Is the side-by-side doomed?

The 2018/19 Game Shooting Census conducted by GunsOnPegs and Strutt & Parker gave us some very interesting numbers about which type of gun we own; side-by-side or over-under. When asked “Which type of gun do you use most often for game?” three quarters (74.17 per cent) of the 8,512 respondents ticked the over-under category. So it’s three to one in favour of the over-under for game shooting. That’s probably not a seismic shock to anyone who has stood in a field shooting pheasants any time this century. 

Over-under is like Penicillin

Lord Ripon and his aristocratic pals of the late Victorian era might never have dreamt of shooting with an over-under, but they didn’t foresee the discovery of Penicillin, the creation of the Aston Martin or the birth of the internet either. Times change and the over-under has become the entry-level gun for almost anyone who visits a clay shooting ground in 2019. With a reputation for longevity, affordability, hardiness and better performance (so the Olympic shooters say) this is hardly surprising.

It’s not all over for the side-by-side

However there are some more interesting nuances hidden within the other responses in the Census. For instance 57.45 per cent of the over-under users were under 55-years-old, whereas 40.88 per cent of the side-by-side users were under 55. You might have thought there would be a bigger gap between these percentages but it’s certainly significant enough to suggest the side-by-side is more popular with older shooters. Equally it is also enough to suggest that the sleeker, more traditional version of the shotgun is not on the verge of obsolescence. Younger shooters are clearly not completely turning their backs on the side-by-side.

In the feather isn’t out of fashion…

What else did we learn about the differences? Predictably more than 90 per cent of respondents in both camps shoot pheasants, but nearly 20 per cent of side-by-side users also shoot grouse, versus less than 10 per cent of over-under shooters.

Maybe a surprise result from both camps is that approximately 60 per cent would prefer birds in the feather at the end of the day. In the oven-ready age we might have expected this figure to be lower. Was this a case of idealistic responding; a classic case of theory overcoming reality? It’s hard to say but the important thing is obviously that we all take game home and share it with friends and family, whether in the feather or not.

Cash, politics and big bags

Over-under shooters spend on average £3,762 on their shooting each year and side-by-side users spend on average £4,483. So the side-by-side camp spend approximately 20 per cent more on their shooting. Read into that what you will. Perhaps they are more passionate? Perhaps they have more cash? Maybe it’s about the grouse…

In both cases three quarters of respondents considered anything more than 200 to be a big bag on a driven day. Meanwhile just for interest 72.34 per cent of side-by-users would vote Conservative versus 68.24 per cent of over-under shooters

Fun with friends

One reassuring result from the survey was that, regardless of barrel alignment choice, more than 55 per cent of all the respondents ranked ‘having fun with friends’ as the most important thing about a shoot day. Maybe part of that fun will include the traditionalists sneering at the over-under shooters and the very same glancing admiringly at the stylish side-by-sides in the line. It’s all part of the rich tapestry of a shoot day and the grass is always greener.

Also reassuring was that the quality of the birds got the next highest number of votes with 35 per cent. So, whether you shoot with a side-by-side or an over-under, the chances are you all want the same thing from the day; fun with friends and a few good birds. 

Oh and to answer the question, the side-by-side is clearly not doomed. Outnumbered yes, but most definitely not doomed. Vive la difference.

The Game Shooting Census is a collaboration between GunsOnPegs and Strutt & Parker, producing the biggest survey in game shooting each year, giving wonderful insight into the sport and the trends that develop. 

Written by Will Hetherington, GunsOnPegs Contributing Editor

Will was the editor of the Shooting Gazette, a leading international driven shooting magazine, for 13 years. Having been involved with country sports publishing for a total of 19 years, he is now our Contributing Editor at GunsOnPegs.