I'm brand new to all shooting sports. I've recently purchase a Beretta SP 1 Sporting to shoot trap. I've been shooting exclusively out of the top barrel. I was recently told that I should be shooting exclusively out of the bottom barrel for two reasons: less perceived recoil, and less wear and tear on the gun since the recoil from the lower barrel lowers the recoil to a more robust part of the gun. Does this make sense? Should I be shooting out of the bottom barrel only?
Upper or Lower Barrel or Does it Matter
- Thread starter Tangopop
- Start date
Thanks for the replies. I may move the choke to the lower barrel for my trap shooting session tomorrow.
Is there anything to the suggestion that there's less wear and tear on the gun (breach) because the recoil is lower and more in line with the hinge?
Is there anything to the suggestion that there's less wear and tear on the gun (breach) because the recoil is lower and more in line with the hinge?
I don't think the action locks up on the hinge - but either way, an O/U should be able to handle fire from either barrel. I'm guessing neither you or the gun will be able to tell much difference - but yes, bottom first is theoretically better.
the spank
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The action does not lock on the hinge, that is true but on guns such as the B guns and many others the firing stresses are on the hinge pins. On guns using the Boss system like of course Boss, Perazzi, even the Rem 3200’s the hinge pin is for rotational purposes only. The slotted sides of the breech block slide over integral lugs on the insides of the receiver face and that’s what absorbs the majority of the firing stresses which by the way though rearward on our shoulder are a combination of forward/rearward on the guns action. Upon firing the barrels actually pull forward away from the receiver face. Thats what eventually loosens the area of the hinge pin.
This fellow explains it best....
https://youtu.be/ET95lAWv1oM
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Your point of aim combined with the way an over/under is manufactured, generally has the lower barrel shooting a bit higher, which is why it is considered barrel number 1. You want to shoot it first when the birds leave the house and are rising fast. You need that high point of impact to catch up to the rising bird. Once it's time to shoot the second bird, it's usually farther away, slower, and possibly starting to fall, so you need the barrel that shoots flatter and more in line with your point of aim.
At the end of the day what matters is that the gun hits what you're shooting at, and not much else. Oh, and that the gun is Italian... ...or German.
At the end of the day what matters is that the gun hits what you're shooting at, and not much else. Oh, and that the gun is Italian... ...or German.
I have shot a ton of trap.....with grandpa's o/u that shot 10 times the amount I have before I was even born. I shoot top barrel for singles, and bottom first for doubles. Reason being my choke set up. No other factor. Top barrel is full choke and bottom is imp.cylinder. after 50-60 years of shooting trap never had any problems with hinge and your shoulder will survive both barrels. Goodluck and swing through the clay
bdft
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Most old school competition trap guns don't even have a barrel selector. My MX8 shoots the bottom barrel first and then the top. However, my Frigon shoots the top barrel first. Both have a fixed full choke in the second barrel. My 3200 can be locked to shoot the top barrel or the bottom barrel first. I don't think it matters that much. Shoot the same barrel first all the time.
It’s small but matters.
I like selective barrels and often change depending on the presented pair and which I’ll shoot first. Provides choke options without changing chokes. Once again, small benefit, but statistically helps improve scores.
I like selective barrels and often change depending on the presented pair and which I’ll shoot first. Provides choke options without changing chokes. Once again, small benefit, but statistically helps improve scores.
Trap as we know it evolved from live pigeon trap shooting, a very demanding game where the close first shot at a fast wild bird called for an more open choke and the second shot if required needed to be as full as possible to kill the bird instantly and drop it within the boundary. Double barrelled shotguns evolved to have different fixed chokes in each barrel for different shooting ranges and presentations. These are the guns that were used for clay target trap shooting for generations and they were perfect for the job. In clay bird trap as we shoot it now the presentaions are the same as they were 50 or 100 years ago and the standard Modified and Full combination still works perfectly, Modified at closer ranges for those who shoot quick , 20-22 yards at handicap and first shot on doubles and full for those that wait out the 16 yard birds, have longer handicaps and for the second shot on doubles, which will be at a longer distance than the first bird. The right barrel on a side by side was normally made with the more open choke and this transposed to the bottom barrel on over/unders as they came into use, hence most shooters shot better scores at the closer ranges with the more open bottom barrel and this became the norm. When removable interchageable choke tubes came into use in the 80's they offered great versatiliy to hunters but no real advantage to trap and skeet shooters with guns dedicated to just one of these. To this day there are a gazillion fixed choke trap and skeet guns (not interchageable) in use by satisfied owners and you can still buy new high end fixed choke trap and skeet guns. These older fixed choke guns are 100% competitive in their discipline today but those trap guns and skeet guns are not interchangeable. The introduction of the game of sporting clays really pushed the versatility of choke tubes and a good sporting clays gun can be competitive at trap and skeet - all with one gun.
Having examined many quality trap guns, some doubles but some top singles or bottom singles with 50,000, 100,000 and more rounds through them I can't see any differences in wear that could be attributed to which barrel gets the most use. As for recoil, theoretically the top barrel can rotate upwards more and in a long match some people may eventually feel the difference on the cheek bone if they only use that barrel, I never have. I suppose the bottom then top sequence MAY enable slightly faster target aquisition of the second target in doubles. If recoil is a problem lighten your shot load, lower your velocity or buy a heavier gun.
Having examined many quality trap guns, some doubles but some top singles or bottom singles with 50,000, 100,000 and more rounds through them I can't see any differences in wear that could be attributed to which barrel gets the most use. As for recoil, theoretically the top barrel can rotate upwards more and in a long match some people may eventually feel the difference on the cheek bone if they only use that barrel, I never have. I suppose the bottom then top sequence MAY enable slightly faster target aquisition of the second target in doubles. If recoil is a problem lighten your shot load, lower your velocity or buy a heavier gun.
