Single or double trigger for SxS

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mod7rem

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Are there shooting disciplines or situations that make a single trigger or double triggers preferable on a double barrel shotgun, or is it just a personal preference?
I’m considering picking up a SxS for grouse and probably some informal clay shooting.
My only real shotgun use was when I was a kid I had a 20g SxS that I used for grouse and it had double triggers.
 
I've always been of the opinion that each barrel deserves it's own trigger. It's a simpler mechanism so there's less to go wrong, and if something does go wrong you still have the other side. It's not hard to train your hand to slip back that half-inch to the rear trigger, and I doubt there's a significant difference in speed to fire the 2nd barrel.

Two triggers also gives you instant selection of choke, ( assuming both barrels are bored differently). A single trigger would need to have a selector mechanism, more complication.
 
The whole idea of a two barrelled gun is two provide two complete independant firearms in one package, hence double rifles have been used for over 200 years on the most dangerous game. In the case of a shotgun, two barrels enables us to incorporate two different chokes for two different distances into one gun, something no single barrelled repeater can do no matter how many cartridges it can hold. Having different chokes in each barrel can be a significant advantage for many types of hunting and some types of clay target games such as sporting clays. No person that I know of can select the ideal first barrel (shot) with a selective single trigger as fast any shooter reasonably proficient with double triggers. Double triggers work best in conjunction with a straight or semi pistol grip, a regular pistol grip interferes with this.The reliability of the double trigger configuration is often cited as justification for the double trigger configuration, but really single triggers today ( with a few exceptions) are totally reliable if you keep them clean.
 
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I prefer double triggers with a straight English stock on a side by side. As mentioned by Ashcroft, double triggers on a pistol grip don't work well together although you do see a lot of guns configured that way. I've never had trouble going back and forth between single triggered guns and double triggered guns.
 
I think it's mostly nostalgia. OUs are much more popular than SXSs and the vast majority are single trigger. In-fact a double trigger OU with English styling is a rare find these days and would be a tough resale. I prefer the look of 2 triggers on a slender English style SXS and grew up shooting them but have no issue with a single. Needing and being able to shoot the left barrel first with a selector or triggers occurs much more often in the virtual world than under field conditions.
 
Double trigger , instant choke - barrel selection . You can find some new O\Us ( CZ mallard )
If your budget allows there is a double trigger set up that allow the forward trigger to work like a repeater ( fire the bottom barrel first then second pull fire the top barrel ) and the rear fire the second barrel that way you have the best of both world ( Verney Carron Sagittaire )
For SxS allways double trigger , its how they supposed to look .
If removable chokes not needed look for a nice older gun , you can find beautiful SxSs from $ 400 to the six digit pending on your budget .Just be careful with the very old ones , some only takes 2 1\2 inch shells .
 
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I'll have to agree, two triggers belong on a sxs, when I'm grouse hunting with my 20 guage I usually keep a 7 1/2 shot in the right open choked barrel and an number 5 in the left barrel that has more constriction. That way if I see a close bird they get the right, or a far bird will get the left, with and instant selection of barrels and no fumbling with a selector. I know some people say it's only in theory that it's better but I have played with enough selector switches to know that I much prefer the simpler double triggers
 
I've never known anyone who actually uses the barrel selector of a single trigger gun to make split decisions on choke choice in a hunting situation. Double trigger guns, yes.

I shoot both ST and DT SxSs. The only disadvantage for me of DT guns is cold weather hunting, such as rabbits. DTs are not particularly glove-friendly.
 
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