How do you use double triggers?

M

Model12Win

Moderator
I like to pull both triggers at once on my old 12 gauge coach gun.

With two 3" magnum 15 pellet 00 buckshot rounds, you essentially have what equates to a mag dump from a MAC-11 .380 ACP machine pistol fired instantaneously.

Yes it hurts, but if any gun truly has "stopping power", that would be the very definition of it. :cool:
 
B

B.L.E.

New member
I like to pull both triggers at once on my old 12 gauge coach gun.

With two 3" magnum 15 pellet 00 buckshot rounds, you essentially have what equates to a mag dump from a MAC-11 .380 ACP machine pistol fired instantaneously.

Yes it hurts, but if any gun truly has "stopping power", that would be the very definition of it
Click to expand...

That's like shooting a 4 gauge. Most 4 gauge shotguns weigh around 12-16 pounds so you can stand to shoot it more than once.

When you double the weight of the shot, it doesn't double the recoil energy, it quadruples it.
 
D

dgludwig

New member
This is probably the first time in my life (and I'm older than seventy) that I've ever heard of using two fingers to fire a shotgun that has two triggers. A ridiculous idea imo.
 
Z

ZVP

New member
One finger!
Most Doubles are set up to fire the right bbl with the front trigger, this would be the most open choked barrel for a rising phesant shot close-up, then if you missed or if another bird flushes and flies away from you, then you fire the rear trigger which is a tighter choked barrel giving a tighter group to hit the other bird on the way away from you.
There's lots of time to get your finger moved. for the second trigger.
Also like was said, each single trigger is a simpler mechanism more likely to fire on command!
JMHO,
ZVP
 
H

HawkeyeNRAlifer

New member
Two of my three o/u shotguns have two triggers. I learn to shoot using two triggers and find it quicker to select the barrel/choke I need when bird hunting that to hit the selector button on my SKB when needing the tighter choke.
My guess is that the guys were just joshing with you.
 
B

B.L.E.

New member
I have heard of double single triggers on some really high end doubles, combining the best of double triggers and single trigger designs.
The front trigger fires the bottom or right barrel on the first pull and the other barrel on the second pull.
The rear trigger fires the top or left barrel on the first pull and the other barrel on the second pull.
 
D

dgludwig

New member
The Browning Superposed (the "Twin-Single"variant) and the Mauser Model 620 are two shotguns that offered this feature on some of their guns. Imo, this double trigger set-up, at least theoretically, is by far the best approach to "barrel selection" but over time I have read that the mechanism was overly complicated, expensive to make and failure prone.
 
D

darkgael

New member
hmmm

Seems to me that I read one of Michael McIntosh's books about shotgunning in which he discusses the fact that single trigger guns have a disconnect that operates during recoil and which isolates the trigger from the sear because under recoil the trigger finger involuntarily pulls the trigger a second time.
Does that idea sound familiar to anyone else?
If I am remembering that correctly, then putting fingers on both triggers of a double trigger gun seems unwise at best.
Pete
 
B

B.L.E.

New member
One of the earliest solutions to the problem of single trigger guns bump firing the second barrel due to recoil pulling the gun away from the trigger finger and then bouncing back was something called the "three pull trigger". If you dry fire the gun, the first pull releases the first hammer, the second pull switches the trigger to the second sear, and the third pull released the second hammer.
During actual shooting, the trigger switches to the other sear from the gun rebounding off your shoulder after the first shot causing you to pull the trigger twice and it appears like it only takes two pulls of the trigger.
I learned about this from a book written by W.W. Greener.

My Ruger O/U has an inertia weight that blocks the trigger while the gun is under recoil to prevent a bump fire double discharge. It has a mechanical trigger, you can dry fire both barrels withoug having to bump the stock to simulate recoil to get it to switch barrels.
 
H

Husqvarna

New member
This is probably the first time in my life (and I'm older than seventy) that I've ever heard of using two fingers to fire a shotgun that has two triggers. A ridiculous idea imo.
Click to expand...

a perfectly accepted technique to get more lead in the air for hunting:D

no but seriously I have heard oldtimers say this

And I think it is/was Perazzi that offered a sbs with a third trigger that fired both barrels at once, the barrels were even manufactured with a slight dispersion, to get as big a swarm as possible
 
H

HiBC

New member
One finger,either bbl first.

Many side by sides are fine old shotguns of considerable value.

There is a style of using them.Not slamming them open and closed ,for example.

They are generally made to be as light and slender as possible,with the exception of some waterfowl guns.There is not extra wood in them for overkill strength.
Particularly with sidelocks.

Subjecting them to the recoil of doubling is a bad idea.
 
B

B.L.E.

New member
One of the problems with shooting both barrels at once is that it is virtually impossible to shoot both barrels exactly at the same time, one will always shoot a fraction of a second before the other. Because of the recoil of the first barrel resulting in barrel jump, the second barrel will always shoot over the target.

Try it on a big patterning board if you don't believe me.

Also, the bore lines of double barrels converge to compensate for barrel jump during the shot's barrel travel. The top barrel of an O/U jumps more than the bottom barrel so it has to be aimed lower to hit the target. The left barrel of a SXS jumps up and to the left while the right barrel jumps up and to the right.
 
O

OkieCruffler

New member
I've always figured having both barrels going off exactly together would put a lot of stress on the weild.
But I've spoken with my SG guru (my grandfather) and he says he used to shoot with one fella pretty regularly who used a two finger method. And was left handed to boot. Says he shot well enough to hang with the big boys. So I suppose there are folks out there who do this.
 
B

briandg

New member
?????????

I've never heard anything so stupid. NEVER.

One of the reasons why you would want dual triggers is so you can fire the chokes in order, open first or open second, depending on the direction and distance of the flying game. Most single triggers I have handled had no switch to alternate barrels. You choose your trigger by your CHOKE, not by where the booger hook fits best.

Elmer keith is one of the greatest authorities in use of a double gun known to history. His choice of a double .577 nitro was simple; the sidelock double can have one barrel completely disabled by mechanical failure, but the second barrel will almost certainly still be functional, and be still as good as the single shot rifles that african hunters had used for decades already.

My personal preference is front first, your finger naturally slides from front to back, and I would choose to set my choke tubes in the order that this would be best facilitated, depending on in or outgoing game.
 
4

44 AMP

Staff
I have my Grandfather's Ithaca double, (made to his order in 1909), and while that gun has two triggers, it doesn't matter which one you pull first, because he had the gun choked FULL/FULL!

Takes a bit of practice to get "on" for wingshooting, but when you are on, it really does the job. (full choke, 1909 standards = super full with modern ammo).

Does a number on foxes, though!
:D
 
M

Model12Win

Moderator
All I can recommend is that I DON'T recommend firing two 10 gauge 1.5 oz magnum rifled slugs both at the same time.

It will be most uncomfortable. :eek:
 
B

briandg

New member
yes, but god help the rhinoceros you fired it at.

10 gauge slug IMO is even enough for a big griz. the thing is for most intents equal to a .458 magnum. It's way more than is needed for anything smaller than moose, imo.
 
J

jaguarxk120

New member
Actually for Rhino the 10 gauge is a bit light the 8 bore is just right.

Back in the day 12 bore was used for thin skinned game and 10 bore for larger game, but not on any animal that would trample or eat you!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top