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P-38 anybody?
I am really sorry that I sold mine back in the 1980’s. The only fault I found with it was that to make it cycle (reload) I found that one had to use some really hot 9mm. (WWII Black bullet ammo that was meant for German S.M.G.)
Otherwise it was a reliable and fairly accurate gun for a WWII pistol. Plus I was able to shoot better with it than with any Luger that I ever shot.
Go figure! Grumpy
The side-by-side “Double Barrel” could easily lay claim to being America’s most-ubiquitous firearm.
There was a time in the early 20th century when every farm and shop — and most homes — had a SxS in the corner.
Of all the gun designs in all the homes in America, there is one that is perhaps the least glamorous yet most widespread: The side-by-side, or “SxS,” most commonly known in the vernacular as the “double barrel.”
Though it is long past its height of popularity, the side-by-side shotgun remains one of the most recognizable and ubiquitous firearm designs.
Its basic form — two barrels mounted horizontally on a single frame—has persisted for over two centuries with remarkably little change. From the finest English estates to modest American farmhouses of the Depression and on until today, the side-by-side has served hunters, farmers and sportsmen across generations.
Its kissing cousin is the popular Over/Under, which has its barrels arranged in a vertical plane, as the name suggests.
There was a time in America when the side-by-side shotgun was considered a vital tool to put meat in the pot.
Origins and Early Development
Double-barrel shotguns first appeared in the late 1700s as gunmakers searched for a practical way to deliver a second shot without reloading. These were muzzleloading percussion or flintlock guns with two locks, two hammers and two triggers.
The side-by-side layout became dominant in the early era for a straightforward reason: with external hammer percussion guns, it was difficult to come up with a simple mechanical means to fire two barrels sitting on top of each other. With a SxS, a lock could simply be mounted on the left and right sides of the receiver, and the problem was solved.
Aside from being easier to design a firing mechanism in the days of external hammers, many hunters like the wide “runway” of a SxS to help lock the gun onto a target during the swing.
The major leap forward came with breechloading self-contained cartridges in the mid-19th century, and the SxS was off to the races.
Hammer guns dominated until the 1880s, when internal-hammer (“hammerless”) actions emerged. Two action types define modern double guns:
• The Anson & Deeley boxlock first manufactured by Westley-Richards (1875) — simpler, more robust and more economical to build.
• The sidelock — more complex but offering a smoother trigger pull and removable lockplates for servicing. This is mostly found on bespoke, higher-end guns.
These designs spread worldwide and remain the foundation of side-by-side guns today.
While the guns built by Parker, L.C. Smith, Fox, Lefever and others are known for their high quality,
the later mass-produced SxS such as this Lefever made by Stevens were safe and reliable but often had shockingly poor internal machining.
The American Manufacturing Boom
During the Industrial Revolution, American companies took the European side-by-side concept and mass-produced it with remarkable efficiency. Makers like Parker Bros., L.C. Smith, Ithaca, Lefever, and Fox built some of the finest sporting guns ever made in the United States. However, through changing ownership and changing economics, most companies eventually leaned into the world of mass-market “price point” guns.
The real expansion in side-by-sides came from the veritable tidal wave of affordable working-class doubles produced in tremendous numbers during the first half of the 20th century. These guns weren’t considered luxury items for the idle Sport — they were everyday tools kept in barns or behind the back door to keep the chickens and corncrib safe from marauders.
The double-barreled also worked pretty good against lowlifes, scoundrels, thieves, troublemakers and, unfortunately, the occasional “revenuer.”
The “double barrel” also served a social purpose against robbers and other miscreants. Cut-off into a short “coach gun,” they were often used by armed guards.
The Hardware Store Era
Between roughly 1900 and 1950, the side-by-side shotgun became a staple of American hardware stores, general stores and mail-order catalogs. Virtually all large national retailers had their own store brand stamped right into the metal, though with little or no actual design changes. A few of these private label examples include:
• Berkshire (Shapleigh Hardware, made by Meridian Firearms Co., which was owned by Sears, Roebuck & Co.!)
• Ranger, Eastern Arms, J.C. Higgins, Ted Williams (Sears, Roebuck & Co., many different manufacturers)
• Western Field (Montgomery Ward, most commonly Mossberg but also Savage, Marlin, Winchester and others)
• Western Auto (Western Auto)
However, this is nowhere near a comprehensive list!
Crescent Firearms Company (1888–1930) was the largest supplier of shotguns branded by other companies and sold well over a hundred distinct store brands, all built in the same Norwich, Connecticut, factory.
Other key producers of well-known budget SxS shotguns under their own brands included J. Stevens Arms Co., which later became part of Savage; Harrington & Richardson; Iver Johnson; Mossberg; Marlin and many other well-known names. In fact, virtually every manufacturer of long guns built at least a few models of SxS shotgun during the heyday of the design.
The double triggers — front for right (open choke) barrel and rear for left (tighter) barrel was considered “standard” — allowed hunters to select a choke on the fly depending on the range needed.
Contrary to common wisdom, many of these guns were well-built for the time but were certainly very much utility-grade, with manufacturers saving money by using modest wood and straightforward machining to keep costs down.
In fact, the internals of most 20th-century budget guns are notably rough except for the action surfaces.
Most inexpensive shotguns used either a full/modified or modified/cylinder choke arrangement suited for general-purpose use. The traditional arrangement is the looser choke in the right barrel (front trigger) with the more constricted in the left barrel (rear trigger).
This ability to select a choke appropriate to the distance or flush is one of the reasons many hunters prefer the SxS for field work, while the O/U was considered more of a trap/skeet gun.
Of course, the last sentence is purely fighting words if you utter them in the clubhouse or around the back of a pickup truck because there are certainly O/U and SxS proponents in both camps.
Can’t decide what you want, or think you need an extra round? The Charles Daly Triple Threat can accommodate you with its three barrels.
It’s available in 12- and 20-gauge, and .410 bore.
A considerable number of guns were also imported, typically from Belgium and central Europe, but quality varied wildly. Steel quality also varied, especially among very low-priced imports, but reputable American makers adhered to contemporary proof standards.
All in all, these guns were simply looked upon as tools — kept in barns, behind doors, or in truck cabs — and used for everything from pest control to hunting rabbits for Sunday dinner.
Decline of the Working Double
By the mid-20th century, two trends eroded the dominance of the side-by-side. First was the rise of pumps and semi-autos.
The pump-action shotgun had been around since the Winchester 1897, but in 1950, the Remington 870 hit the shooting scene like a tactical nuke.
Rural life was changing, and more people had enough time and money to actually hunt for sport rather than for a meal, so they were interested in having multiple quick follow-up shots for waterfowl and upland game rather than the 1-2 punch of a double barrel on a squirrel, raccoon or opossum.
The Remington 870 offered multiple shots and a reputation for ruggedness with a relatively modest upcharge, while semi-autos like the Browning Auto-5 also gained ground for the same reason.
Secondly, as rural subsistence hunting declined and specialized sporting guns became popular, demand for general-purpose doubles waned as the SxS’s role as a “farm gun” faded away. By the 1960s, nearly all American makers had dropped affordable double guns. By 1970, if you wanted to be one of the ‘cool kids,’ you carried an O/U.
The Bobwhite G2 by CZ is a good example of a modern current production field-grade side-by-side shotgun.
They are especially popular with quail and grouse hunters. MSRP: $799
Today, a two-barrel shotgun is more likely to have its tubes arranged over and under rather than side-by-side, though there is a modest but genuine resurgence in side-by-sides among hunters. Today, the market has split into three major layers: the high-end makers, the mid-grade connoisseur and “budget” field guns.
• High-End: As with anything, if disposable income isn’t a problem, you can find or have built the nicest SxS you can imagine. The biggest problem is finding somebody to craft the gun because this niche market is dominated by small firms.
These guns can be breathtaking in craftsmanship and beauty and have prices that reflect the level of handwork required — often starting north of $10,000 to well over $250,000 for a “field” gun, as opposed to a jeweled collector piece. A current-production Beretta 486 Copernicus is a cool $550,000, but it does include a bespoke leather case, so that’s a nice bonus!
• Mid-Market Field Guns: Spanish makers (AyA, Arrieta, Ugartechea) and some Italian and Turkish firms supply hunting-grade doubles typically ranging from about $2,000 to $6,000. Browning once offered the BSS, a long-discontinued but still respected SxS. Caesar Guerini and Rizzini (BR550, MSRP $6395) produce some modern doubles as well.
• Budget Guns: Inexpensive SxS still exist, with most coming from Turkey, regardless of the name stamped on the receiver. Russian-made Remington SxS and other brands are no longer available due to geopolitics.
Made in America
This will be a short paragraph: to my knowledge, currently the only production American-made side-by-side shotgun is by Connecticut Shotgun Co. If you want one of their least expensive Christian Hunter 20-gauge with 28” barrels and screw-in chokes, be ready to write a check for about $13,000 plus tax.
However, if you just want a good quality SxS without worrying about its country of origin, there are a number of currently available SxS from manufacturers such as Weatherby (Orion), CZ (Sharptail, Bobwhite, and others), Tristar (Bristol & Phoenix), and Stoeger (Uplander and Coach Gun).
Stoeger also makes the Double Defense “tactical” SxS, which I covet in the worst way. It might not be as practical as my 870 or Mossberg 590 for home intruders, but I’m sure John Wayne would approve.
Takeaway
Despite representing only a small fraction of new shotgun sales, the side-by-side remains cherished by upland hunters and traditionalists who value fast handling, balance, aesthetics, simplicity, the ability to tailor the choke to the target and, perhaps most of all, the deep connection to a long sporting tradition.
The design is basic, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t sophisticated. Yes, a gunmaker from 1875 would instantly recognize the workings of a modern side-by-side, but that doesn’t prove stagnation; it shows the lasting brilliance of a well-executed idea.
Even the most humble hardware-store doubles — many still in service today, including the couple of examples in my own gun locker — testify to the utility and durability of a design that fed families, protected farms, and introduced countless Americans to the outdoors.
In an age of polymer stocks and modular rifles, the fact the side-by-side still endures is itself almost a miracle but also a testament to the fact some designs were simply right from the beginning.
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Just a quick show of hands, who here loves paying taxes? That is, of course, a rhetorical question. The only folks who enjoy paying taxes are New York socialists and Bernie Sanders, a man whose only extra-governmental real jobs were as an aide in a psychiatric hospital and a part-time carpenter. The rest of us think taxes pretty much suck.
The federal income tax rate in America ranges from 10 to 37%. State taxes are a wildly mixed bag. Alaska has reverse taxes. They actually pay people to live there. Eight predominantly-red states levy no income tax at all. California is naturally the worst at 13.3%. Every state charging above 9% is a Democratic stronghold. I’m sure that’s just a coincidence.
So, why all this talk of infernal revenue, might you ask? Because I have finally found something that makes me glad to pay my taxes. The AGM-114R-9X is the coolest weapon since the Roman gladius. Folks in the know call this the Ginsu Missile or the Ninja Bomb. Uncle Sam won’t reveal what these bad boys cost, but they’re worth every penny.
AGM-114 Hellfire Details
The AGM-114 Hellfire was first introduced in 1984. Hellfire stands for Helicopter-Launched, Fire and Forget. The Hellfire missile weighs about 100 pounds and is 64 inches long. Today’s Hellfires are precision guided via a semi-active laser homing system or a millimeter-wave radar. Max effective range is somewhere around 11 kilometers. The Hellfire was originally intended as a dedicated anti-armor weapon to be used on AH64 Apache gunships. However, they’ve gotten way cooler since then.
The problem in the modern era of ubiquitous camera phones is proportionality. The days of leveling a city to undermine a nation’s capacity to wage war or kill one seriously evil dude are over. We need weapons that will whack the bad guys without unduly cluttering up the place.
The basic AGM-114 isn’t bad. The Hellfire employs a top attack profile wherein the round climbs to a high altitude and then plunges down toward a target from above at around Mach 1.3. The intent is to defeat the thinner roof armor of most modern armored vehicles, and the Hellfire is magnificent at that. A single conventional Hellfire missile costs between $99,600 and $150,000 per round dependent upon the particulars. They are otherworldly accurate.
Hellfire warheads weigh about 20 pounds and come in a wide variety of flavors. Current rounds are equipped with a tandem HEAT (High Explosive Antitank) charge designed to defeat explosive reactive armor systems. However, when used against individuals, this shaped charge warhead is still fairly untidy.
The AGM-114R-9X first saw service in 2017. The Hellfire 114R-9X doesn’t have a warhead at all. Instead of explosives, this vicious little monster deploys half a dozen steel blades out of its central chassis immediately before impact. Now imagine a 100-pound swirling steel salad shredder coming at you at 1,000 miles per hour. As this is well above the speed of sound, you won’t even hear it coming.
The Dude
Abdullah Abd al-Rahman Muhammad Rajab Abd al-Rahman was also known as Ahmad Hasan Abu al-Khayr al-Masri. His friends, if ever he had any, would have called him Abu Khayr al-Masri. The general deputy to the notorious al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, Abu Khayr al-Masri was a proper psychopath.
I’ll spare you the gory details, but this reprobate guy blew stuff up and murdered people across a couple of continents because his dark god told him to. For this reason and some others, Donald Trump rightfully determined that al-Masri needed to die.
On February 26, 2017, al-Masri was toodling along in a car alongside another unwashed, bloodthirsty terrorist in the Syrian province of Idlib. Orbiting silently overhead was a General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper drone equipped with AGM-114R-9Xs.
There was a loud bang, and al-Masri’s car swerved to a stop amidst a massive shower of sparks. Bystanders rushed up to see what had happened. What they found was pretty tough to unsee.
The Aftermath
Photos of what remained of Abu Khayr al-Masri’s car were fascinating. We hit the vehicle with two of these weapons, leaving a pair of matching star-shaped holes in the roof.
The windshield wipers remained intact. At least one round punched all the way through and left a crater in the ground. The car rolled a short distance past the impact point prior to stopping. Suffice to say, Al-Masri’s gory encounter with the U.S. military didn’t enhance his vehicle’s resale value.
Thanks to the AGM-114R-9X, the United States of Freaking America can puree pretty much any Bad Guy on Planet Earth. Think of the Ginsu Missile as a supersonic Cuisinart that will pulverize the enemies of our great nation most anyplace in the world. I’d gladly pay taxes for that.
The Ruger Vaquero was introduced in 1993 and significantly changed in 2005 with the intro of the New Model Vaquero.
These custom New Models are a matched set the author had made for himself and a friend by Tyler Gun Works.
There are certain things in life you will only screw up one time: calling someone an “ex-marine,” telling your wife or girlfriend the truth when she asks if her pants make her look fat, and making reference to an “Old Model” Ruger Vaquero at the range.
While the first two are universally considered “fighting words,” using the incorrect terminology to distinguish the two major iterations of the Vaquero will certainly incur the wrath and scorn of the firearms grammar police. Ask me how I know!
The differences between the New Model and the original version are easily seen when side-by-side.
The New Model (left) is smaller but has a larger hammer spur, along with several other changes both mechanical and cosmetic.
Photo: Alan Garbers
The Cowboy Gun Built for a New Era
When Ruger introduced the original Vaquero in 1993, they weren’t simply nodding to Old West nostalgia. Instead, they were catering to the rapidly growing sport of Cowboy Action Shooting (CAS). The CAS competitors wanted guns that looked period-correct but didn’t possess the metallurgical fragility — or cost — of genuine 19th-century Colts.
Ruger delivered in typical Ruger fashion: they built the Vaquero on the same robust frame as the Blackhawk. It strongly resembled the popular archetype of a six-shooter and was strong enough to handle heavy “Ruger-only” .45 Colt loads that would grenade any antique Colt Single Action Army.
The size difference—and strength—of the different cylinder models is striking. The larger original cylinder is on top, the New Model is on the bottom. Photo: Alan Garbers
The original Vaquero cylinder (right) is longer, stronger and sharper on the forward end,
something which shooters soon noticed due to holster wear. Photo: John Taffin
The original Vaquero was a substantial chunk of steel — more working ranch hand than Hollywood gunfighter. Slightly oversized proportions compared to the SAA, thicker cylinder walls and a tank-like presence made it a favorite among those who wanted a gun they could not break, even when they tried.
Most importantly, it featured Ruger’s transfer-bar safety system, allowing shooters to safely carry all six chambers loaded. For CAS shooters and horsemen negotiating rough country who wanted a traditional-looking single action, it was a genuine game-changer.
The Vaquero went merrily along for years, but there were rumors and innuendos floating out in the sagebrush.
The original model was a great gun but lacking in several areas: it had an ugly barrel roll stamp safety warning on the barrel, the cylinder tended to wear on holsters because the forward edge wasn’t beveled, the ejector rod head wasn’t the traditional crescent shape, and overall, the gun was visibly larger than the “proper” SAA.
By the early 2000s, a subset of shooters — particularly those who prized historical accuracy — wanted something closer in size and feel to the Colt Single Action Army. Ruger listened.
Focus on Authenticity
In 2005, they introduced the New Model Vaquero, a thorough redesign scaled down to Colt-like dimensions, with sleeker lines and improved ergonomics.
And here’s where you should tread carefully: some aficionados get downright unhinged if you refer to the original Vaquero as an “Old Model.” These self-appointed keepers of True and Holy much prefer “original,” “first-generation,” or “large-frame” Vaquero. Use the wrong term and you’ll hear about it faster than you can say “four-click hammer.”
The New Model Vaquero is modeled on the Colt Single Action Army and provides a great canvas for customization, such as Brent’s New Model done by Tyler Gun Works in Texas.
Key Differences
Frame
Original Vaquero: Built on the Blackhawk frame. Overbuilt. Handles heavy “Ruger-only” .45 Colt handloads with ease. It’s been said whatever you can stuff into a cartridge, the original Vaquero can handle it.
New Model Vaquero: Scaled to near-Colt dimensions with intentions of becoming a lookalike twin of the ubiquitous Single Action Army. It is strong but is definitely intended for standard-pressure loads only. The late John Taffin noted in the pages of GUNS Magazine: “I see no reason to exceed 1,000-1,100 fps muzzle velocity with a 260-grain bullet in the New Vaquero. This load shoots comfortably, is very accurate, and, short of really big game, will handle any sixgun chore most of us will ever have.”
Handling & Feel
Original: It is heavier, beefier, and slightly bulkier in the hand. Side-by-side with a New Model (or SAA), the visual difference is obvious.
New Model: Has a better balance and many feel a more natural pointability due to the refined grip shape. The hammer spur is noticeably taller on the New Vaquero (except for Bisley variants), giving quicker, more sure thumb engagement. Many love it, but some hate it.
Mechanical
The New Model uses a shorter cylinder pin than the original and several other redesigns, including a new, larger ejector rod head.
Aesthetic
Original: Wears the lawyer-friendly safety warning right on the barrel where everyone could see it.
New Model: The warning was discreetly relocated — finally giving the gun the clean, period-correct look it always deserved.
It’s been said the New Vaquero is essentially the revolver Ruger might have built back in 1953 during the last major pop culture cowboy craze if Cowboy Action Shooting had existed.
The New Model Vaquero is visually similar to the legendary Colt Single Action Army but at a better price and, some argue, with better quality. It also provides a great canvas for customization.
To P or Not to +P
One thing Ruger didn’t do well was to consider the follow-on effects from significantly changing the pressure-handling capabilities without giving the gun a whole new name. The original and New Model Vaquero are very similar but not the same in terms of what they can handle in terms of pressure.
As I noted, the original model was built on essentially a .44 Magnum frame and can handle virtually anything you can throw at it. Meanwhile, the New Model is mechanically on par with the Colt Single Action, which was designed during the black powder cartridge era and thus can’t handle pressures the original model could easily laugh off. There have been instances of New Model Vaqueros doing an impression of a hand grenade with hot ammo.
This difference is why some reloading manuals will list “Ruger Only” loads, which are intended to be used only in the original Vaquero. Furthering the confusion are .45 Colt +P and even +P+ loads available from some manufacturers.
There are various claims on the internet that Ruger says the New Model can handle +P loads, but to make it clear, I can’t find any credible evidence of this aside from claims on internet forums.
Interesting side note: there is no SAAMI specification for .45 Colt +P and +P+ loads, so essentially you’re outside any official guardrails of case pressure, which is another reason not to fire the high-pressure loads in your relatively weaker New Model.
Fortunately, most respectable manufacturers like Buffalo Bore make it clear you should only fire their hottest .45 Colt loads in the original Vaquero.
Good guns need — not want — good leather. This is Brent’s custom Gunsite-themed rig by Rob Leahy’s Simply Rugged Leather for his custom New Model Vaquero.
Why the Vaquero Endures
More than 650,000 Vaqueros have been built, and demand remains strong to this day. CAS competitors love them, collectors chase rare variants while hunters and outdoorsmen — those with a bit of romantic frontier spirit left, such as Very Truly Yours, keep carrying them because they offer something polymer pistols simply don’t: a mechanical soul.
The original, large-frame Vaquero (if you can find one) appeals to shooters who want brute strength, big loads and a gun that feels hewn from bedrock.
The New Model Vaquero appeals to those who want authenticity, elegance and the kind of natural handling that made the 1873 Colt a legend.
In my book, there’s no winner — just two distinct philosophies. Pick your poison; just don’t ever choose an “Old Model” Vaquero!