How do you shoot Doubles?? (Kiner vs Little philosophy)

[hogiron]

Fred,
I am starting to see more than a few experienced doubles shooters taking right bird first at all stations. I have not kept up with what the top shooters in the south are doing but I have heard that there is a trend toward right first.

I've seen it too, but it's not the top shooters doing it, it's the new ones. The top doubles shooters are already hitting 99's and 100's.
When I shoot singles, I consistently hit the hard lefts more solid then I do the hard rights, but that's singles, and that's me. In doubles, when I shoot the left target last, I tend to "look" for the bird, and that moves my head enough to cause a cut in half bird or chipped bird results. And when I move to my right for the second shot, and I look for the bird, I stay on the stock. Which results in solid hits. It's just what works for me. To each his own.

 

[BCFred]

I've seen it too, but it's not the top shooters doing it, it's the new ones. The top doubles shooters are already hitting 99's and 100's.
When I shoot singles, I consistently hit the hard lefts more solid then I do the hard rights, but that's singles, and that's me. In doubles, when I shoot the left target last, I tend to "look" for the bird, and that moves my head enough to cause a cut in half bird or chipped bird results. And when I move to my right for the second shot, and I look for the bird, I stay on the stock. Which results in solid hits. It's just what works for me. To each his own.

Yes, I think moving my head while looking, rather than just moving my eyes, is what happens to me swinging to the left sometimes too. Whenever I get the chance to practice I find things go better if I can relax with the swing. So far, choosing a point in the environment to look toward with a soft gaze (rather than staring) and not rushing, has helped me quite a bit with my second shot. I think the eye will naturally gravitate to the bird, that is pick it up and move to it, if you are in the right vicinity, because it is the only thing moving out there.

 

[cooner]

Here is another little tip I picked up in a clinic I had. The rule of thought is to take the right away bird first which I was doing.However in your rush to get on the second bird your face can come away from the comb. So if you are a right handed shooter take the left bird first so as you swing your eyes and head there is less chance of coming off the gun.

 

[Azazle]

When setting a trap for doubles your straight away targets should be from between posts 1 and 2, and between posts 4 and 5. There is no dead straight away on any post in doubles if set correctly.

As far as which bird to take first, it's whatever feels most comfortable. Personally I start post 3, so I will take the left first as a right handed shot, so there is only one transition. From post 5 back to post 1 I switch back to swing from right to left. I don't know of many shooters who are right handed that will take the left hand bird first, and I know I wouldn't if I started on any other post.

Back to the topic at hand on strategy. If you miss more second birds than firsts, you aren't aggressive enough. Your first bird should be a whole lot of fast tracking and using 'the force' to break. Your second target is comparable to a quartering angle singles target. You should never miss your seconds.

Some people may not like that route to shooting doubles, but wait for a windy day.. If you can break the first halfway up the crest, and the second just as it crests, you don't need to worry about the wind moving them as much.