Whether you’re new to clay pigeon shooting, or a regular at the shooting ground, choosing the right gun is key to consistently blowing clays to pieces. However, the choice between a traditional Side-by-Side shotgun and an Over-and-Under shotgun still splits shooters. Both have their advantages, and both are more than capable of smashing their way through plenty of clays, but which is best?
Here’s a look at some of the main differences between the two..
The Basics
If you’re new to clay pigeon shooting you’re probably finding all this talk of side-by-sides and over-and-unders quite confusing, but we promise it’s a lot less complicated than it sounds! It simply refers to the way the shotgun’s barrels are aligned. The barrels on an over-and-under shotgun are stacked one on top of the other, and the barrels on a side-by-side shotgun are you guessed it, side by side.
History
Throughout history side-by-side shotguns have been the gun of choice for both huntsman and sporting shooters, and with tradition playing such an important role in modern day shooting events it’s easy to see why a lot of shooters still favour side-by-sides. Of the two it’s generally accepted that side-by-side shotguns came about first, and although some over-and-under rifles predated the side-by-side, over-and-unders as we know them today are a relatively new creation. Which means early clay shooters didn’t have to make the tricky decision between an over-and-under and side-by-side.
Clay Busting
Both side-by-side and over-and-under shotguns are still used for clay pigeon shooting, but it’s the latter which is the real favourite amongst clay pigeon shooters. The very best shooters at national and international level nearly all use over-and-under shotguns, and it’s undoubtedly because over-and-unders offer a great line of sight when tracking the clays. Different shooters do favour different types of gun though, so taking aim with an over-and-under doesn’t always guarantee you the best results.
Cost
Let’s face it there’s no such thing as a cheap shotgun, so if you’re planning on investing in an over-or-under or side-by-side it’s probably going to cost you a pretty penny or two. Antique side-by-sides tend to be more valuable than over-and-unders, simply because they’re a lot older, whereas recent creations sell for a similar price. Bespoke shotguns made by the biggest names in the industry is where the real money lies though, and some side-by-sides and over-and-unders can cost in excess of £100,000! The record for the most expensive shotgun ever made is currently held by the VO Vapen Falcon Edition, a side-by-side which comes in at just short of half a million pounds!
Our venues across the UK & Ireland use a mixture of both over-and-under and side-by-side shotguns, and there’s no better way to to find out how which is best for you than by taking on the clays. So why not head down to your local shooting ground and find out first hand where you stand on the oldest argument in clay pigeon shooting.
To find your nearest venue simply scroll to the top of the page and enter your location in the search bar.
We’re delighted to announce the latest addition to The Big Shoot network is Clay Pigeon Shooting Chippenham!
When we’re not organising incredible clay pigeon shooting experiences for our customers we love to find time to take on the clays ourselves, and the latest member of the team to escape the office for a spot of clay pigeon shooting was Dom, one of our crack team of copywriters.
