bunny_blaster Posted May 5 Report Share Posted May 5 I’ve never had a side by side but it was an itch that needed scratching. It had to be of a certain criteria though, pistol grip, single trigger, ejector. In the last 2 weeks I’ve purchased 2, the AYA Matador that was advertised on this forum and also an SKB. I don’t need them both so I took both out in the hide with me today on a field of drilled Barley to see which I got on with best. There is a huge amount of seed on top and the pigeons have found it in big numbers. I got set up for 13.00 and the shooting was was nice and steady all afternoon. Some birds decoyed a treat and others gave me every other shot in the book which gave me some fantastic shooting. I saw numbers into the 1000’s during the afternoon and my shots kept birds moving from the other side of the motorway on more drilled fields. It was the AYA that came out on top, the slightly higher comb and raised rib just felt that little bit more natural. I will put the SKB up for sale this week. I stopped shooting at 17.30 and picked 151 pigeon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flippermaj Posted May 5 Report Share Posted May 5 Proper shooting, proper guns……..good job all round and I am pleased that you got on well with a SXS. Would you have shot more or better with your regular gun? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted May 5 Report Share Posted May 5 That was some bag with a ( new ) gun , I am very envious where you stated you saw 1000s throughout the afternoon , I have always thought that May can be one of the quietest months of the year , you have certainly proved me wrong , although I have been out these last two afternoons in glorious conditions and it would be nearer if you took one of your noughts off for the amount I have seen , let alone shot . Well done and THANKS for posting . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted May 5 Report Share Posted May 5 Excellent trip out. I too saw 1000's and shot over a 1000 pigeons and doves last week but I had to go to Africa to do it. Not so much close to home. Not sure I could shoot so much with a sbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunny_blaster Posted May 5 Author Report Share Posted May 5 30 minutes ago, flippermaj said: Proper shooting, proper guns……..good job all round and I am pleased that you got on well with a SXS. Would you have shot more or better with your regular gun? I would of shot a lot more with my usual gun, I normally shoot either my DT10 or my 391 auto. These side by sides shoot completely different to the Beretta’s 12 minutes ago, marsh man said: That was some bag with a ( new ) gun , I am very envious where you stated you saw 1000s throughout the afternoon , I have always thought that May can be one of the quietest months of the year , you have certainly proved me wrong , although I have been out these last two afternoons in glorious conditions and it would be nearer if you took one of your noughts off for the amount I have seen , let alone shot . Well done and THANKS for posting . May normally is a quiet month but I can only put the amount of birds about down to very late drilling’s going in and keeping them off the buds. Also the Ash trees have only just started coming out around here which we normally lose the pigeons too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7daysinaweek Posted May 5 Report Share Posted May 5 What a fantastic outing. Good for getting out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted May 6 Report Share Posted May 6 Well done Ben, fantastic result with two strange guns. Thanks for posting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Boggy Posted May 6 Report Share Posted May 6 Perhaps you are too young to have been brought up using side by sides, but never too old to try them. As said, good result using an unfamiliar gun. Nice report. Well done. Thanks for posting and it’s good to know that there are still pigeons about in some areas. OB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted May 6 Report Share Posted May 6 44 minutes ago, Old Boggy said: Perhaps you are too young to have been brought up using side by sides, but never too old to try them. As said, good result using an unfamiliar gun. Nice report. Well done. Thanks for posting and it’s good to know that there are still pigeons about in some areas. OB Morning Chris ... Maybe Ben will revive the interest in sides x sides now members who have never used one will know good bags can be made with these ( obsolete ) guns , Archie Coat's and Will Garfit have shot some huge bags with s x s , mind you, I admit there are lovely alternatives about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muncher Posted May 6 Report Share Posted May 6 (edited) Very nicely done , I also have an itch for. SxS but haven’t bought one yet. I was brought up on them, my father had loads under his bed in the good old days , my brothers and I were spoilt for choice. Edited May 6 by muncher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Boggy Posted May 6 Report Share Posted May 6 21 minutes ago, marsh man said: Morning Chris ... Maybe Ben will revive the interest in sides x sides now members who have never used one will know good bags can be made with these ( obsolete ) guns , Archie Coat's and Will Garfit have shot some huge bags with s x s , mind you, I admit there are lovely alternatives about Hello John, As you probably know, Will Garfit was a good friend of Archie Coats and has Archie`s old gun which he showed me when I visited Will a few years ago. That gun had so many cartridges through it, I`m sure that you could punch wads with the ends of the barrels. Attached photo of Will`s print of `Archie Coats in action`. Sorry to derail your thread a whisker Bunny_blaster, but it doesn`t detract from your great bag and hope that you have fun using side by sides. OB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunny_blaster Posted May 6 Author Report Share Posted May 6 20 minutes ago, muncher said: Very nicely done , I also have an itch for. SxS but haven’t bought one yet. I was brought up on them, my father had loads under his bed in the good old days , my brothers and I were spoilt for choice. I’ve got a tidy SKB if your interested 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muncher Posted May 6 Report Share Posted May 6 I’m possibly to far away and I’d need a 3 inch chamber as I’d use it for fowling as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted May 7 Report Share Posted May 7 On 05/05/2024 at 19:07, bunny_blaster said: I’ve never had a side by side but it was an itch that needed scratching. It had to be of a certain criteria though, pistol grip, single trigger, ejector. In the last 2 weeks I’ve purchased 2, the AYA Matador that was advertised on this forum and also an SKB. I don’t need them both so I took both out in the hide with me today on a field of drilled Barley to see which I got on with best. There is a huge amount of seed on top and the pigeons have found it in big numbers. I got set up for 13.00 and the shooting was was nice and steady all afternoon. Some birds decoyed a treat and others gave me every other shot in the book which gave me some fantastic shooting. I saw numbers into the 1000’s during the afternoon and my shots kept birds moving from the other side of the motorway on more drilled fields. It was the AYA that came out on top, the slightly higher comb and raised rib just felt that little bit more natural. I will put the SKB up for sale this week. I stopped shooting at 17.30 and picked 151 pigeon. Most envious of this post! I too had a farm with spring barley drilled recently. However, there was very little on the surface. A couple of hundred pigeons did get stuck in but as soon as I set up they left of course and only a few dozen showed up in little groups over the next few hours. They were very cautious and did the long-range fly pasts and the sitting in the trees tactics. Some did give it a 2nd look and gave me a chance and I had 20 in about 4+ hours. All bird shot were fat and healthy, with empty crops. Just not hungry enough to take a chance and dive straight in. Just a few short of 151! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted May 11 Report Share Posted May 11 Nice. My first "proper" gun was a s/s Baikal which my Dad cut a couple of inches from the barrel to lose the choke. I still have fond memories of the old thing, including shooting 2 pigeons for 1 shot whilst sat next to a bush intercepting a flight line to peas, several double discharges (!), and beating my dad's work mates in a skeet competition. Now my only s/s is a kestrel 10 bore. I wouldn't mind a nice new Beretta s/s...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted May 11 Report Share Posted May 11 Hello, What a good report BB, Thanks for posting👍, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aga man Posted May 11 Report Share Posted May 11 That is excellent result with a sxs. Completely different to shooting with an o/u. I have recently acquired an Aya xxv & I have to say I am growing very fond of it. I'm looking forward to a summer on the pea fields with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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