Some traditionalists, myself included, believe that a gun with two barrels ought to have two triggers. But many bird shooters, especially those who cut their scatter-gunning teeth on pumps or autos, prefer a single trigger.
Tradition aside, doubles with two triggers offer some distinct advantages over the single-trigger models. Perhaps most significant is instant barrel selection. Every season, I bag several long-range ringnecks by making my first shot with my tighter barrel. How many of you single-trigger fans can honestly tell me that you're able to select the second barrel when a bird is in the air? Maybe you can if the selector is on the tang safety, but I'm convinced you can do it even easier with a double-trigger.
Some guys I know tell me they can't adjust to a double-trigger gun. If you can drive a stick shift or walk and chew bubble gum at the same time a gun with double-triggers should be a piece of cake. Shoot doubles off a hand trap or a few rounds of skeet, then take on a sporting clays course. Most shooters don't need more than a box of shells before they're subconsciously sliding their fingers back for the second shot.
Double-trigger guns have several other advantages: They cost a good bit less than the same gun with a single-trigger, double-trigger mechanisms are simpler and easier to repair if you do have a problem, and should one barrel misfire, you have a second. A misfire with a recoil-operated single-trigger puts you completely out of business.
Double-trigger guns obviously require a longer trigger guard than do single-trigger guns. Some people complain that the back of the trigger guard raps the middle knuckle of their shooting hand when they fire the first trigger. Although I have small hands and have never experienced this difficulty, it could be a problem for people with very short, thick fingers. But in many cases, I think it comes from the shooter wrapping too much of his finger around the trigger or not gripping the gun tightly enough. Touching the trigger with just the end joint of the finger, which is the way it should be anyhow, would probably eliminate many swollen knuckles.
One legitimate complaint has to do with trigger guards that are too short. Some poorly designed guns don't leave enough space between the front trigger and the guard or, more often, between the front and rear triggers. Guns like this are a real problem, especially if you're shooting with gloves on. They should be avoided in favor of guns with properly designed triggers and trigger guards.
But with the exception of this problem, there is no reason why anyone should steer away from a double-trigger gun. If you want the most foolproof and cheapest selective trigger device ever made, try two instead of one.
Copyright (c) 1996 Larry Brown. All rights reserved.
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