[slayer]

I know this subject has been visited before here but it's been on my mind so here goes.

I have been looking at doubles and it looks like a lot of fun to me. Problem: I don't own an over/under that I feel would be suitable for doubles trap.

I do have a couple of autos that I can shoot fairly well.

Am I going to catch enough flak about the empties to not be worth even trying the autos?

This would mean purchasing a new xt which might be a good thing to do anyway.

Your comments please. Bill

 

[Beretta687EELL]

You can have a deflector installed, by a competent person, in the barrel lug and that will direct the empties to the ground just in front of your feet. Bill Malcolm

 

[slayer]

Thanks I wasn't aware of that. I will look into it. Bill

 

[jlb]

A deflector would not be acceptable at the Belen Shooting Sports Association in Belen NM. This club has prominent signs posted indicating that all automatic shotguns are required to have shell catchers. This requirement is rigidly enforced.

jlb

 

[Joe Potosky]

RE: Belen Shooting Sports Association

OK....

But, 99.999% allow the use of a deflector.

And, many clubs outside of registered events have you pick up your hulls.

I have a deflector and never an issue!

 

[Scott Johnson]

OR if the guy down wind that may catch the shells is a buddy, you "may" be fine. Scott

 

[bkt514]

How about at State, Zone or national shoots.....deflectors or catchers required.....I guess good sportsman would have them?

 

[wolfram]

I have a 391 Beretta trap model and it came with a factory installed deflector which consistently ejects the hulls about 3 feet forward and a couple of feet to the right. Very reliable and I have used that set up for quite a bit of doubles shooting including a couple of 1,000 target marathons.

Depending on what make your autoloaders are, you can probably get a similar deflector bump welded on the barrel shank but it requires some 'tuning' to get the ejection where you want it to be and sometimes the bump reduces the reliability of the gun which is not acceptable in the doubles game.

That being said, I would advise you to get a decent O/U that is stocked for trap. The XT Browning is a very good choice as are the Beretta 682 trap models. The O/U dominates the game of trap doubles and for several good reasons, mechanical reliability being at the top of the list. Also with the two models mentioned above, you can get them as a combo set with a single barrel to cover all the trap disiplines. There are many such combo sets on the used market and generally they can be had for around $2K in very good condition.

 

[prairieviper]

A deflector is a good option (and a must if you are going to shoot doubles with an auto) but none I have seen were 100% reliable. You could also let them know you are shooting an auto when you sign-up at a shoot. Many times you are able to shoot on a short squad and the post next to your ejection port is left vacant. I plan to shoot an auto for everything in the 2014 year.

 

[Setterman]

I believe Tron welds deflector lugs on 391's. Call Tron. He is the guru of 391s.

 

[dickgtax]

I have owned several 391's and never heard of a factory installed deflector.
The 391 has a spring loaded ejector in the receiver that kicks out the empty hull.
Carey makes an stick-on deflector, but it doesn't work very well, and has
never been popular. The problem with deflectors in an auto is that they too often deflect the hull back into the chamber, causing a jam.

Years ago auto's were more popular in doubles, but the big shoots I've gone to in recent years, all the guns I saw in the doubles events were over/unders.

 

[dead on 4]

A good number shooters shoot auto's for doubles, most have had their guns set up to eject their shells down or forward and not straight out the port. A modern day auto is reliable and makes a great doubles gun for two reasons, low recoil and one barrel. Unless you're going to commit heavily to shooting doubles keep your auto and have a deflector installed, don't waste money on an o/u unless you want a new toy............

Surfer

 

[wolfram]

Check out the barrel shank of a 391 trap gun sometime Dicktax. (both gun and bbl should be marked 'trap') Very similar to the 'knockdown pin' installed by many gunsmiths.

 

[hmb]

Shooting an O/U in doubles can be an advantage. HMB

 

[dickgtax]

Wolfram: My guns had sporting barrels, so you could be correct. I'm surprised
because Tron has been installing knockdown pins on 391 barrels for a long time,
and never mentioned that some barrels already had one.

 

[JT 27]

I have over 80,000 registered dbl.s, most shot with Beretta autos. The barrels all had deflectors added. I did keep them clean which is probably why I never had a lost target due to malfunctions. I would have a malfunction every 75 pair or more, about the same with new shells or reloads. Most reliable would be a reload for the first shot, factory new for 2nd.

 

[michmoe]

I wouldn't be afraid to use your auto for doubles. My highest doubles average was held with an auto and plan to try once again this year to use one, even though I own two Perazzi's. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. The O/U you can more easily save your empty's and are more reliable, plus you have the more open choke for the first bird . But the auto is softer shooting allowing quicker recovery to the second target plus you have the same poi for both shots (unlike a lot of o/u unless you have had choke work done) and the trigger is the same for both shots. Plus its easier to swing one barrel as opposed to swinging two especially in the wind. So I would suggest you try it and put the money you would have spent on that XT into more shells and shooting and you just might be further ahead. Good luck and one thing is for certain doubles is the most fun of all the events and you get to get rid of shells twice as fast!

 

[mallard2]

Our old friend Earl S. tried many ou on doubles, but when he went to a Beretta auto, he couldn't miss. Many have the same experience. Softer, faster, exactly same POI.

Do it.

 

[bcheese]

Have only seen on Youtube, but there is this http://multicatch.com/

 

[lightning20ga]

my ugb25 does a great job at doubles