O/U :which barrel do you select to shoot first ?

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WIN1886

New member
Just got my first O/U shotgun and with select barrel feature and was wondering what most folks like to setup which barrel will most likely be used first and why ? It is a Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon 1 chambered in 20 gauge which I chose for upland hunting ! Thanks !
 
close up ,imp-cyl first with mod second. then a mod first with full second. all the chokes i have needed for most hunting.eastbank.
 
Thanks , but I'm actually wondering how to setup my O/U shotgun with the screw in choke tubes to have either the top or bottom barrel be the most used for the first shot and why most prefer it that way !
 
Years ago it was always taught to use the lower barrel first since it would get used the most (assuming you broke the bird on the first shot most of the time). The theory was that the lower barrel recoiled straight back and didn't push the muzzel up as much. Therefor your second shot would be quicker. It was all theory. It doesn't really matter in the practical world. If and when I change a choke in sporting clays, I never change both just to accommodate adding one different choke.
 
In general, I will fire the bottom or "under" barrel first.

Theory is, that barrel is more in line with the axis of the gun ...so you get less muzzle jump.../ maybe its true, maybe its not ...but to me, its more habit than anything.

Habits or routine are important ...if you are on a station where you can only load one shell...( like station 8, High House, in Skeet )...I want to just load the gun, not overthink it or get out of my routine - or lose my focus on what I should be thinking ( which is about seeing the leading edge of the target ).....

Even if I switch the barrel selector to fire the top barrel first on a sporting station / I always switch it back to the bottom barrel first before I clear the station ( just part of my routine - as I clear and open the gun before I step out of the station).
 
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Most set up to fire whichever barrel has the more open choke first, unless the shooter's in a situation (like driven birds), where the game is moving toward the gun.

Shooters like to either have, or set up, an O/U to fire the lower bbl first because it's more inline with the shooter's shoulder than the upper bbl, thereby upsetting the gun less for a second shot.

Shooters with tubed guns have a wider range of choices than shooters with fixed-ckoke guns.



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I shoot Skeet with the lower barrel first. It allows a bit quicker second shot in doublles, or so I've convinced myself. With trap, I have a combo gun (upper single barrel) and the selector is restrained (a factory screw) for top first.
 
You usually set up to fire the bottom barrel first.
Less muzzle flip to the shooter, into the strength of the action of the gun.
Which is why the British call them "under - overs."
 
Mine are skeet guns. two. the 12 & 20 are older B.C. Miruko's I shoot the bottom barrel first to ensure the trigger resets for the second shot. Just something I was told when I bought these back in 1969. Probably not true but works for me.
 
Thanks all, I appreciate the information ! Man , I love this shotgun...to think it took me near 30 working years to finally get me my first O/U ! ;)
 
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