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.