embarrassed to say that there are more but double guns are just fun for me.

Sorry I can't help on a newer production OU for the boy but I hope you get him started on one. While making decoys is a fun part of duck hunting the gunning part of the hunt needs to be fun also. Shooting two barred guns is just fun.
 
Why not the Instinct L instead of the SL? The gun might take it but the SL is a light gun to shoot waterfowl loads through. One thing to keep in mind is that they don't have much drop. I thought about one in 20ga but it didn't fit me very well. Pretty guns though.
The 7 year warranty on Franchi guns is nice too.

Tim
 

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It's interesting that most on this thread figure that a double barrel must be an O/U.
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Pete,

I don't think that is the case at all. I believe the responses you see, are a direct result of Eric asking specifically about O/U doubles. Eric also mentioned "reasonably priced" so my response below is not accurate either. :>)

Eric,

I have an SKB Waterfowler that I purchased on the used market. I'm not home right now but I believe the Model number is 585. The 585 Waterfowl has 30 inch barrels, matte finish and satin receiver. Very nice gun but up there in the 1k price range.
 
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Along similar lines, an SKB-built Weatherby Orion would be a good choice. Mine is the Hunter model, no engraving, 30" barrels, 3" chambers and uses Invector chokes and is OK for steel shot. Probably not very expensive on the used market.
 
How did the Stoeger 20 work out for him? Shoot well? reliable? If so, might want to get another?
 
You are correct Dave, I missed that o/u at the end of that line on my screen. My eyes don't always tell my brain exactly what they see. Could've sworn it wasn't there when I read it :)
 
Most important thing in an o/u that needs to be taken into consideration is does the gun fit him. You cant change shims so only other alternative is stock bending or similar. Several out there are pertty straight without much drop at comb. Shortening stock is fairly simple but getting more drop at comb a little more involved. If he has a gun he shoots well now try to find stock measurements approximately the same. Not an easy thing to do sometimes.
 
i shoot a richland modle 200 28 side by side for rail and duck . someone told me not to shoot steal out of it if its full choke . problem is its not marked that i can tell . anyone know how i can tell what the barrels are choked ?
 
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