side by side to over and under

[Bungle The Bear]

Does anyone have any experience of changing from a side x side to an O/U - I am struggling lately, and I am thinking of going to the Dark Side

[Stonepark]

Yes, a lot of us started with SxS.
Single sight plane is easier to use and recoil more manageble between greater weight and lower centre of gravity.

Does your SxS actually fit you and shoot to your point of aim and it might be worth some professional advice before splashing out on an OU.

 

[figgy]

If you shoot well with your SXS why change.

If not get a good coach as you know fit is important as well as learning to shoot a different style of gun.

[welshwarrior]

Sbs to ou is the easier transition. 

The ou single sight plan can hide eye dominance issues that start to come in to play as you get older etc.  

[Walker570]

I shoot a variety of shotguns, the two fairly regular SXS are both fitted to me custom stocks. The two pumpers, 870 Wingmaster  12g  and Mossberg 410 have standard stocks but both fit me well.  The one O/U I have is a Yilditz 410 felt spot on when I first put it to my shoulder and I don't have to think about 'aiming' any of them, they just come up true to wherever my yes are looking.   As said above the fit of the shotgun is essential and really only a true pro stocker could answer that question.  I shot my grandfathers 12 gauge for probably 30yrs before It went in for some work and the stocker there said he thought the stock was too straight for me.  He took a look as I mounted the gun with my normal shooting coat on and advised he try to adjust the stock.  It was slightly 'bent' and now feels a different gun and I realised that over those years I had been adjusting to it.   The fit is so important mounting the gun should be as natural as pointing your finger at something and your finger doesn't have a sight plain or sights does it.

[Dave at kelton]

I regularly change between SxS double trigger, ou single trigger, and semi auto. The trick is practice with them all and all but one stocks are fitted left hand for me. Game shooting this year will be with a Caesar guerini 20 bore.

[panoma1]

I think I’m a reasonable, average shot and seem to be able to move between DT SBS which I use for game shooting, to a S/A which together with a big bore SBS I use for fowling, to an ST O/U for very occasional clay bustin!.......without any noticeable loss of performance!.... But like most, I have good days and not so good days with all of em!

[JohnfromUK]

9 hours ago, panoma1 said:

without any noticeable loss of performance!

I can manage to swap ......... without any noticeable gain of performance!

[vampire]

I swap between sxs d/t and the semi auto through to the o/u s/t, they all fit me perfectly and come up to the eye like a dream,gun fit and practice mounting the gun the same everytime is the secret,even if you spent money on having one fitted to you, its all still in the mount.

Have been caught out going from o/u s/t on pigeons to the sxs on pheasant and forgot it was a double trigger.

Gun fit,right load,blot out bird and be infront and stay in front,wish I had this advice years ago.

[London Best]

My experience is that people who learn to shoot on a sxs with double triggers usually have little difficulty changing to a single trigger o/u.

But I have noticed many people who try to change from an o/u to a sxs often really struggle and many give up trying.

[norfolk dumpling]

I swap from time to time and find it refreshing to change and adds to my enjoyment. The key, as others have said, is good gun fit.

[figgy]

You may find when not concentrating that you try and pull the trigger guard on a st ou. I've done this many years ago when swapping and changing during the same shoot.