Side-by-side or over-and under? I’m quite sure I’ll be opening the proverbial can of worms with this question. Ask any shooting chums and be prepared for conflicting responses and endless reasons of why you should or shouldn’t entertain one over the other. But I ask myself, is it really that difficult? I think not. The S/S versus O/U debate is simple: use the one that suits you, the individual, the best, and if you’re in doubt, have both!
Our school sees many shooters wielding all types of England’s and Europe’s finest – from super slick, stack-barrelled clay busters with shiny external chokes and modern laser-cut decals, to sleek artisan examples, best showcasing the art of hand-engraved scrolling, traditional shaped stocks and sometimes, the wonderful aesthetic of Damascus tubes.
A handful of our clients shoot clays only, as a sport or just for enjoyment, but most use the medium as a practice format, to aid best performance on field forays during the season. Others will pop in now and again, preferring the stealthier pursuits of crop protection and roosting reconnaissance. Some will have one gun that fits all, while others prefer different tools for different jobs, all of which is personal preference and utterly acceptable.
Time for a change?
Esta historia es de la edición April 2020 de Sporting Shooter.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición April 2020 de Sporting Shooter.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
RSPB gives mixed message on shooting
Having recently attended the RSPB’s virtual AGM, Conor O’Gorman discusses the outcome of the charity’s year-long review of game bird shooting
Causeway for concern
Alan Jarrett’s renewed interest in reading takes him down memory lane to an offshore island duck flight that very nearly ended in disaster
Through a purple patch
The Garrows Estate is taking a conservation-focused approach to restoring the wildlife populations and biodiversity on the Scottish heather moorland.
When the wheels fall off
Losing form on a day’s shooting can be infuriating, especially if you’ve been shooting like a god up to that point. Simon O’Leary looks at some common causes and how to remedy them
Beaches, books & bad behaviour!
The annual Kay family vacation to Northumberland offers a chance to give the cockers a blast on the beach – although they don’t always shower themselves in glory, as Ryan Kay recalls...
Using the Stop whistle
Now you’ve instilled the basics, it’s time to up the ante with some more tricky distance work. Howard Kirby explains how to take the core Stop whistle command to the next level
The humble teal
They may be tiny, but as far as Rupert Butler is concerned, the appeal of this little duck is huge. He recalls some of his most memorable nights in pursuit of these aerial acrobats
Fab all-rounder
Mike is impressed with the Fabarm Elos B2 Field Notte, which offers great value for money, is suited to fieldwork or clays and is future-proofed for use with steel in all choke constrictions
CALL OF THE WILD
Dom Holtam reconnects with one of the purest forms of shotgun shooting as he walks-up woodcock over pointing dogs in the Scottish Highlands
A yen for the Fens
Tony Jackson recounts a memorable duck flight over an area of Fenland in Norfolk with his friend and author, the late Alan Savory
