looking at SXS shotguns-yeesh!!

[32-40win]

Have been looking at the various versions of SXS's out there over the last few months. Getting to be like work.
I could just go buy another CZ or something similar, but, not really what I want. Want something nicer ( don't mind me, I'm nuts).
Looking at 12 and 20ga. 16 isn't really in the picture for me.
Something draws me to the hammer guns, and some of the boxlocks, and a few sidelocks, especially sidelever versions. But, not sure how to evaluate them properly, yet. Learning a bit here and there, long, slow process though.
Got originals, resleeves, re-barrelled and re-proofed, and re-stocked. Refurbished at the maker, or maybe at a different maker, or a combination of both, in the English guns, some nice looking stuff, priced OK though?
Is a 2-1/2" gun going to keep me happy? Should I buy one that is reproofed and sleeved to 2-3/4 nitro, maybe get thinwall chokes put in?, if it will take them ( ya, sacrilege!!). Would I be happy with that?
Then there is the decision of going to BP loads, factory low pressure loads, availability and selections of loads.
Or, I could just go out and buy a new one. Hmmm, hammer guns are expensive, real expensive, and only avail in 2-3/4. Or there is the CZ.
There are perhaps two Spanish makers with 3" chambers and screw-in choke, one has both. But, as I understand it, an aluminum receiver? I may be misunderstanding the propaganda, but, I think that is what they are saying, and they start at 3800. And they are SST, I want two triggers.
And I am not too sure about the reliability on the Spanish guns, and some brands took a BIG price hike in the last year. I have had a few, the reliability factor, is why I don't have them anymore, But, that was also a long time ago, and they were CHEAP guns. Like 110.00 for a brand new gun kind of cheap (I was only making 2.70/hr back then).
There is some nice looking Spanish stuff out there though, G&H, Reynolds, and Aspen have some nice looking guns.
There is a possibility of Merkel making one with fixed choke, can't find specs though. They are not great for published options, like many of the Euro makers. Trouble is, you have to do a bunch of inquiries, and a lot of them appear to be a waste of effort.
Then there is Beretta, 471 is a nice gun, not a terrible price, but, just got obsoleted, and it is SST only.. The 486 is supposed to be coming out with everything I would ever want. But, it is still in the ??? stage. Likely towards the 6+ mark with DT's in it?. The base SST version is 5 and up, and not readily avail to look at, in any version. Could take some serious time to get one of those, next to no new info, on it.
How's about, someone slapping me upside the head, and knocking some of the rocks around.
I suppose I wouldn't be happy, without the next new toy to look forward to, but, this one seems to be a lot tougher than my search on double rifles.:.
Guess I will have to look again after the SHOT show is done.

[catnthehat]

Here is the best gun I have found for a modern hammer double with 3" chambers and Chromed bores that are steel approved.
Browned barrels really set it off as well.
Price is reasonable , I've seen a few used ones every now and then.
I like this gun better than the CZ i owned and hunted with.
Pedersoli hammer double "La Bohemienne", it's the top gun.
Other than that, you are looking for a while for a vintage gun, they are out there however, as evidenced by the two others with it.
Cat

[MK2750]

I am also in the market for a nice SXS. I would really like one of these as I have been impressed with the O/Us. Our only importer won't return emails however so I have been looking into bringing one in from another country. Price seems reasonable for a SXS.

http://www.fair.it/eng/fucili_da_caccia_paralleli.jsp

[catnthehat]

I think Will has been out of the country for a bit, he is back home now however.
I held one of those last fall, very nice gun for sure!
Cat

[32-40win]

He got a couple of them in the week after the Torrington gun show. Comparatively, nice price, good features. Not all that keen about them being SST's. And there is a mention of aluminum in the propaganda, in their website. Not sure what that is about. It is to do with weight saving.
Maybe, I am reading something into it, that isn't there, though;

ISIDE: A great designer of the past used to say that often perfect engineering works from the operational standpoint are also surprisingly beautiful. During the presentation to the public, a large number of enthusiasts commented about the pleasant sensations of lightness and strength they felt from Iside and the purity of the "round-body" break-action lines given the prototypes with no engravings.The heart of the weapon, made entirely from a machined single piece, seduced the enthusiasts in the most beautiful way, that is, without artifices, our way.The "Iside" family, in its smoothbore versions, includes the "ISIDE STD" with smooth "white" break-action and manual extractor, ISIDE, with "triple depth" laser engraved breakaction, "ISIDE EM" with automatic ejection through large ejectors, and "ISIDE PRESTIGE" with automatic ejection through large ejectors and side plates.There is a wide selection of calibres, 12-16-20-28-410, while the feature that makes Iside unique, in addition to its break-action, is the chopper-lump (demi-bloc) based barrel coupling system where the barrel and breech are formed from a single piece of bored steel.These solutions, combined with the use of highly resistant materials, have enabled the size and weight to be reduced so significantly as to have rendered the use of lightweight aluminium alloys meaningless. Iside elegance, lightness and versatility makes it a true goddess.

Where is this "meaningless aluminum" used ???

[catnthehat]

I think you misread it!
What they are saying is that because of the use of newer STEEL alloys , what would be made of high tensile strength aluminum or dural in some guns, is not being used in the FAIR.
the SST was a deal breaker for me, BTW.
By next fall there is supposed to be a SXS hammer double in 20 on the market by another company, so I'll be looking that way!
Cat

[32-40win]

That what I was half thinking about it. I couldn't really visualize, how they could use an aluminum alloy, in anything important. I didn't get to go over and actually look at them, got sidetracked. Maybe it is just a mediocre translation, in the way they worded it.
I keep asking myself why I would want a 3" 12ga also. I had a BPS a number of yrs ago. It was fairly stout with 1-3/8oz, 3" rounds @ 1330. I shot a buddy's BSS a number of times, with some 1-1/2oz, was not particularly kind to the shoulder, in summer wear. Then again, it keeps popping into my head , that it is better for resale down the road.
3" is common in o/u's, but, not sxs's.
Meh!!!

[bobinthesky]

I really like the looks of that new FAIR sxs. I can just imagine how light and fast handling a 28 g would be!
It's unfortunate that it is single trigger only but thats not the end of the world either. I shot competition for so many years that after thousands upon thousands of rounds, my trigger finger is pretty much conditioned to a single trigger. I own double trigger guns and like to use them hunting, I don't screw up too often either if my mind is on what I'm doing but my finger really is pretty happy with one trigger!

[32-40win]

Ya, I have a few single triggers, too. And they really do work just fine, only issue I have had is, one gun I have, needs the actual gizmo that does the barrel switch , lubed once in a while.
But. I want a double trigger. There are some nice ones though, with singles in them, out there. Some really nice ones.. Some are not necessarily cheap, neither. I love some of the stuff, that shows in the British shops, it's just the double cost factor, landed here, that makes me go Hmmmmm. Winds up to be pretty similar pricing, as the similar stuff over here. However, there are some very nice older guns over there with resleeves and rebarrels that are recently reproofed, something that there are very few of , over here. With the value discount of the refurbish, by a major gun house, and the single trigger, there is some pretty attractive stuff. Right on the upper edge of what I'd consider, pricewise, though.

[catnthehat]

I much prefer the doubles triggers for selecting which barrel choke to use.
On a gun with both barrels choked the same it's a non issue, but there have been a few instances where a non selective trigger gun was opened up and before the shooter could rechamber a fresh round,another bird was in the air, the gun gets snapped up and the trigger tripped on an EMPTY chamber!!
Happend a few times that I know of, to me for one!
Cat

[32-40win]

I have had a few instances, of not even remembering the gun was still unloaded. People and dogs look at you kinda funny, in that scenario.
Automatic safeties should be banned, also.There is usually one instance per day, when that wouldn't help me , either.

[bobinthesky]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

I much prefer the doubles triggers for selecting which barrel choke to use.
On a gun with both barrels choked the same it's a non issue, but there have been a few instances where a non selective trigger gun was opened up and before the shooter could rechamber a fresh round,another bird was in the air, the gun gets snapped up and the trigger tripped on an EMPTY chamber!!
Happend a few times that I know of, to me for one!
Cat

Sounds like the voice of experience talking Cat!

Honestly though, anyone who hasn't closed a gun and heard the click of a hammer on an empty chamber hasn't done a lot of shotgunning!

[bobinthesky]

The British guns had good double triggers but were notorious for not having good single triggers, that's about the only thing the Spanish didn't copy from them. They wisely decided to design their own single trigger instead.

[triguy]

question to mr Cat Nice looking sxs where did you get it and how much
Thanks
B.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by bobinthesky

Sounds like the voice of experience talking Cat!

Honestly though, anyone who hasn't closed a gun and heard the click of a hammer on an empty chamber hasn't done a lot of shotgunning!

Yup , it's just as embarrassing as it is infuriating
Cat

[catnthehat]

The Pedersoli came from Will Bilozir in Dewinton but there was a used one on Ellepod Epps'
site and one last summer at Shooters Choice
The is also a CZ for sale on the a change here but it is a side lock not a hammer gun
Cat