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“Another thing to remember about doubles is that, even if you’re faster on the second shot, you’re also faster to an empty gun,” he says. “Most dead hunters that are found after being killed by dangerous game have empty rifles.”

I think the quote above taken from the article is quite relevant and as I mentioned in my first post on this discussion, it is all very well doing comparative tests on the range to see which is the fastest to fire aimed effective shots but quite different under stress in the field. The double is just not that easy to reload when on the move. If the gun is a not an ejector it has to be tipped to empty the chambers or the empty cases have to be 'plucked' by hand and then the gun held in such a position so the new cartridges dropped into the chambers will stay there until the gun is closed. All the while the double gun is broken open with barrels facing in a different direction to the stock and lock. Try this on the run in brush or over uneven ground. I guarantee the double user will be focused on his gun and not the animal or likely the ground he is traversing if he tries to reload on the run, or, he will stand and reload before following the PH or arrive at the new position and then complete a reload.

What is often noticeable in video of hunters dealing with their first shot from a double on an animal whether it is just standing or in a charge, is that the second barrel is fired off almost obligatory. Often the animal has reacted to the first shot by turning or dropping but the hunter has committed to firing off the second barrel and likely is not effective as it should have been. Now he does have an empty gun and if the animal is not down or gets up again invariably the PH wants to change position for the hunter to get a better shot or the PH finishes the fight with either his double (if he hasn't already fired it) or his bolt gun with a good few shots available to get quickly away.

Dugaboy1 makes the point that because it is possible to get the second shot away with a double quicker than a bolt gun, the double user can also undertake the reloading sequence quicker and is usually only disadvantaged in time with his 3rd shot but catches up again with his 4th. All too true but again I must make the point that has only been shown on the range, the multitude of video footage around seems to show differently when in the field even with some very experienced double users.

I'm a left handed bolt gun user so disadvantaged anyway (I shoot right-handed guns) but I sure as hell like the gun with four up and one I don't need to take my eyes off the animal or the countryside to use those four shots if required. Yes in a close in charge a double would be reassuring but I would ask myself, if I can't stop the charge with a well aimed first is my second attempt going to be any better?

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