Setup of an O/U

[rembolt]

This has probly been asked befor but I couldn't find any thing with search.do you put the more open choke in the bottom barrel for your first shot and the tighter choke in the top barrel for your follow up shot or vice versa.thanks

 

[Panman]

Thiis has probly been asked befor but I couldn't find any thing with search.do you put the more open choke in the bottom barrel for your first shot and the tighter choke in the top barrel for your follow up shot or vice versa.thanks

Yes, generally that is the norm.

The close up shot is generally easier and more certain, so should be taken first. If you really wanted to shoot the distant target/bird first (to reduce it's time and chance to get away) you could reverse your choke order.

I would personally only recommend that for an expert shooter, or else you risk injuring two birds, and collecting neither.

 

[rembolt]

Thanks for the reply .I always go for the closer shot first as it is the more ethical shot.being new to O/U I was unsure
but figured you would fire bottom barrel first as this would allow your line of sight to be closer to the top bore for the follow up shot as it is usually at a greater distance.thanks rembolt.

 

[stocker]

A shot fired from the lower barrel with the more open choke exerts less strain on the action than a shot from the upper barrel. It's just a matter of the lower barrel being closer to the hinge and under lugs of the lockup if the gun uses that system. In the long term more shots are likely to be fired from the lower barrel with the more open choke thus extending life of the locking system and hinge. Some of the effects of increased strain from the upper barrel are diminished by cross bolts (e.g.) at the top of the action.

 

[Doc M]

And, discounting the action stresses, it's also important to note that shots fired from the bottom barrel will induce less muzzle flip. Hence why convention is to shoot bottom-top instead of top-bottom.

So, with the bottom barrel being the closer shot (typically), the more open choke typically sits in bottom.

Running mod-full in a 12 Ga. will cover almost every conceivable circumstance you'll face hunting upland game. Imp-mod or mod-impmod is a good combination if you're expecting REALLY close flushes.

-M

 

[trapandhunt]

I always have my mst open choke in the top for first and keep the tighter in bottom.n this is on a browning xt trap gun. Ifind it works better for me. I think its kinda a matter of opinion personal preference.

 

[Covey Ridge]

I do not think that action stress is a concern in a quality double. The nice thing about many doubles is that you do have a choice. Most of the time my doubles live on the bottom, more open first. Sometimes on in comming birds I do choose a farther shot first which gives me an easier chance for a double. For me which I choose to bang first has nothing to do with ethics.