All I care about is singles trap. Absolutely ZERO plans for doubles or for skeet. A really good SBT gun is all I want, is lighter, and is simpler than the O/Us. Should the day come that doubles or sk**t becomes interesting, I'll buy another gun.

... and those AUTOs that a lot of people use for doubles and the other sports are also SINGLE barrel guns.

 

Most who get to the longer all use a single barrell. Many including Leo Harrison, one of the best shooters and ambassodors of the sport, uses his O/U in singles. This is also another reason that many use an automatic as they can shoot all the games with a lower upfront cost....

If you are just starting out,,,,look at a brand that you may be able to add a single to later on if you wish,,,,or just do like MOST and get one now and a different one when your scores improve,,,

good luck in your search

 

So there is no real technical advantage then?

 

Dan, Hard to argue with your logic. I'm sure many people do what you suggest and they could be better off in the long run. A longer barrel may ,theoretically, aid in better accuracy.

 

I have watched a few Leo Harrison videos, he shot most of his big wins with a Remington 1100 auto, right?

Also, is it just me or does bug Leo seem to 'cant' or lean his gun over a little? I noticed the bottom barrel is laying outside the line of the top barrel a little? Is that right or maybe just me?

Check out the video in the link at the 3.45 minute mark

 

<i>"Most who get to the longer all use a single barrell. Many including Leo Harrison, one of the best shooters and ambassodors of the sport, uses his O/U in singles. This is also another reason that many use an automatic as they can shoot all the games with a lower upfront cost...."</i>

A major reason for an auto is recoil reduction.

A pump will give you even lower upfront costs than an auto, but not the recoil reduction.

 

Yes, I think Leo appears to cant his gun a little.

 

No one seems to have addressed the original question directly, so will try to do so. The longer length of the single barrel (most often 34-35 inches) provides a longer sighting plane, as well as being somewhat smoother to swing for many shooters. To get this length in an over/over barrel would increase the muzzle weight beyond what many shooters like or can use effectively. In doubles, on the other hand, you need the ability to move quickly to the second target, and the shorter (generally 30-32 inches) length of the o/u barrels allows for this. This is the reason so many use a combo set, which provides the single barrel for singles targets and the o/u barrels for doubles, but uses the same stock so there is no change in stock fit, feel, trigger, etc. There are, of course, exceptions and some find a double gun better,even for singles, or prefer the single barrel for doubles, so use a semi-auto.

 

Dan, I think you have an excellent point! The advantages of the slightly longer single barrel guns has yet to be proven. Never under-estimate the effect of public opinion! (What is "cool"!) In my humble opinion, a talented and dedicated shooter would score just as well with an over/under in 30" or 32" as any of the combinations you mentioned in your post! Jack

 

Shoot 100 targets on a day with a brisk cross wind. If you're shooting a O/U you'll wish you could turn it sideways just to hold it steady!

Keller

 

The SBT's point better, always have, always will.

 

Hi,

Even some Skeet shooters shooters use 32" guns, with added ribs to run over the entended choke tubs.

I prefer the BT-99. O/U can cause lost targets, put shell in wrong barrel, push barrel selector to wrong barrel etc.

I know becuase I did them.

Jim

 

Same old, same old ................ I've yet to find a use for a single barrel. Longer sighting plane? I'm sure that's sold a few guns. And if the wind is blowing hard enough to blow the gun around what's it doing to guy shooting it? Besides, O/U's point better, always have, always will.

 

The 34" single barrel break action shotguns are very close in overall length and balance to the 30" pumps and autoloaders that used to be favored. IMHO Ron

 

Don't believe me. Believe the record books. You will look long and hard to find any All Americans (past & present) that shoot anything other than a SBT for 16's and handicaps. BTW a model 12 is a SBT. They point better, always have, always will.

 

How hard is it to find Leo?

It's just personal preference following the Jones, nothing mystical about a single barrel break open shotgun.

 

Combos are expensive. If a combo needs service, the whole lockwork goes back to the mfg. or the 'smith. Singles and handicap are specialized 'games' as is 'doubles'...so why not use two different guns if that is affordable and often the cost of a sbt and o/u are the same as a combo.

 

Mr. Gault,

I consider all combos, when shot with a single barrel, to be SBTs. When Leo shoots for money ('caps) he uses his SBT.

 

I really wish I knew the answer Aussie Dan. A well fitted O/U and practice should be all you need. However, an O/U with fixed chokes that are tuned for ATA doubles are not exactly what you might choose for long yardage handicap. Similarly, many folks like to shoot doubles with a relatively flat shooting gun and that may conflict with the way some like to set up to shoot singles and handicap.

I have been told about a solid, all around, long yardage shooter who uses an MX-8 O/U for everthing (he made AA this year), I don't know if this is true or not.

 

Mr. EB, singles is trap too.

 

Leo (16's only) and some Leo want-a-bees are the exception. The best of the best use SBT's.

 

Some reasonable responses there guys, thanks.

It is still a little confusing for me though, as i think the o/u below with plenty of practice would work just fine-

O/U gun with the following-

-32 inch barrels, not too short or too long for doubles

-screw in chokes in the bottom Barrel, to adjust from 16 yrd to Handicap to doubles preference

-a rib around 3/4 to 1 inch high for better vision from the Handicap yardage.

Here in australia, we have so few single barrel events that you never see anyone (well, 99.5% of the time) use a single barrel gun to shoot it.

Im just trying to get my head around why we here we use 30 inch barrels to shoot handicap events, instead of using a 32 inch?

I think a 32 inch O/U would be probably the best all around option, ATA trap or DTL.

 

I think you're right Dan, it's hard to argue with a 32" O/U for trap, skeet or sporting clays.

 

When shooting singles and handicap having that second barrel may slightly block your vision of the target as it leaves the trap house. This may be more exaggerated for a two eyed shooter than a one eyed shooter. Two eyed shooters tend to look under the barrel for the target as it exits the house and a single barrel offers less obstruction than and O/U.

When shooting doubles, the targets are going to be in the same place each time as the trap is locked in place. In singles and handicap the trap is moving back and forth and the shooter doesn't know where the target is going. Picking up the target as quickly as you can right out of the house helps you figure out where it's going, and you need to know that before you can shoot it.

 

Only "want-a-bees" shoot O/U's. Gotcha. Thanks for clearing that up.