1st question ---- Have you noticed that one barrel of your double is more "accurate" or more consistently shoots to the same poi than the other barrel?

2nd question ---- Do you notice any difference in "accuracy" if you reverse the firing sequence from right bbl - left bbl -right bbl-left bbl to left-right-left-right?

Both of my doubles are far more accurate than my eyes, so I have not noticed any difference in accuracy barrel to barrel. That is a condition more likely to occur with vintage guns, as the right barrel may have been shot far more extensively than the left.

quote:

Originally posted by DB Bill:
1st question ---- Have you noticed that one barrel of your double is more "accurate" or more consistently shoots to the same poi than the other barrel?

2nd question ---- Do you notice any difference in "accuracy" if you reverse the firing sequence from right bbl - left bbl -right bbl-left bbl to left-right-left-right?

Yes Bill, one barrel will always be more prone to shoot tighter groups that another whether it is a double rifle or any other kind, even if the barrels are brand new.

With double rifles it is the same, one will shoot tighter than the other with the same load. However,the difference will be very slight in a new double rifle, actually not enough to be noticeable even from the bench, for the composit group.

The older double rifle, is where this is a real factor. As Dan says, in a double that is at, or near 100 yrs old, that has been hunted a lot, may have a right barrel that has a lot more wear than the left barrel. In some cases that loose barrel may shoot considerably lower than the other one. When that is the case, there is only one thing to do, unfortunently that is to re-regulate!

For those who don't know, working up a load for a double rifle is not "REGULATEING", but is working up a load to shoot "TO" the regulation that is physicly built into the rifle, and no load will fix the sittuation we are discussing here. Re-regulation is the re-setting of the barrels, with heat, and solder!

On the right,left fireing order, that is proper, because that is the way the rifles are regulated at the maker, and the barrels of a double rifle, being a HUNTING rifle, it is usually fired from cold barrels. The barrels being considerably thin, heat immediatly upon fireing. This dirrectly effects the second barrel. So it is advisable, however you can shoot your rifle,and if it doesn't effect YOUR rifle then act according to your needs. I have one double that will not regulate properly if the left barrel is fired first, and the others
seem not effected. So I guess what ever works for you, and your rifle.

DB, I am definately sure that the lower barrel of my .30-06 O/U is the better of the two tubes for accuracy. But now I will have to check and see if going upper first is capable of changing things around. I first noticed this when shooting at greater distances because of the dual groups. I then determined which barrel was shooting where. I think, but do not know that changing the order can affect overall performance.

quote:

Originally posted by 308Sako:
DB, I am definately sure that the lower barrel of my .30-06 O/U is the better of the two tubes for accuracy. But now I will have to check and see if going upper first is capable of changing things around. I first noticed this when shooting at greater distances because of the dual groups. I then determined which barrel was shooting where. I think, but do not know that changing the order can affect overall performance.

308SAKO, the way to check the grouping is to place two targets side by side ,with the aiming points at the same elevation, and shoot all the rounds, from one barrel on one target, and the other barrel on the other, marking on a piece of paper where each shot places on it's targets, as you fire them. The order of fireing may or may not change the POI, but it may. If it does, you can still select different bullets by simply placeing the soft in one barrel and the solid in the other, and fire the order that shoots best! The soft is usually fired first, followed by all solids there after on dangerous game.

The O/U is more likely to stay in line with the groups either crossing,(top barrel shooting low, and the bottom barrel shooting high), or shooting wide, (bottom shooting too low, and the top barrel shooting too high).

The S/S will sometimes not only cross but make one barrel shoot higher than the other.

All O/U double are regulated to shoot the bottom barrel first, because the rifle is strongest when shooting the bottom barrel, and many times only one shot is taken, so it should be from the strongest part of the rifle. The O/U is much weaker when shooting the top barrel than the bottom. This is why the makers of fine O/U combo guns, always place the shot barrel on top, and put the high pressure rifle round in the bottom.

Hope it works for you the way you want to shoot your rifle, but I'd try it several times before I took on something that bites back!