My birthday was last week. It was a fairly uneventfully day.... except for getting a new gun! A Stoeger Uplander Side by Side 12Ga to be exact. As far as doubles go this one is about the least expensive you can buy. That doesn't mean it is a piece of crap, though. I am really impressed with this gun!
I've always wanted a side by side shotgun. Even as a little boy I dreamed of having one. They have always been too expensive, until now. I own and have extensively used pumps and semi-autos. To put it bluntly, I hate them. More often then not I leave them home in favor of my old break action single shot. Break action guns are small, light, and quick. The moment I picked up this Stoeger double I knew it had to be mine. It just "fit" unlike any shotgun I have ever held, except my old single shot.
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| I know, it needs to be cleaned... |
Doubles have another advantage over pumps and semis besides being light, quick, and looking awesome. Each barrel can have a different choke. Right now I have and an improved-cylinder and a modified installed. This, combined with a double trigger, allows for quick changes between close and far shots.
This particular gun does have a quirk that caused me to miss two squirrels last week. The receiver needs to be shut very hard or the triggers will not pull. I was very frustrated when it would not fire, until I figured this out. After I learned how to use it I killed three squirrels in as many shots. These were made from a distance of 15 to 40 yards, a spread that would have been difficult with a single barrel shotgun.
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| I'm going to frame this picture! |
I'm going to keep my Mossberg 500 and turn it into a Turkey / Coyote gun, but from now on this is going to be my main shotgun. It is fun, fast, and effective. A perfect combination!
