Joined: 23 Nov 2006
Posts: 58
Location: Northeast
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I own a dedicated clays M21 along with a bunch of other double guns, and I shoot that 21 and the others quite a bit on sporting courses and at tournaments. I shoot about 4-5k rounds per year with the SxS's. I also shoot a Perazzi competition o/u to the tune of 6-8k more rounds per year. I only mention those figures to indicate I am not an occasional shooter.
There is definitely a difference in recoil effect when shooting the right barrel of a SxS first, as compared with the reverse. My M21 clays gun usually has two Mod or I-Mod chokes in it (Briley thinwalls), and based on experience I always load the left barrel for the first shot because, if I do my part, it allows me to better centerpunch the bird, also to remount more quickly for the second shot.
Someone using Skeet or IC chokes in a S x S at close game birds or clays may not notice a difference in performance due to recoil effect but I can assure you you'll see a difference on small birds or clays if you had a S x S with two tight chokes. What might be a fringe hit on a close clay with the right barrel first, will usually be a smoker using the left barrel first. That's because the gun starts recoiling before the shot charge leaves the barrel.
If I were ordering a fixed choke double gun, or having the chokes in an existing one altered, I would definitely have the left barrel made into the more open choke because (in a properly fitted gun) it will allow you to better center the target with the shot charge, and to recover more quickly for the second shot. JMO of course. Silvers |
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"Make certain that you get the fullest measure of satisfaction, the keenest possible enjoyment from your shooting this year – see that your gun is a Fox". |
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