At the risk of being tarred and feathered, I'll chime in.

Strongly held opinions die hard, and that's what is being debated here. Matters of handling characteristics, when taken to this level, are subjective. They cannot be quantified, as they live in the mind of the observer.

From the outset the Brits abhorred the O/U shotgun. One need look no further than the fact that many of their hunting clubs enjoined their use. That's not a rule based on handling characteristics.

The Continentals had a greater affinity for the O/U. This can be seen well back into the muzzle loading era. But the Brits had no use for Continental taste, either. There was a wide gulf separating the two schools of opinion, and that gulf exists today.

Merkel was a driving force behind the proliferation of O/U guns and rifles on the Continent. This tradition is memorialized in the current Merkel catalog, which states:

I find it impossible to believe that a shotgunner experienced in the use of an O/U would be hampered in the least by the use of an O/U double rifle.

As to my own preferences, I like SxS rifles better. I do own one O/U rifle, which is a fine one. I wouldn't feel compromised by taking it into the field. It's a Merkel 323E, which I believe represents the pinnacle of the O/U rifle (another opinion, obviously).

Those who only accept British products and opinions will not care for this rifle. But others will.

If I were a dyed in the wool O/U shotgun man, I would certainly own the Merkel 323E rifle. I would probably shun the SxS.

We should distinguish opinion from fact. Often those with strongly held opinions come to the belief that their opinions represent fact. This is not the case.

It was said that the market response demonstrates the superior utility of the SxS rifle compared to the O/U rifle. It's simply foolish to think the market defines superior utility or design when there are so many other forces that drive demand. The fallacy of that logic is demonstrated time after time in the market. Do we really believe that the fins common to late-50's and early-60's automobiles contributed anything to the stability or dynamics of the car?

So in closing I suggest good advice was put forth by Zimhunter when he said, "I buy and use what I like and you buy and use what you like and we will both be happy." In other words, we please ourselves within our own sets of opinions without trying to impose on other's tastes and opinions.

Just my $0.02 worth (which is less and less considering the slide of the US$).

Curl