Which one do you shoot first... the front or rear trigger? It there a right and wrong way or is this just a matter of personal preference?

Dave

FRONT!!!!!!....and I say that, Dave, because if you're hunting buff, you usually have a soft in the right and a solid in the left. Of course, if you wanted to be different you could reverse that...this isn't a written law that I'm aware of.
Some folks say they have trouble with the gun doubling if they don't shoot the back trigger...left barrel...first....but...the norm is front then back.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC

I shoot the front trigger first, unless as GarBy
states I have one kind of bullet in the right bbl and a different in the left.

It can be a Soft and a Solid, or a "softer" Soft, and a "harder" Soft.

FRONT - and don't let people tell you otherwise
as one day it will stuff you up big time.


And as per Garby / NE 450 No 2 says.

I shoot the front trigger and slide back to the rear trigger... This is comfortable to me... Your hand size will make this decision for you...
But make it a standard practice and also pickup a side by side shotgun with 2 triggers and shoot appropriately... Make you trigger finger shoot it naturally by shooting this way all the time...

Mike

FRONT to back, always.

Keith

One of the great advantages to doubles is the ability to have two different bullet types immediately available without switching anything but which trigger is pulled. No other action type makes that possible.

Clearly though, if bullet selection isn't an issue the concensus of those who know is "front first".

It's not a hill of beans which trigger you choose to pull first! I pull the rear trigger first and I've never, will never, double a DR with a sweaty finger in the heat of the moment with rear-front sequence. Which ever one you choose to pull first is the one you want to develop a strong subconsious habit of pulling all of the time. If your a new DR user the choice is yours and either one is the right choice for you.

Don't have that problem anymore as the Merkel I have now has only 1 (ONE) trigger. My 470 Merkel had 2 triggers and I always fired the back first. Never had a problem remembering either just as I don't have problems remembering which kind of safety the gun I'm shooting has. Most of the time I can even walk and chew gum at the same time except I absolutely HATE gum.

I like rear trigger first, especially on heavy recoiling calibers.

Precludes the possibility of my hand/finger slipping back from the recoil when using the front trigger first and accidently doubling the gun.

Might not happen to you very often, but when it's 95+ and your tired and been carrying the damn gun for 20 miles and covered with sweat.

So if you DO double it and the first round isn't fatal (odds are the second won't be either) there you are with an empty gun and a wounded animal and probably not sure what planet your on, and... best of luck and have a good day mate

With my 450/400 I don't see any difference with accuracy between front or rear first. And that is after trying each with sticks - bench - free hand...

I used to follow the front first convention strictly. I've got a nicely healed six-sticher half moon scar between my eyebrows that convinced me to test the rear trigger first option after an unintended front first double while using my claw mount scope. Trust me - scopes do up the anty in the case of an unexpected double.

Since then, I've shot about 200 more double rifle pairs, and a few thousand sporting clay doubles with a side/side 28 gauge. With the 28 guage, I almost always use rear trigger first even when that might not be the highest percentage choice given the clay presentation. Got my 1st elephant in Botswana last year and that was a conscious rear trigger first choice. Because of the recoil barrel lift and time to get back on target, I don't think there is significant, if any, additional time required to get off an aimed second shot.

Going exclusively front trigger first in practice with my double rifle, I think the downside potential with iron sights is probably no more than fat lips or mayby a bloody nose. With a scope you could get a serious injury in case of a double. In DG situations an unexpected double could be worse. As a couple of others have noted, your choice.

Good luck,
Emory

quote:

FRONT!!!!!!....and I say that, Dave, because if you're hunting buff, you usually have a soft in the right and a solid in the left.

but what if you only have 1 trigger

quote:

Originally posted by butchloc:
but what if you only have 1 trigger

Sell it and get a real double.

I am sure there are fans of either way but I learned from a live pigeon shooter - who used a SxS double - who claimed the rear trigger first was marginally faster as the left barrel was more in line with your body and it was easier dealing with it's recoil. On big rifles that is even more pronounced. I also prefer to use the rear trigger first as I felt that the recoil pushing back seems to position my hand better to pull the forward trigger second.

Grew up with a SxS shotgun shooting front (right) then rear (left). Couldn't change if I wanted to.

quote:

Originally posted by lavaca:
Grew up with a SxS shotgun shooting front (right) then rear (left). Couldn't change if I wanted to.

True enough. It becomes a subconscious thing that would be tough to change.

The rear trigger is more comfortable for me and because of that I make a more accurate first shot than I do with the front trigger.

Its probably related to hand size - with the rear trigger my grip is more "closed" than with the stretched out grip for the front trigger.

More importantly, for me at least, the rear trigger grip is more relaxed.

I am certainly no expert on this however it is probably what comes natural after quite allot of practice and always being consistant with what bullet is in what barrel.
I have shot SXS shotguns for many years as another gentleman had expressed prior on this thread. The difference there is nor necessarily the shot but the choke. If I want to take a long passing shot, I might just pull the back trigger, however 90% of the time it is the front.
Probably just practice. You will note what works for some does not work for others.
You will have fun figuring it out!
If you find that you shoot one barrel more accurate than the other due to trigger position, you may want to consider that as your first shot. As everyone on this board will attest; The first shot is the most important!.

EZ

The whole point of pulling the rear trigger first is that one does accidentally slip off the front trigger and pull the rear trigger, by accident, from the recoil of the shot.

my choice is front ,when i shoot the 600 i may change my mind,but maybe not

All manufacturers of double rifles (that I am aware of) regulate their guns to shot the right barrel (front trigger on a two trigger gun) and then shot the left barrel within 7-10 sec. If you shot them out of order or wait too long between shots the gun may not regulate properly.

I could be wrong, but I believe Elmer Keith went against the grain and said that the left barrel should be shot first as you can recover from recoil quicker from the left barrel.

quote:

Originally posted by Kebco:
All manufacturers of double rifles (that I am aware of) regulate their guns to shot the right barrel (front trigger on a two trigger gun) and then shot the left barrel within 7-10 sec. If you shot them out of order or wait too long between shots the gun may not regulate properly.

Kebco you are correct about the manufactures method of regulation but as far as regulation being compromised because of the lt barrel being fired first over the right in my experience and many other DR owners experience is that it does not happen. I've owned 8 DR's over 15 years Heym's, Searcy's, Chapuis, and Merkel's. I've never experienced any difference in the point of impact, if (I strongly emphasize if) one is shooting a DR properly whether it's sitting, kneeling, standing or using sticks. IMHO if one does not have a strong engrained front-rear secence and they plan on hunting DG in Africa with a DR caliber over 450-400 they would be wise to learn to shoot rear trigger-front trigger. The Brit's also drive on the opposite side of the road and have right hand steer. Somebody enlighten about the history of why that is.

quote:

Originally posted by dirklawyer:

quote:

Originally posted by Kebco:
All manufacturers of double rifles (that I am aware of) regulate their guns to shot the right barrel (front trigger on a two trigger gun) and then shot the left barrel within 7-10 sec. If you shot them out of order or wait too long between shots the gun may not regulate properly.

Kebco you are correct about the manufactures method of regulation but as far as regulation being compromised because of the lt barrel being fired first over the right in my experience and many other DR owners experience is that it does not happen. I've owned 8 DR's over 15 years Heym's, Searcy's, Chapuis, and Merkel's. I've never experienced any difference in the point of impact, if (I strongly emphasize if) one is shooting a DR properly whether it's sitting, kneeling, standing or using sticks. IMHO if one does not have a strong engrained front-rear secence and they plan on hunting DG in Africa with a DR caliber over 450-400 they would be wise to learn to shoot rear trigger-front trigger. The Brit's also drive on the opposite side of the road and have right hand steer. Somebody enlighten about the history of why that is.

Double rifles are individuals, some are easy to regulate and do not care about which barrel is fired first. The next gun by the same maker may have very specific requirements on which barrel is fired first.

If firing the left barrel/rear trigger works for you that is fine but I will always recommend that someone learn to fire the front trigger/right barrel first.

What a load!! If you are just collecting and admiring doubles, who gives a crap one way or another. But when hunting DG it matters and matters a bunch. And the manufacturer? They're just doing whatever the other manufacturer is doing. What do they know or care?!

quote:

Originally posted by dirklawyer:
The Brit's also drive on the opposite side of the road and have right hand steer. Somebody enlighten about the history of why that is.

The British drive on the left side of the road because that's the side they used to ride horses on .

AND, the reason for that, was that all (or almost all) combat was fought right handed as it was assumed everyone was right handed. Well that puts the sword on the left side of the mounted combatant/rider. Thus if you passed another Knight left to left (riding on the right side of the road) your swords would clash as you passed and also possibly injuring the horse and/or rider.

quote:

Originally posted by eezridr:
I am certainly no expert on this however it is probably what comes natural after quite allot of practice and always being consistant with what bullet is in what barrel.
I have shot SXS shotguns for many years as another gentleman had expressed prior on this thread. The difference there is nor necessarily the shot but the choke. If I want to take a long passing shot, I might just pull the back trigger, however 90% of the time it is the front.
Probably just practice. You will note what works for some does not work for others.
You will have fun figuring it out!
If you find that you shoot one barrel more accurate than the other due to trigger position, you may want to consider that as your first shot. As everyone on this board will attest; The first shot is the most important!.

EZ

The fact is this is not a matter of which is faster, but how well does the rifle regulate when firing in either way!

The double rifle is always regulated by the barrel man at the factory using the front trigger first. If you think about how a double rifle was designed to be used, you will see the reason for the front trigger first recommendation. The double rifle is a hunting rifle not a target rifle. As such the rifle is designed to be fired from a cool barrel set for the first shot, heating that very thing barrel very quickly, followed sooner, or later, by the second barrel, which is still cool. The heating of the first barrel sets the warp for the second barrel, which is tied to the warm barrel. Because of this, some doubles do not regulate properly if the left barrel is fired first. This doesn’t matter if the target is close, but if the first shot is fired at say 100 yds, followed closely by the second barrel the second shot may not be where you want it. If you will remember a double rifle with a single trigger always fires the right barrel first on a S/S, and the bottom barrel on an O/U!

It is no quicker to shoot either way, and again if close in, then it doesn’t matter, because the regulation will be close enough to not matter.

The thing that is not well thought out is, comparing shooting a S/S shotgun to shooting a double rifle as to whether it has anything to do with anything other than the way you want to do it with the shotgun. The shotgun, even the finest shotgun, is only regulated well enough to place all the pellets from both barrels in the open mouth of a 55 gallon drum at 35 yds, in that case the trigger selection order makes no difference at all, and is an apple and watermelon argument. I don't think you would want to go into the weeds with a lion with a double rifle that would shoot no better than placeing a shot from each barrel in a 30 inch circle! Besides one has nothing to do with the other. The only thing this teaches you is to remember there is more than one trigger.

So in the final analysis, with you double rifle try it both ways, and if your double rifle will regulate as good one way as the other at 100 yds, and the front trigger floats you boat set sail. Just remember which barrel you put the soft in!

A SIDE NOTE FOR THOSE AGAINST SINGLE TRIGGERS.
JIM SUTHERLAND HUNTED WITH NOT ONE BUT - TWO-SINGLE TRIGGER WESTLEY RICHARDS 577.
AND THEY NEVER LET HIM DOWN.
THEY WERE SINGLE SELECTIVE TRIGGERS OF WESTLEY RICHARDS DESIGN.

Am I shooting right handed or left handed?

Growing up right handed I almost always used right trigger first, right -soft, left- solid.

Being now a lefty , I find the rear trigger first easier for me

All this noise about which trigger to pull first has clouded my already skewed reasoning so I can't live with any DR's with double triggers any longer, I'm a believer Will! Single triggers forever. When are you going request a new forum DRSTU (double rifle single trigger users) for us discriminated folk?

It seems I've been told that with O/U guns one barrel has less apparent recoil than the other and should be fired first. I think it may have been the lower barrel, but I'm not for certain at this point. It was in connection with shooting trap (O/Us are typically used for double targets), but could have relevance for double rifles in the O/U configuration.

Perhaps someone here knows more on it.

Shack,

I shoot O/U shotguns quite a bit. They may be quite different than O/U rifles - dont know that -- but my observation is that most O/U shotgunners shoot the bottom barrel first.

I have asked several top trap shooters in our area about this and have never gotten an answer that I thought was totally solid.

Some say the recoil of the bottom barrel is more straight back thus making the second shot quicker to line out. Usually they put the more open choke on the bottom and shoot that first.

Also I have heard them say shooting the bottom barrel first makes the shotgun stay on face longer since they believe there is less rotation on the hinge pin from shooting the bottom barrel. These guys shoot a LOT so that may be something that shows up for them.

I have heard some say there is less recoil from the bottom barrel. My experience with duck loads (more recoil than trap loads) is that I cannot tell any difference.

I have talked to serious duck hunters who believe they shoot the top barrel more accurately on long or high shots because they are looking straight down the rib with the barrel just under that. I agree with that idea but my shooting is usually not something that would prove anything.

I have never shot an O/U rifle but would tend to shoot the most accurate barrel first regardless of the recoil.

With shotguns, when the ducks are over the decoys pinpoint accuracy is not the most important thing - its a scattergun after all.

With dangerous game the first shot is a lot more critical.

That's pretty much the way I recall it explained, bottom first. I think it was less recoil because the bottom is more straight back into the shoulder. I have a feeling this would be of marginal importance for O/U rifles, but maybe it wouldn't hurt for the first shot to be the one with the least apparent recoil.

At any rate, you've got my attention on the duck hunting. I've been doing it heavily for over half a century in the Mississippi Flyway...AR, TN, MS and some other places.

I used to use Model 12s then joined the crowds and went with 870s, 1100s and have near worn out one of the first 11-87s sold locally. That one's my real game getter. When serious about it those are what I have taken into duck clubs, bayous, swamps, reservoirs, rivers, lakes, flooded fields, flooded woods, blinds, boats, pits, stands etc. After I've got enough and start getting concerned about freezer space, I get out the S/S and O/U guns just because I love their looks and enjoy hunting them.

I also use an O/U at the trap line although in singles only (I don't regularly run them, but do on occasion). I'm not heavily into that enough to get what most use, a single barrel for single targets. However, I have tried switching back and forth between barrels and frankly some days I think either can be better...

Anywho, given all that, as far as I can tell there is no difference at all in actual results based on which barrel is fired first from either S/S or O/U in the field with 3" magnums or at trap. Whatever difference there is I reckon it's not something even frequent shooters would notice.

The part about long passing shots on ducks I've had to do a little thinking about. A few yrs ago I switched from #3s to BBs just for those longer shots and it was one of the best ideas I ever heard...really works. Be that as it may, the real trick on long ones is just developing a feel for the extensive leads required. And that you only get by doing it. I honestly don't think I've noticed any difference in results regarding which barrel, with one possible exception. On one of my guns the chokes are built in, IC and Mod. I do at least try to shoot the Mod first on long shots. Another gun has screw-in chokes and I use Skeet in one and IC in the other and so don't really have to bother about which barrel. If those sound pretty open, they are, and it's because of the steel shot. The wads with steel shells are quite sturdy and I regard as somewhat chokes in themselves.

I think we're in agreement pretty much.

Cheers.

Shack, as I said in my first post here, the O/U shotguner's opinion has little to do with the way a double rifle is used.

On most O/U double rifles their is only one trigger, and most are not selective! They are set up to fire the bottom barrel first, and you
have no choice in the matter. This is also the case with a S/S double rifle with a single trigger. If the cocking system in the rifle of either configuration,cocks bot barrel's locks, and the trigger is a mechanicle, and you get a dud in the lower, or right barrel, then the second pull of the trigger will fire the second barrel. Most all O/U double rifles with single triggers are recoil operated, and the LOWER barrel is automaticlly fired first, and the recoil from that fireing cocks the UPPER barrel. If you get a dud in the lower barrel, the second barrel will not fire at all. The S/S is the same in most cases in firing the right barrel first, but most single trigger S/Ss have mechanicle triggers, and cock both locks when opened. With this one you get a dud in the right barrel and the single trigger is mechanical, it will fire the second, or LEFT barrel. NOW! If you have a trigger break in anyway, on either type rifle useing a single trigger, what you are suddenly left with is a ten pound club!

If a double rifle of either type has double triggers, this automaticlly means the both barrels cock on opening, this being slightly modified by the cocking system of the Krieghoff, and more so by the Blaser. We won't go into that here, other than to say between those the K-rifle is the only sane choice!

The way to tell if you are looking at an inertia cocked second barrel rifle, is to place two snap caps into the chambers, and pull the single trigger. It will drop the tumbler on the first barrel, but if it is an inertia system, the top barrel, or the left barrel will not snap.

I would tend to say "MOST" S/Ss with single triggers are mechanical, and thus both barrels cock, but that is less likely with "MOST" O/Us with single triggers.

As someone above said the Firing oof the lower barrel first on the O/U double rifle is less detramental to the rifle, than the top barrel. As stated, the top barrel causes far more stress on the O/U rifle than does the bottom barrel. With a shotgun, unless you are in competition it doesn't matter because the pressures are so low. Rifles are a different matter, however.

If the O/U you want is offered with double triggers, that is the way I would buy it, but if it is offered wth two triggers, then the rifle cocks both barrels on opening, and is the single trigger is selective, then you have the best of both worlds! I have a couple of U/U double rifles with single triggers. One cocks both barrels,and has single selective trigger, the other cocks only the bottom barrel, and the trigger is not selective, nor would it be of any use if it were, because the top barrel wouldn't be cocked till the bottom barrel was fired!

If the rifle were to be used for deer hunting it wouldn't make any difference, but on anything that bites back, I want TWO TRIGGERS!

.....Good luck in which ever you buy, and welcome the DRSS, either way!

On the shotguns I have both the type you mentioned. Browning seems to prefer the mechanical and for some reason, Ithaca-SKB the inertia. The inertia I find extremely awkward and don't know why they picked that, unless forced to because of patent issues or such.

The less expensive Brownings seem to be straight mechanical and the more expensive seem to be barrel selective mechanical, with the button on the trigger or using the safety position from side to side. I personally find the safety selection type a lot more convenient.

On the Ithaca you can pound the end of the stock with your hand, hit it on your boot or on soft ground and nothing happens. It takes a sharp blow against a fairly solid object to set up the second shot when the first fails for whatever reason. Not much of any way to ever see that in a double rifle, obviously.

Speaking of which, I'm going ahead and buying a Parker conversion DB that I mentioned in another thread. It has the two triggers, but since it's a 30-30 no need to worry about recoil. The gunsmith who's looking at it for me is experienced with doubles and has hunted in other countries. I asked him about the front/rear trigger question and without hesitation he said you shoot the front one first because it's quicker.