Sighting in double rifle

[BeeMaa]

I understand but it doesn't work when you get on DG.

Maybe it doesn't work for you, but it does work. It's also why many well used doubles end up with the right barrel showing much more wear than the left.

 

[Russ16]

Maybe it doesn't work for you, but it does work. It's also why many well used doubles end up with the right barrel showing much more wear than the left.

Agree, and I don't understand why pulling the back first supposedly helps you remember to switch triggers.

 

[AZDAVE]

For those of us that grew up shoot SxS double shotguns and have 10-100's of thousand of rounds of muscle memory front rear is how our brains are wired. For DG it has worked for me on elephant, buffalo, lion and hippo. However when I first started shooting single trigger O/U I would pull the trigger and then move my finger to the rear and get the trigger guard.

Every one is different figure out which works for you and practice practice practice. Snap caps, live ammo. Learn to shoot trap and skeet with a SxS so you can practice front to rear or rear to front. Like Phillp said on DG it isn't the time to learned "I should have practiced more".

 

[deewayne2003]

For those of us that grew up shoot SxS double shotguns and have 10-100's of thousand of rounds of muscle memory front rear is how our brains are wired. For DG it has worked for me on elephant, buffalo, lion and hippo. However when I first started shooting single trigger O/U I would pull the trigger and then move my finger to the rear and get the trigger guard.

Every one is different figure out which works for you and practice practice practice. Snap caps, live ammo. Learn to shoot trap and skeet with a SxS so you can practice front to rear or rear to front. Like Phillp said on DG it isn't the time to learned "I should have practiced more".

Agreed, and I always shoot the right barrel/front trigger first.

FYI this is also why the rear trigger is usually set to a heavier break; my .470 is 5lbs on the front and 6lbs on the rear.

I also find it much more intuitive to fire and move my trigger finger to the rear.

 

[Philip Glass]

L

Agree, and I don't understand why pulling the back first supposedly helps you remember to switch triggers.

because you don't have to think about anything just reach and the front trigger and it's right there.

 

[Philip Glass]

Maybe it doesn't work for you, but it does work. It's also why many well used doubles end up with the right barrel showing much more wear than the left.

I understand in an idealistic sense it is proper to pull the front trigger first. I hear what y'all gun experts are saying about trigger weights, design, etc. I get it. Some of you are experts and have read all the books on doubles and that is fantastic. My thoughts come from the real world and what actually happens with the rifle on the hunt. Not what goes on at the shooting range. As an example many of us have watched Buzz Charlton's excellent elephant video. Just this one video shows a doubling and a double pulled front trigger. Once more, those two scenarios can not happen if you pull the back trigger first.
As a person who understands a panic situation with DG I want to eliminate the possibility of a mistake that could cause a fatal accident. All I am saying is that there is a huge difference between the range and the African bush.

 

[Philip Glass]

For those of us that grew up shoot SxS double shotguns and have 10-100's of thousand of rounds of muscle memory front rear is how our brains are wired. For DG it has worked for me on elephant, buffalo, lion and hippo. However when I first started shooting single trigger O/U I would pull the trigger and then move my finger to the rear and get the trigger guard.

Every one is different figure out which works for you and practice practice practice. Snap caps, live ammo. Learn to shoot trap and skeet with a SxS so you can practice front to rear or rear to front. Like Phillp said on DG it isn't the time to learned "I should have practiced more".

Muscle memory is the key! I never had any gun with Double triggers until I got my first double rifle. Hence why I struggle with pulling the front trigger first. That's the difference!

 

[Russ16]

L

because you don't have to think about anything just reach and the front trigger and it's right there.

I just don’t see how that’s more intuitive. I was in my 20s before I ever shot a double triggered gun. And I’ve never once had to think about pulling the second trigger, except when I was teaching myself to pull the back trigger first so I can shoot the tighter choke bbl first. Going back to front is the opposite direction of the natural movement of your hand so for me required more thought to learn.

 

[Schüler Jumbo]

Pressing back to front double rifle trigger sequence is akin to a bolt gun with a safety pulled back to fire or a pistol with a thumb safety pushed up to fire. A multi-choke shotgun example is moot since trigger selection is determined by which choke is required. A fixed choke shotgun double with two triggers has the right barrel (front trigger) open and left barrel (back trigger) tight.

 

[BeeMaa]

Thread from 2018 started by @PHOENIX PHIL on the subject of which trigger first.

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/first-shot-right-barrel-or-left.45487/

And another one started today, because I didn't want to detract from this thread about sighting in a double rifle.

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/which-barrel-do-you-fire-first.103311/

 

[Russ16]

Pressing back to front double rifle trigger sequence is akin to a bolt gun with a safety pulled back to fire or a pistol with a thumb safety pushed up to fire. A multi-choke shotgun example is moot since trigger selection is determined by which choke is required. A fixed choke shotgun double with two triggers has the right barrel (front trigger) open and left barrel (back trigger) tight.

I guess I don't see the similarity to a bolt gun. You reposition your whole hand in that case, you shouldn't be doing that on a double rifle, your hand shouldn't leave the gun.

But I concede it seems to work for people, so that's great. I do believe they would be able to shoot faster if they went back to front, that's based on personal experience.

 

[Schüler Jumbo]

The similarity comparison to a bolt gun is that it is not intuitive to pull back on a safety to release a shot. It’s not intuitive to push a tump safety up to fire a pistol. And it’s not intuitive to sequence back to front pressing double triggers.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Thread from 2018 started by @PHOENIX PHIL on the subject of which trigger first.

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/first-shot-right-barrel-or-left.45487/

And another one started today, because I didn't want to detract from this thread about sighting in a double rifle.

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/which-barrel-do-you-fire-first.103311/

Hah!! I had forgotten about that thread, can't believe it's been 8 years. I started that thread when I was very new to doubles and managed to pull a double....ouch!

I still don't think it's a bad idea to pull the rear trigger first on a big bore double. You will typically have plenty of time to recover from the recoil to move your trigger finger into place for a follow up shot. But I've learned with experience at the range and certainly don't fault those that go front trigger first.

The best thing one can do I think is use a faster powder with a filler to greatly reduce the volume of powder one is using. @rookhawk's thread on IMR3031 is the place for that discussion.

With significantly reduced recoil and proper shooting form, it's far less likely to result in doubling.

 

[Philip Glass]

I just don’t see how that’s more intuitive. I was in my 20s before I ever shot a double triggered gun. And I’ve never once had to think about pulling the second trigger, except when I was teaching myself to pull the back trigger first so I can shoot the tighter choke bbl first. Going back to front is the opposite direction of the natural movement of your hand so for me required more thought to learn.

Do you mean at the range or 20 feet from an elephant? It's easy to remember which trigger to pull until there is something that can stomp you that you just put a round into and now your trying to follow up. I was all good myself pulling the front trigger until I got on DG. Then I wasn't so good.
It takes thought and muscle memory to find your fingers way in between the two triggers. It takes no skill or forethought to grab the front trigger!

 

[Russ16]

Do you mean at the range or 20 feet from an elephant? It's easy to remember which trigger to pull until there is something that can stomp you that you just put a round into and now your trying to follow up. I was all good myself pulling the front trigger until I got on DG. Then I wasn't so good.
It takes thought and muscle memory to find your fingers way in between the two triggers. It takes no skill or forethought to grab the front trigger!

I’m glad it works for you. For me it takes much more thought to go back to front tag the other way around. My hand wants move backward not forward during and after recoil.