[AusAmateur]

Serious question. It arose this way.

I was telling some friends at the club how bad things appeared to be with ammo availability in the States. They got to asking me a few things about how and what you guys shoot.

They were completely nonplussed at the idea of a DIFFERENT barrel/gun for doubles. They all asked "Why not just shoot the same gun?"

So I'll ask it. Why not just shoot an U/O? Chokes can be installed or changed, so the availability of a full in the bottom barrel (or the top if that's your preference) shouldn't be an issue.

Wouldn't it be simpler (they said) to shoot the same gun for all 3 trap events? Same balance, same swing dynamic, same...well, everything?

Answers please. And "So I can have more guns" is not a serious answer (it may of course be the honest one tho!!)

 

[rapid86]

Different barrel lengths, for one. My singles barrel is 34", the O/U is 32" and I think I made a mistake in getting the 32" barrel. I usually use my backup gun for doubles, which has 30" barrels.

 

[308]

I shoot a sbt better. That's it in a nut shell.

 

[skeet_man]

Tradition and cost.

A vast majority of trap shooters don't shoot ATA, and even among those that do, many don't shoot doubles. A SBT is a MUCH simpler machine, and are almost without exception cheaper than an equivalent o/u.

Of the people that shoot trap at my club, less than a handful of club members over the past decade or two have ever shot ATA (basically zero currently active club members have EVER shot ATA), and the rest that don't have never shot anything but singles. Those that bought o/us mostly bought cheap POS o/us, and for what they paid they could have bought a BT99 instead and been WAY ahead quality and longevity wise.

I'm currently looking for a SBT to shoot trap with at the club (just the club league). I don't have any intention to shoot trap doubles, so there is no reason for me to buy an o/u or combo gun.

 

[entropy]

Tradition. I shot a Ljutic at 16, and ran them with it. Fell in love with the gun. Finally got one 40 years later, still love it.
I've had either an 870 or 1100 for a Trap gun since I was 14, and now I have one each of those again, but the bulk of my shooting is done with the Ljutic. I haven't shot doubles in over 35 years, and I have several guns (1100, 870, Model 12) I could shoot doubles with if I decided to.
I also just love the looks of SBT's, particularly Ithacas. And Ljutics, of course!

 

[I'dhitthat]

I prefer the sight picture I get from an unsingle. I also don't feel that doubles is the same game as singles and caps.

 

[Val72B]

Balance and swing for singles and caps are smoother with a SBT. I have a different POI for my dedicated doubles gun. A SBT has one firing pin and one hammer spring to replace.

 

[pheasantmaster]

Serious question. It arose this way.

I was telling some friends at the club how bad things appeared to be with ammo availability in the States. They got to asking me a few things about how and what you guys shoot.

They were completely nonplussed at the idea of a DIFFERENT barrel/gun for doubles. They all asked "Why not just shoot the same gun?"

So I'll ask it. Why not just shoot an U/O? Chokes can be installed or changed, so the availability of a full in the bottom barrel (or the top if that's your preference) shouldn't be an issue.

Wouldn't it be simpler (they said) to shoot the same gun for all 3 trap events? Same balance, same swing dynamic, same...well, everything?

Answers please. And "So I can have more guns" is not a serious answer (it may of course be the honest one tho!!)

To answer your question, probably and yes.

In 74' I went to primarily shooting an O/U for everything, either a Broadway or Superpose. I did get a single barrel Perazzi later that same year but favored the O/U. I did shoot the single off and on but just for handicap. From about 82' to 09' I just shot O/U's. Then I got to playing with a custom SBT and played with it for a year. Wasn't satisfied and bought my first combo. Been shooting the combo for 10yrs I guess now.

By averages, I did better overall when just shooting an O/U for everything. I did have my highest handicap average with the single of the combo 94.30 I believe but have had several mid to upper 93 averages when just shooting an O/U for everything. Had my only 100 straight from the 27 when using just an O/U for everything. Had better doubles averages and way more hundreds in doubles when just shooting an O/U. Actually, my singles were consistently higher.

 

[Pat McKean]

Tradition and cost.

A vast majority of trap shooters don't shoot ATA, and even among those that do, many don't shoot doubles. A SBT is a MUCH simpler machine, and are almost without exception cheaper than an equivalent o/u.

Of the people that shoot trap at my club, less than a handful of club members over the past decade or two have ever shot ATA (basically zero currently active club members have EVER shot ATA), and the rest that don't have never shot anything but singles. Those that bought o/us mostly bought cheap POS o/us, and for what they paid they could have bought a BT99 instead and been WAY ahead quality and longevity wise.

I'm currently looking for a SBT to shoot trap with at the club (just the club league). I don't have any intention to shoot trap doubles, so there is no reason for me to buy an o/u or combo gun.

Willey Brothers Guns just down the road has a Ithaca Sousa Grade SBT on consignment. Two barrels.
It might be one of the prettiest guns I've ever seen. $15,000 and it's yours.

 

[AusAmateur]

Thank you all for your answers.

So the logical question to ask next is this.

In ISSF trap (bunker) the medal matches in pairs, and the finals in singles, are all single barrel-one shot per target.

Why do none of the ISSF competitors use a single barrel gun for those parts of the event?

 

[skeet_man]

Thank you all for your answers.

So the logical question to ask next is this.

In ISSF trap (bunker) the medal matches in pairs, and the finals in singles, are all single barrel-one shot per target.

Why do none of the ISSF competitors use a single barrel gun for those parts of the event?

The target presentation is still the same, so it wouldn't make sense to change your equipment for a shootoff.

 

[flashmax]

Thank you all for your answers.

So the logical question to ask next is this.

In ISSF trap (bunker) the medal matches in pairs, and the finals in singles, are all single barrel-one shot per target.

Why do none of the ISSF competitors use a single barrel gun for those parts of the event?

Because.

It’s like informal drag racing in a way. Run what ya brung. The u/o got them there so they stick with it. Dance with the girl you came with also comes to mind. A lot of shooters never get to the medal match.

 

[AusAmateur]

The target presentation is still the same, so it wouldn't make sense to change your equipment for a shootoff.

But the reverse applies, doesn't it? The target presentation for doubles is (effectively) the same as for singles. You just have 2 of them. So why change?

 

[flashmax]

Serious question. It arose this way.

I was telling some friends at the club how bad things appeared to be with ammo availability in the States. They got to asking me a few things about how and what you guys shoot.

They were completely nonplussed at the idea of a DIFFERENT barrel/gun for doubles. They all asked "Why not just shoot the same gun?"

So I'll ask it. Why not just shoot an U/O? Chokes can be installed or changed, so the availability of a full in the bottom barrel (or the top if that's your preference) shouldn't be an issue.

Wouldn't it be simpler (they said) to shoot the same gun for all 3 trap events? Same balance, same swing dynamic, same...well, everything?

Answers please. And "So I can have more guns" is not a serious answer (it may of course be the honest one tho!!)

I shoot the u/o half of my MX10 for everything. The single bbl feels neglected.

 

[AusAmateur]

I shoot the u/o half of my MX10 for everything. The single bbl feels neglected.

Hey guys, Flash's single barrel needs some love.

Anyone?? Anyone at all??

 

[skeet_man]

But the reverse applies, doesn't it? The target presentation for doubles is (effectively) the same as for singles. You just have 2 of them. So why change?

Not exactly, single oscillate, doubles don't.

If anything, it would make the most sense, if you had a combo, to use the o/u barrel for 16yd and doubles, and the single barrel for handicap.

 

[The Canuck]

I don't shoot any combos I have owned or tried very well. I do better with either an o/u or a dedicated single bbl gun so I shoot two guns. A single for singles & caps and an o/u for doubles. Plus I just like having two different guns.

 

[ktt]

Swing dynamics and visual obstruction are why I prefer the single barrel over the O/U. I prefer the way the single barrel swings and points, and the second barrel is not there to obstruct vision. I would shoot my single barrel for doubles except for the obvious reason.

 

[bossbasl]

Doubles require a two-barrel shotgun (in reference to double guns). That doesn't mean it is equally effective at singles and 'caps. A SBT just has swing dynamics that are better than an O/U for many. If this were not the case, the likes of Ithaca, L.C. Smith, Parker and recent examples such as Ljutic, Bowen, Perazzi and Alf.SBT's would not have survived in the market place, even though the SBT's are surely not priced more competitive than O/U's. SBT's have always been well represented in the winner's circle. That's probably the best endorsement for the quality SBT's.

 

[AusAmateur]

Leo didn't use an SBT, did he?