Everything else being equal, and a neutral cast, which barrel (near or far barrel) is considered inherently more accurate for singles trap and why?



Thank you

Neither. I am not sure the word accuracy applies much to shot guns. Point of aim and pattern is what I always think of.

This is how I understand it: due to the nature of a SXS design each barrel forms a bending lever acting against the action. This lever causes each barrel to shoot to a different point than the unfired tube is pointed at. In other words, if there was no recoil the shot charge in each barrel would cross the line of aim a very short distance in front of the muzzle. However, the leverage resulting from the recoil moves the point of impact out much further--ideally to 40 yards. Clear as mud?

Which barrel is inherently more likely to be on target. The one near or far from the eye?

Bushmaster-Sounds like you are thinking about looking down the individual barrels to aim. It doesn't work that way. Trust the gunmakers and look straight down the rib. Either barrel should shoot very close to point of aim if the gun fits you properly. Remember to look at the target and point. Too much aiming usually means a miss.
Forgive me if I misinterpreted your question.

If the gun is propoerly regulated, the barrels shoot nearly to the same point of aim. If the gun is propoerly fit to the shooter, the shooter will know where the target should appear relative to the barrels so as to center the target within the pattern. I one barrel is more "accurate" than the other, there is something amiss in the gun regulation or fit.

The one nearer to the trigger and further from the eye. The one under the top barrel. The one not left or right of the line of sight.

Either. Accuracy, in this context, should mean the ability of a particular barrel to place the shot pattern to the same POI with the same POA everytime. If you're only firing one barrel, the question of whether or not the second barrel will place it's payload exactly on top of the first's is moot. If a rifle groups very close it is considered accurate. If an individual trap barrel delivers it's load to the same POI everytime it should be considered accurate, just at a different level.

Chuck's answer takes into consideration the very real muzzle flip difference between the top and the bottom barrel on an O/U. In any shooting regime that requires a quick and precise second shot, i.e.. flyer shooting and any clays game throwing true pairs, firing the lower barrel first will allow the shooter to regain target acquisition a split second sooner on the second, due to less muzzle flip from firing the bottom barrel as opposed to the top. May sound like splitting hairs but, splitting hairs occasionally gains a bird, and gaining a bird can be .......huge.

I just cannot see why it would matter which barrel is used on a S x S as long as the same one is used evcry shot, and if the gun is PERFECTLY regulated it really shouldn't matter anyway.

"Inherent" accuracy is of course a totally different ballgame than practical accuracy. One might assume the most "Inherently" accurate shotgun bbl would be one which had its bore axis in direct line with the center of its butt plate thus its point of contact with the shooter giving absolutely no muzzle movement except straight back. Such a position of course would be a "Bugger" to point & practical accuracy would be quite worthless.
This is I think what Chuck was hinting at, but if a gun is properly regulated & stocked so it hit where one looks, who cares about its "Inherent" or Theoretical accuracy. I have read for years that an Over/Under is "Supposedly" inherently more accurate than a SxS, but who cares, a SxS just has much greater appeal to me. I shoot for fun anyway, if the difference amounts to a or in the hit/miss ratio per thousand rounds it is really of no consequence to me.
The psychcological effect of "Pride of Ownership" can actually have a much greater affect than inherent accuracy anyhow.

Stan,
I think the original question is asking if one barrel (I know, he meant sxs) has any advantage over the other, for any reason at all that can be said to be "inherent". If I were to venture a guess, I would go with the left, due to it's closer alignment with the body's CG. It pushes the forward arm rather than pulling it (on a righty). I'd say the left would yeild more consistancy. But, there's so many other factors that can affect the actual POI, that it makes any theoretical stuff moot.

But I'll go with the barrel on the side of the hand/arm that is holding the forend as being more consistant...my theory, anyway.

Your eye better be in the middle of the two barrels dead center over the rib or you don't need to worry to much about the barrel(s) accuracy.