doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com 2-inch 12 versus 16-bore in the uplands

I agree with RCC, all loads will kill and add, my personal perspective. Once the bird is in the air the 'hunt' is over, your next move is the first move in your attempt to kill the bird. I believe you owe it to the bird, if you decide to attempt a kill, to use what ever tool you find the most efficient. If that tool is a short 12 then ethics dictate that is what you use. All my kill guns are stocked and balanced alike, I used different gauges and barrels choked for the conditions, knowing each is equally deadly - all are single trigger. I've owned double trigger guns and can't, in good conscience shoot one at live targets. Though, several of my hunting companions can and do use double trigger guns, exclusively.

What the hell does that mean? Are you unable to manipulate double trigger guns? I ask because I've seen enough failures of inertia single triggers to reset that I question why anyone would use them to hunt birds.


Best,
Ted

What Ted said, only with tact and charm.

A friend of mine once owned New Era Ammunition and had a client with a 2 inch 16. He custom loaded the shells and I managed a couple of boxes of seconds. They are roll crimped paper shells and the the equivelant of a 28ga load in them. I'll use a few on preserve Quail or Grouse and Woodcock and they work fine but as the company has been sold I'm only using a few each season just to enjoy the experience a little longer.

It means I shoot single trigger guns at birds better than guns with double triggers. I won't risk wounding birds because I find shooting double triggers awkward and in some shooting situations the few milliseconds lost by shifting to another trigger can mean the difference between wounding or killing(at least between my ears).

I've never had a failure with my single trigger guns.

I will say it again, I believe it is unethical to use any weapon on game that you are not confident that the weapon in question is the one you shoot the best - regardless what it looks like.

Those guys knew what you meant......they were just funning you a bit. I used to be a single trigger guy until I went to the dark side, and now I far prefer DT to ST for game guns. They do take a bit of getting used to. First time I ever hunted one, I had a single shot ALL day long. All you need to do is shoot several rounds of skeet and practice with them, alternating from shooting back trigger first to front trigger first. Six weeks of practice on a skeet field and you will be hooked, just like the rest of us. The beauty of double triggers is that you can instantly go to the tighter choked barrel if a bird were to get up way out there. No human alive can work a barrel selector on a ST gun, in the heat of things, in time to get a shot off. Give DT's a try. Likely, you won't regret it.

Oh, I have.

I snap shoot with a hard grip with the right hand on the pistol grip. When I do shoot a double trigger gun, only at clays, I have to grip the forend tighter than I do when shooting a single trigger gun. Hunting with a single trigger gun isn't worth the risk of wounding birds. Also, for me to switch, all my doubles would need new triggers, grips and stocks. I think the money better spent to buying another double or two - with a single trigger.

Smallbore made some valid points, to which I will add one:

the 16 has the best outside dimensions that give it the ideal bulk for easy handling and manipulation.

I have handled 2 inch boxlocks from Alex Martin, William Ford and a Holland sidelock. As one poster said, you really must handle one of these to realise the full meaning of good handling. It is not the lightness, a Baby Bretton is lighter, but the overall live feeling that is unique.

But.... I have handled a single Midland 16 bore outside hammer that can rival the best 2 inch 12. There is also a 16 gauge Holland hammer which a friend has that has that live feel to it.

The difference is that you can walk into any shop (almost) and buy 16g shells, the two inch is a [censored] to find.

When Pygmy came out like ole' 20ga it carried 3/4oz shot. This was not good because cartridge pressure was too low therefore 7/8oz charge of shot was used which is modern 20ga load. When compared to the 2&1/2" 12ga the 2" version achieves similar velocity at lower pressures which in practical terms is meaningless.
The winner is short barreled open choked category would be Bernardelli 2&3/4" game gun. Why? Because one can use 2", 2.5" and 2&3/4" shells and if non-tox shot is needed on the hunting trip local Walmart will have Winchester Expert steel at about $8-$9/box. No old vintage gun can be so versatile.
The 16ga doesn't even enter the game.

Oddly, my local Walmart has plenty of 16 gauge ammunition in stock, including steel, but, not so much of anything else, especially .22 rimfire of any sort.
There are old guys lined up almost every morning to look for rimfire. There was a single box of 28 gauge WInchester target load, with a price of $13. 20 gauge was $9. Ditto 12 gauge.
I'd take just about any SKB, Beretta or Citori before I took a Bernadelli.


Best,
Ted