doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Tribarreled shotgun/how to operate?

I have recently acquired a tribarreled shotgun in 16 ga. Apparently it is made sometimes in the 1930's in Germany.
I am confused about the mode of operation and I need help with the sequence of shooting the barrels, trigger/safety operation.
Here is how it goes, so far.
The gun is an underlever. There are two triggers, the front one operates the RB and the UB(under). The rear trigger operates the LB. The triggers do not operate unless the underlever is returned to its full position after cocking the gun. Therefore the underlever serves as universal safety. In this position I can shoot the RB pulling on the front trigger and the LB pulling on the rear trigger. To shoot the UB I need to slide the tang selector to forward position and pull the front trigger. The tang button, I believe serves only as barrel selector between the RB and UB which are both operated by the front trigger.
I am not certain I make sense, let me know if there is anything unclear
What I am confused about is that I have to operate the tang selector to shoot the RB and UB. Without any info and lacking experience I expected that both RB/UB may be operated by the front trigger without operating the selector.
By the way, RB is choked .020", UB .030 and LB .035. Considering the choke arrangement I believe that the sequence of firing the barrel would be RB/UB/LB. Therefore, the sequence of pulling the triggers would be FT/FT/RT. What I have to do is in fact FT/Tang selector forward/FT/RT.
Are my expectations unrealistic or there is something wrong with the trigger mechanism? As I said, I expected the FT to fire both RB/UB as a mechanical single trigger.
Thank you anticipately for your help.
One could still see the gun on http://www.drake.net I think the third or fourth one from the shotgun list. It is a Hickfang, Hameln 16 ga.

More than likely, the front is an inertia operated single trigger. Try popping in a couple of snap caps, pull the front trigger, tap the butt on your foot, then pull the front trigger again. I believe you'll find it fires both right and lower this way. [Tapping the butt on your foot simulates recoil].
Jim

Silver, I have a three barrel shotgun , too, made by Morian in Paris. These are so fun. Mine has three triggers, two articulated, firing right, left, and under from front to rear triggers. The third trigger takes some getting used to.

With your gun, despite the chokes [negligible difference between left and under] I would think it should be fired front [R], rear [L] and if you have very good luck getting a third shot, use the selector and fire the under trigger. If the choke still bothers you, just load a larger shot size in the lower barrel. Just my thoughts. Enjoy it.

PS, I can't seem to locate your gun on the Drake site. Any pictures ?

I'd be surprised if it worked any other way. It is much like a typical drilling.

It is not well known, but the would-have been inventor of the famous Hameln pattern single selective trigger was lost prior to his invention in an ugly incident wherein most of the children in town abandoned family to follow a stranger with a flute. The lack of appropriate civic legislation relative to cults was devistating to Medivial youth. This incident is memorialized to this day in a melodrama that plays in the town center - it is known as "Rats!"

Too much rocket fuel ?

Jim,

It is not an inertia driven trigger. I just shot a few clays and I have to operate the tang selector to switch to the UB.

Daryl, your sequence makes sense. I am somewhat used to double triggers, this new toy takes a lot of thinking to fire, so much that the clays get in the snow long before I can find the underlever safety, triggers, selector,...But it's so exhilarating!
Is it you I bought the WRichards 21/2 from last week?
Try this link for the pictures of the gun:
http://www.sitemason.com/page/gEyuIM

Rocketman, thank you for the story. It brings so much more flavor to my enjoying the gun and may explain my confusion.

I saw a description of a tribarrel Hambrusch with a single trigger that would fire the barrelsin this order: UB/Cyl, RB1/4, LB1/2.

Silver,

No you didn't buy a gun from me. Maybe Hill Rod and Gun ?

We had lots of fun with this gun last summer, throwing clays from three small traps at the same time. I never broke all three, but a lady shooter broke all three a couple of times. Lots of fun. Exhilarating as you say.

Pics of Silvers gun

Daryl,

I am sorry I was not clear, I was referring to shells. Somehow I was under the impression that you are a gun dealer...I don't know why.
Your Morian is a beautiful gun, seems to be in excellent shape.

Have you tried shooting LB,RB,UB without using the selector? I thought maybe the right barrel being fired would enable the inertia block if there is one.

Does the underlever cock the hammers while opening the barrels or do the "barrels opening" cock the hammers? It looks like you push the lever forward to operate? Neat gun.
Ross