... e.g. SuperBritte


I make the following statement about them in my blog:

"As far as pure mechanics goes, this scheme makes much more sense than the traditional arrangement of the break-open gun <...> [but] there is something fundamentally wrong with its ergonomics."

Would you agree or disagree with this?

Especially those of you who were priviledged to fire a few shots out of one of these.

While I have never fired a side opening O/U Superbritte. I have held one and practiced mounting and opening it. It felt awkward.

That said I cannot say it was awkward because I was used to the traditional opening for sxs and O/U guns and that if I fired a superbritte through a couple flats of ammo on a range that awkwardness would disappear or not.

I believe that shooters get used to a particular action and actions outside that experience seem off.

I know that after shooting shorter barrel sxs guns 99% of the time picking up a 30 inch pump or auto or even 32in SxS feel like I am looking down the deck of a supertanker. I have the same odd experience when picking up a 12ga sxs waterfowl gun it feels very very wide and awkward.

Humans are creatures of habit. If someone exclusively used the superbritte action and became proficient with it that awkwardness would not happen.

I do not believe the action caught on because most shooters who tried one were already set in their ways and using it was not an easy transition.

I would disagree that it makes more mechanical 'sense'.

There's no way it's as strong as a traditional O/U.

There have to be asymmetrical firing forces at play, and the hinge requires stressing against torque in the open condition.

How does one carry one of those in the 'open' condition? With the barrels down and the stock horizontal? It would seem that it would flop around otherwise. With the stock horizontal, great care would be needed to keep from bumping into things with it.

Ergonomic disaster, yes. Mechanical masterpiece, no.

And right when you thought that an Over/Under couldn't get any uglier.

I can't see the mechanical advantage of having the locking bolt fit and slide between the two firing pins be beneficial in regards to strength.

I've seen pictures of the gun before, I just doesn't seem right to me.
In handling different guns, I agree with the colonel. I'm just accustomed to SxS's
Karl

I have no opinion on the strength of the Super Britte. I just know I want one. I once did not buy a Super Britte with Savage markings. Very nice, high quality piece. Anyone know about the Savage guns?

A SuperBritte was one of my bucket list guns. I read about them as a kid in a Gun Digest article 50 years ago I guess. Found one in mint condition with double triggers about 20 years ago. It was very well made and everything that I wanted in it. Different, even quirky design that was very interesting. It came up well, the dimensions were near what I liked but I could not shoot it worth a darn. POI seemed ok. But with it I could not hit the broad side of a barn from inside or outside.

My skeet score and trap scores went into the single didgets. Tried using the top barrel and bottom barrel only with dismal results so I don't think it was a convergences problem. Others tried it with equall results. Never figured out why I could not shoot it well but after a couple years of owning but not shooting it I sold it to a Doctor outside Lexington KY who did not shoot it well but was so in love with its looks he did not care. As far as I know he still has it.

There have been several different lots of them. Some where imported when made early 50's I guess. Savage was another group then G&H found and finished another lot about 10-15 years ago. I was told they were found in the white and had been stored for decades not new construction.

I have seen a few of them...I could NEVER warm up to one...UGLY!

I don't know that it's actually ugly.

Different, imaginative, quirky maybe.

I shot one donkey's years ago (1999) when Francotte (before they went bust and closed) considered reintroducing them under the Francotte name.

My impression: Light, very responsive, handled very much like a SxS British game gun, and that's how you had to shoot one —- swing through and shoot. If you shot it deliberately, like a typical production 12-ga O/U, it died on you in swing and you (I, at least) would miss behind. A better shot may not have had this problem.

I found the ergonomics odd, but then I didn't have one in hand long enough to get used to it. As I recall when I'd press the sidelever down, I would want to open the barrels down.

They appear often enough for sale, in enough places (USA, Europe, UK) that I wonder if the widely quoted production figure of about 250 completed guns is not low, but that is only speculation.

Personally I think they are kinda cool.

Funky better word...

side-opening over/unders - the answer to the question no one asked

And the 2nd question was how ugly and clumsy can a gun be made?

One thing about them that appeals to me (though I've never held one) is that the action is as small vertically as is possible.

I agree the Belgian design looks dull. The Dickson side-openers Look cool to me.

No it isn't. Perazzis, Berettas, and all similar action are probably lower - just the height of two barrels with the locking lugs on the side of the top (usually) barrel. Can't get any lower than that.

And no one mentions what the left side of that thing in the photo looks like

I'd love to have a go with one just to see how it shoots and feels. I have a French Bretton O/U 12 bore and that is odd enough but surprisingly easy to shoot; provided only light loads are used as it weighs in around 4 1/2 pounds. I only bought that as a curiosity but have had some fun with it. Lagopus.....

There was a Super Britte at the Southern. Nicely made but it reminded me of a duckbill platypus. Odd.

I have always fancied one but as a south paw, it is never going to happen!

Toby,
Not likely to find one in a left handed model! Plus, no canvas for any sort of engraving.
Karl

I still need one. Missed the Southern this year. I didn't see the one mentioned.

Height of the Superbritte I measured: 56mm (2.20") high
vs.
Boss O/U I measured: 63mm (2.480") high

If you like shallow depth side opening over under guns, this one measures 2.112" . It's a 12 bore, assisted opening, and auto-ejectors.

Perazzi MX8 - - 2.450"

Beretta 682 - - 2.435

That includes the tail end of the rib on each of them and just guessing it looks like the Beretta is about 2.380 w/out the rib.

Daryl that gun reminds me of a flounder not a O/U. That or a double built on a Monday with a bad hangover.

Everybody missed the obvious....The opening swing of an OU. Even tho I love and cherish my Brownings; it still takes a lot of swing to load that bottom barrel.....Grant.

Well, it does with a Browning

Well, it does with all O/U's. Nature of the beast.