doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com How to Shoot Trap with a SxS

I was wondering how the first trap shooters with their sxs guns actually shot them. Did they select one barrel and continue to use it or did they alternate on every shot? I suppose it would largely depend on the chokes. But what if the gun had both chokes the same?

Are you asking about live bird shooters or clay target shooters?

Two vastly different games back then and two shells could be fired at a target if necessary. With live bird shooting it was customary and good insurance to shoot both barrels at the bird thus guaranteeing the bird would fall dead.

Can't speak to the past, but, my trap gun that I shoot when I'm involved in a league isn't a SXS.
I shoot those for fun, not for score. I wish it was different.



Best,
Ted

I suspect they would use one barrel like most O/U shooters do today. If you had two different chokes you would not use the tighter one if the more open one was working for you.

I shoot a big 'ole Ithaca NID trap model choked full and mod. I shoot the most suitable choke - mod at 16 yd to full at 27 yd. Works as good as any other gun I've ever shot.

DDA

I never shot competitively, but I switched barrels with each shot. I remember being surprised that full or modified, it made no difference. I don't know what the old timers did, but some of their guns were choke full in both barrels. They might as well used them both.

Many SxS guns were choked with very little difference right to left barrel. Even so I think having two chokes to chose from is a advantage as you move back from the 16 yard line.
Top grade trap guns were mostly choked to order by the shooter so it depended on his preference

Boats

I just picked up a Simson 12ga, 29 1/2". F/F. I seldom shoot trap, but I shot a round with that gun a few weeks ago. Shooting with guys with funny high ribs and that sort of thing. I was high gun for the round with a 24. Smoked everything I hit. Figured I'd better not push my luck. Someone might have asked me to shoot in a trap league!

I'll bet you, knowing how tedious serious trap shooters are, that the top shooters of the day used only one barrel. Not only did that give them the exact same POI every shot, but the same hand position on the grip and the same familiar feel on the trigger.

Consistency is the name of the game in competitive shooting, of any "race, creed or color". Thus, the reason most serious competitive shooters of double guns use a single trigger. It's not that a double trigger slows you down on quick second shots ........ it doesn't. Rather, it's the familiarity of doing the exact same thing every shot that most want.

SRH

Never really thought about it....mount pull bang