PROMOTING THE SIDE-BY-SIDE

How I welcomed and enjoyed reading Eleanor Doughty’s article (Is the side-by-side history?, 21 June). Well done, Alastair Phillips for your comments about promoting the sale of side-bysides. The British side-by-side industry was the world’s finest but sadly, due to unfair publicity about the imminent loss of lead shot and “fragile” side-by-sides not really being compatible with steel shot, the trend was to promote overand-unders.

A person taught correctly will have no issues with sighting of a side-by-side. After all, Robert Churchill addressed this very issue with the introduction of his Churchill rib for side-by-sides. Double triggers are a joy to use, allowing instant selection of the desired choke barrel rather than having to fiddle with a barrel selector, which only results in a late, futile, frustrating shot at a long-departed bird.

Side-by-sides have sufficient gape to allow speedy reloading when in the hot spot; far preferable to lacerated fingers fumbling to reload an over-and-under while avoiding razor-edged ejectors.

Side-by-sides do not suffer from “light strikes” of the cartridge primer as do overand-unders, inevitably caused by a compromised striker angle due to its barrel configuration. Side-by-sides have the benefit of more than 250 years’ design and development, grace, beauty and style, and are a joy to carry, unburdened by excess weight for a day in the field or on the moor. Their beauty and function are possibly only surpassed by that of a side-by-side hammergun.

Let us all get back to tradition and enjoyment as soon as possible.

P. Harris, by email