About Side-By-Side Shotguns

Side-By-Side Shotguns

As the name suggests, a side-by-side is a double-barreled shotgun with the two barrels mounted next to each other in a horizontal configuration. Certainly when most people hear the phrases "double barrel" or "doublegun," they're mentally picturing the classic side-by-side.

This design, in one form or another, dates back hundreds of years, but was truly raised to an artform in the 1800s. When wingshooting, the ability to get off more than one shot can be critical to quickly dispatching game and putting it on the table. Before more recent repeating shotguns (such as pumps and autoloaders) came along, the double gun was the hunter's best bet for handling fast maneuvering birds or explosive covey situations.

The side-by-side has become such a tradition in upland hunting that even those who have purchased their ideal over-under or repeater will rarely go too long without acquiring at least a modest double gun. There are times, such as in hunt tests, where a breach loading gun is expected or even required. But mostly, there is an undeniable romance to the double gun that makes it a must have for every upland hunter.