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Granted, a case dropped will make about the same noise whether ejected or simply dropped. If you in a REAL hurry the noise is probably not a consideration. The noise is a consideration in stalking multiple animals when one is not in a hurry.

An ejector on a quality piece should be reliable, but no matter how good, it is an added complication and adds to the failure rate. (I say this as a reliability engineer.)

Ejectors were originally developed for use on paired shotguns used for driven birds where you have a shooter and a loader swapping guns. The loader does not shoot and in this case the ejector probably does speed things up. (Note that for this use, the gun must have a non-auto safety like a trap gun, but most modern double shotguns have an auto-safety, ejectors or not.) They became something of a fad and spread to other types of guns and rifles where their main point seems to be just to prove it can be done. I have never found a situation while rough shooting where ejectors would have any advantage at all. I say this having both ejector and non-ejector guns.

There is an argument put forward by magazine rifle advocates that you have a third and fourth shot available. A bit of work dividing charging distance by the animal's charging speed will show this to be a fantasy. It's one of the main points in favor of the double, two faster shots and the third just doesn't happen.

In the odd situation where fast multiple shots do happen, as I say, I have seen four aimed shots made from a double faster than from a magazine rifle. The technique obviously takes some practice and moving that fast is a bit hard on the gun so it's for working doubles, not the safe queens. The technique dictates the manner of closing the action and it's done without removing the stock from the shoulder. I will have to go home and try it tonight with both an ejector and a non-ejector gun and see how difficult it is or isn't.

For my money ejectors add cost and complication while adding nothing of value. I would not refuse a rifle with ejectors, but I would not go out of my way to have them.

One point I like on a shotgun that I did not mention. I have an Ithica Flues with an auto safety that allows one to deliberately hold it off while closing the gun. One can hold the triggers back and close the gun uncocked before putting it away. This seems like a handy feature on an automatic safety.

On the other hand there is no place for an auto safety on a rifle. There are several graves in Nairobi occuped by guys who had auto safeties on their rifles.

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