[John Galt]

Mr. EB, singles is trap too.

 

[ebsurveyor]

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

 

[Aussie Dan]

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.

 

[John Galt]

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

 

[BigSkiff]

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.

 

[R_Shrode]

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

 

[timb99]

They look cool.

And believe it or not, what Unknown1 said is true. Side wind will affect an over/under more than a single barrel.

But I just think they look cool.

Plus, mine has a tapered rib, which I like a lot.

Bottom line....its personal preference.

 

[Brian in Idaho]

What I don't get is the longer sighting plan theory. Because there are a lot of posts that say not only not to look at the bead, but some say that the even the barrel doesn't matter. Yet I notice that no one shoots short barrels or barrels without ribs.

 

[Shooting Coach]

I shoot an Unsingle SBT at 16's and Caps because it is the best tool for the job. Nothing will touch it at the back fence.

Darn, just got bumped to the 23. My State Director says I should take the reduction, so I will. He has never steered me wrong, and never will.

 

[semperfi909]

I'll go w/ the fad argument for the most part. The longer sighting plane crap is just pure BS for a shotgun.

SBT's came into vogue when American shooters dumbed down pigeon shoots. If you have only one shot why not just use one bbl. Actually makes sense after you make a game that is difficult enough that two shots can be needed is reduced to one that will almost never need a second shot.

Really surprising that the Make It Easier movement has been in action for so long innit?

And of course that is not to say that the TM1 is not a righteous machine

 

[Old Cowboy]

"-why use a single barrel gun?"

Because you can, it's all in your head. Personally I shoot a Beretta 687 32/34 unsingle combo, usually use the 32" O/U barrel for 16 yd singles, WHY? Mostly because I shot a REALLY good singles score with it once! Confidence, it's all in your head.

John C. Saubak

 

[Stl Flyn]

I am thinking that if the wind is blowing hard enough to move the barrels of an O/U, I can't imagine how it is affecting your body, and the targets.

I think it is all a mind thing. I shoot a Citori Trap with 32" barrels just as good as my SBT 34" barrel gun. The only difference I would notice is maybe the front heavy weight of the O/U. Not enough to affect my shooting however. Jon

 

[Johnny]

" The best of the best use SBT's. "

Ha Ha Ha, the best of the best got beat last summer by an 8th grader
shooting a double barrel!

 

[ebsurveyor]

Anomalies will happen

 

[Chango2]

See a book, out of print now, Finding the Extra Target. Written by two trap coaches at George Mason University. The authors recommend a 34" barrel because they feel, that in theory, as a shooter moves back in yardage, the sight picture will change the least from the 16 yard line with the longer sighting plane. "It's in the geometry"...

 

[timb99]

Aussie Dan,

Like Australia, the South African shooters I shoot with almost all use over/under guns. Very few single barrel guns.

I'm kind of an anomaly over here with my 34" unsingle.

I get a lot of, "hey, what the heck is that?"

 

[Aussie Dan]

Some interesting theories none the less!

Sorry but I'm not buying the cross wind on the second barrel theory, the amount of drag the extra surface area of the barrel has will almost be outweighed by the extra mass it produces, plus it's a shotgun not a target rifle shooting at 800 yards.

Additional weight toward the muzzle will also help recoil flip especially on doubles so there's no way I can see an auto better for doubles than an O/U, despite gas assisted recoil operating.

The additional sight plane advantage theory may stand but I think a high enough rib on the O/U would almost be as good.

The only idea that sticks is the dumb it down theory- we only shoot one shot now just make one barrel!

As far as the idea of reducing the risk of putting the shell in the wrong barrel and or having the selector set up wrong well theres no more risk of that than forgetting to load a shell in, but if that's enough of a reason to buy another gun then good for the gun makers!

It seems like the answer to the original question has no more substance than- ' because that's the way its always been done!'

 

[timb99]

Dan,

I can assure you that I have shot with an over/under in gusty wind conditions and have had a gust of wind off my path to the target. Before that happened to me, I thought people were BS-ing me.

I'm not making this up.

 

[BigDave1200]

I shoot a Beretta 686 combo with a 34" over single and a 30" double barrel. I find the 34" swings smoothly (not to fast or too slow) for singles. The 30" swings a lot faster for doubles which is good for getting on the second target. If I could only have 1 gun to shoot all trap games, I would have a 32" double because they swing smoothly enough for singles and I can manage them for doubles.

 

[Aussie Dan]

I might ask my friend for a round with his DB81 tomorrow at practice.

I can't comment on how well the single points or shoots as I've never tried it!