Should I shoot game birds with a side-by-side or over-and-under?
What would work best for you?
![A Perazzi 20-bore side by side](https://www.shootinguk.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Perazzi-20-bore-over-and-under-shotgun-.jpg)
A Perazzi 20-bore side by side
Side by side shotguns are loved by traditionalists. Many Guns start shooting with a side-by-side shotgun (which they have possibly inherited) and then switch to an over-and-under. But why? (More on switching from a side-by-side to an over-and-under.)
![Beretta 486 Parallelo side-by-side shotgun](https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2013/05/Beretta_486_Parallelo_main.jpg)
A Browning 486 Parallelo side-by-side
Side-by-side or over-and-under?
It is much easier shooting with an over-and-under. For proof, look at the Olympic shooters and you won’t see a single side-by-side. The double trigger would ruin some of their scores for a start. But in its defence the side-by-side looks wonderful and is a stylish gun. (Read more on the rise of the over-and-under.)
Gun fit
Of course, if you make the switch to a side-by-side shotgun it must be fitted to you correctly, particularly as shooting with a side-by side is harder. (For more on gun fit, read here.)
![side by side old fashioned shotgun](https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2020/11/Roost-shoot-43_268859581_465609282.jpg)
Side by side shotgun
With an over-and-under you can make the gun fit you by moving your leading arm up or down on the fore-end, and this will then make the length of the stock fit you in a satisfactory way. However the fore-end on a side-by-side is a lot shorter so it is harder to make this adjustment in the way you hold the gun.
Cast
The cast (bend of the stock) on an over-and-under is normally pretty straight for most people and the drop (difference in height between the line of sight and the comb or heel) on most over-and-under shotguns is fairly uniform.
![right gun fit](https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2017/10/3-3.png)
Being checked for gun fit
Cast is very important, as your master eye needs to be in line with the rib and with a side-by-side of course this is now in the middle of the two barrels, rather than on top of one single plane of sight as in the over-under. And the drop must be right so your eye looks straight down the barrels, not down on them or up at them.
![Rizzini RB Regal 12-bore](https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2020/02/IMG_8332-2_367202862_641248822.jpg)
Rizzini Regal 12g RB (Round Body) with 30“ over-and-under barrels
This article was originally published in Shooting Gazette in 2014 and has been updated.