Accuracy and Speed with a Big Bore Double

[Schüler Jumbo]

Hello everyone,

Is there a recommended or established standard time measured in seconds to fire two accurate rounds from a big bore double, reload, and fire two additional accurate rounds at a target distance within 25 yards?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Pondoro]

I would be more concerned to actually hit with the first 2 shots.. However, the answer to your question is not so easy..technique, training, ejector/extractor, etc..

I think his method is interesting..applicable to DG hunting too:

 

[Schüler Jumbo]

Thank you Pondoro. Very interesting method.

 

[SStomcat]

I would be more concerned to actually hit with the first 2 shots.. However, the answer to your question is not so easy..technique, training, ejector/extractor, etc..

I think his method is interesting..applicable to DG hunting too:

A few things aren’t entirely clear to me. First, I’m not sure what calibre the rifle actually is, or whether it truly qualifies as a big bore, as the OP suggests. Second, it appears to have a single trigger, and it looks like he may be firing the last barrel.
I’m not questioning the technique itself, but anyone who has handled a heavy double knows that managing recoil, rapid trigger manipulation, breaking the rifle open, and reloading—especially under a real buffalo charge—is no small task. That level of fluidity takes years of dedicated practice.
That’s precisely why placing the first shot correctly is so critical, being immediately ready for a second shot, and then letting the PH handle the rest. In an actual charge scenario, I don’t believe there is time for a reload unless the bull turns away or disappears into the bush.

 

[farmer_john]

Hello everyone,

Is there a recommended or established standard time measured in seconds to fire two accurate rounds from a big bore double, reload, and fire two additional accurate rounds at a target distance within 25 yards?

Thanks in advance.

I would suggest mag drills. Get some snap caps and practice in spare time fire fire eject reload.

If using real bullets get a shot timer. And target you can score.
do the same as with snap caps but when timer goes off go from low ready to shoot
X2 reload x2.

Your timer will tell you from buzzer to 1st shot time, time to 2nd. Reload time and 3rd and 4th shot splits.

Take the score from your target divide that number by your time in seconds. Gives you your hit factor score.
With that you can see what you need to work on most. Be it time to target your accuracy or your reload speed and give you a overall metric to grade yourself as its a score based on both speed and accuracy.

 

[farmer_john]

I would be more concerned to actually hit with the first 2 shots.. However, the answer to your question is not so easy..technique, training, ejector/extractor, etc..

I think his method is interesting..applicable to DG hunting too:

Whats that rifle

 

[Safari Dave]

Drills are a good idea and certainly help.

However, making an accurate first shot is, by far, the most important thing.


What animal are you planning to hunt?


IME, you won't have time for a second shot with a buffalo, especially with a rifle with heavy recoil, but that depends on your situation.

One thing I found out quickly with drills, was that holding two rounds in my forward hand was considerably slower for me than just getting two rounds from my belt with my trigger hand.


I think left-handed hunters have an advantage when it comes to doing things with both hands.

I am strongly right hand dominate and need to do most things right-handed in order to be proficient.


My brother is left-handed, but does several things right-handed:

1. Plays musical instruments
2. Shoots
3. Throws Frisbees (he throws baseballs left-handed!)



I'd give my left arm to be ambidextrous!

 

[zephyr]

with practice you should be able to get your 3rd shot off in 3-4 seconds depending on whether your rifle is a ejector or extractor gun

 

[double rifle newbie]

practice practice practice

 

[Schüler Jumbo]

One thing I found out quickly with drills, was that holding two rounds in my forward hand was considerably slower for me than just getting two rounds from my belt with my trigger hand.

I have specifically wondered about that technique. Thanks for addressing that approach.

 

[Schüler Jumbo]

with practice you should be able to get your 3rd shot off in 3-4 seconds depending on whether your rifle is a ejector or extractor gun

At this point in my skill set that sounds fast! My gun is a Merkel .470 extractor. Gives me a benchmark.

 

[festuscat]

TWard1604 and I practice w/ 500NE, 505 404 Jeffery 3 - 4 time a month.
We shoot at 25- 15 yards and with the 500, we usually get 4 shots off under 5 seconds.
I believe the best was timed at 4.1 but that was a big bore shoot in Houston years ago and hand timed so not sure if accurate, so 5 sec or under w the dbl is what we target.
The 500 is an ejector btw and regulated @ 25yrds
Hope this helps

 

[farmer_john]

TWard1604 and I practice w/ 500NE, 505 404 Jeffery 3 - 4 time a month.
We shoot at 25- 15 yards and with the 500, we usually get 4 shots off under 5 seconds.
I believe the best was timed at 4.1 but that was a big bore shoot in Houston years ago and hand timed so not sure if accurate, so 5 sec or under w the dbl is what we target.
The 500 is an ejector btw and regulated @ 25yrds
Hope this helps

PACT Club Shot Timer​

Is what I use and recomend

 

[Schüler Jumbo]

TWard1604 and I practice w/ 500NE, 505 404 Jeffery 3 - 4 time a month.
We shoot at 25- 15 yards and with the 500, we usually get 4 shots off under 5 seconds.
I believe the best was timed at 4.1 but that was a big bore shoot in Houston years ago and hand timed so not sure if accurate, so 5 sec or under w the dbl is what we target.
The 500 is an ejector btw and regulated @ 25yrds
Hope this helps

Very helpful festuscat. Question: Do you come off your belt with reload or hold two rounds in your weak hand?

 

[K-man]

I would suggest entering or at at least watch the DSC big bore shoot held at Chris Sells place in Texas in the spring. Not everyone shoots a double, but there are gentlemen there that can put 4 or five good shots on a moving target with a double. I used to think I was a pretty good shot.....

 

[tward1604]

Very helpful festuscat. Question: Do you come off your belt with reload or hold two rounds in your weak hand?

Generally off the belt. My thought on it is there is a fair amount of metal you're relying on your fingers to hold on to during the recoil cycle. I don't want to end up with valuable ammo on the ground in a dangerous situation.

Another thing we do is shoot side by side sometimes as well, not that I think I would lose focus on a buffalo bearing down on me but I don't want to be surprised by another rifle going off beside me when things get western.

 

[Schüler Jumbo]

Take the score from your target divide that number by your time in seconds. Gives you your hit factor score.
With that you can see what you need to work on most. Be it time to target your accuracy or your reload speed and give you an overall metric to grade yourself as its a score based on both speed and accuracy.

Wonderful foundation for my work break-down structure. Thank you farmer_john!

 

[Schüler Jumbo]

Another thing we do is shoot side by side sometimes as well, not that I think I would lose focus on a buffalo bearing down on me but I don't want to be surprised by another rifle going off beside me when things get western.

An excellent component of serious training! In the old days of IPSC before USPSA Man-On-Man Tournaments put all skills to The Test.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

For the folks that have done many speed drills and timed shoots, have you noticed or read/seen any data re: cartridge selection in a double correlating to a time savings or penalty on reloads? On New Year’s Eve morning I went and enjoyed a leisurely frigid morning shooting three of my doubles, not for time, just fun/practice and dialing in a loads for two of them. But, as shooting my darling 450 3 1/4” 89b, I wondered what kind of difference the additional 1/4” of case length might make in a stress situation, than a 3” case of the 450/400 and 500 I was also shooting that morning.

1/4” sounds so insignificant but it feels noticeable if not substantial in hand when loading one then the other back to back. I don’t have the experienced timed yet to draw conclusions, but have to admit one of the things I like about the 500 is how easily the 3” chubsters are to grab and almost effortlessly load in comparison to the 470. Expect the same holds true for my 450, but I just love that rifle and cartridge so much, my brain just can’t compute through my positional bias.

 

[festuscat]

Very helpful festuscat. Question: Do you come off your belt with reload or hold two rounds in your weak hand?

2 rounds held with the weak hand. We experimented coming off the belt. One of use would shoot 2 rounds with the double and while reloading, the other would shoot the 505 or 404 until the double shoots the next 2, total of 4 if that makes sense.
Also, we practice without looking at the action(s) on reload and we always shoot both barrels and always keep our eyes on the target
Hope this helps. This type of practice has really helped us.