That Second Shot

I'm mostly a grouse hunter. I was wondering if the second shot capability of a double barrel muzzleloading shotgun is really an advantage for these fast flyers. I've used double barrel unmentionables on grouse and the second shot has definitely come in handy at times. With a muzzloading shotgun you have to pull the hammer back on the second barrel and then try to see the fleeing bird through a cloud of smoke. Seems pretty challenging. What do you think? Thanks

I tried it years ago over a good llewellen setter. I could approach the birds with both hammers back and still rarely made a double on grouse and never on woodcock. Too much smoke. I could routinely take doubles with my 20 or 28 ga doubles. of course, 30 years later, I couldn’t manage doubles with a semiauto and a covey of lazy, unsophisticated birds much less bp. I think bp doubles on upland birds is proof of an optomistic nature.

I hunt with a SxS caplock 20 gauge, and I thumb back both hammers when the dog goes on "point". This is true for chukkar which is a type of grouse, and for pheasant, and quail.

First, I've had situations where the first cap on that right hand barrel failed, so I pause for a second, still swinging on the bird, switch to the trigger for the left barrel, and the bird is now far enough away, and boom....

Second, I have no idea how many birds are going to fly, and depending on the direction of flight, I might bag one bird, my hunting partner might miss his, and his bird flies in a curved course so that he can't shoot twice, because I'm standing there..., But I CAN shoot that bird and will....

Returning that hammer to half-cock is simply done IF I don't fire the second barrel.

LD

Who said you can't cock both hammers?

Britsmoothy said:

Who said you can't cock both hammers?

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Maybe if you hunted behind dogs. Otherwise I don't think you'd have time.

Considering the cloud of fog I get with a single shot at a deer, requiring me to sit back and have a cup of coffee to let the smoke clear....I chuckle at the thought of a 2nd fast shot. Granted, if there is a breeze, it may clear very quickly.

I use a SxS. I don't think it is much more than a fraction of a second difference to cock both hammers rather than one. It's just something you get used to, I cock them both in a fluid motion.

I just like having the option of a second shot for a second, or wounded bird.

Daveboone said:

Considering the cloud of fog I get with a single shot at a deer, requiring me to sit back and have a cup of coffee to let the smoke clear....I chuckle at the thought of a 2nd fast shot. Granted, if there is a breeze, it may clear very quickly.

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Yeah, I do a lot of my bird hunting on Maryland's Eastern Shore, so there's pretty much a breeze all the time. Flat and near the Chesapeake Bay.

On the other hand one time two grouse were flushed.., I got mine but my buddy missed his with both barrels. It was out of range as it flew a curved, left-hand course.... it decided not to fly toward the hunters in the next field, so continued it's slow left turn as it flew, completing the circle as it came into range of my left barrel...... I couldn't believe it... maybe it thought we needed to reload ???

Ya just never know.....

LD

Both of mine were taken from the same skein both hammers cocked.

Britsmoothy said:

View attachment 221074
Both of mine were taken from the same skein both hammers cocked.

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Grouse hunting is entirely different. You only have a split second to shoot or they're gone.

I use mine for Quail and it works great because some usually flush late

Works for pheasants to.

I have had pheasant doubles with a SXS flint. From 1/2 cock to full cock BOOM BOOM. Two dead birds. Rare occasion when that all works out. On the other hand, Flint SXS skeet shooting starting with both hammers cocked isn't hard at all.

Walkabout said:

Grouse hunting is entirely different. You only have a split second to shoot or they're gone.

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I assure you, when I'm hunting both barrels are cocked.
May as well just use a single barrel otherwise.
No point hunting snipe with just one barrel cocked, that's just dumb.

What is the point of second shot capability if you are not fully prepared to use it? Cock them both!

The same as with a cartridge' hammer gun - you learn to cock both hammers at once.

Thats not saying youll get off 2 shots. But getting both sides cocked should not be the problem.

Out west many of the BP clubs have a shotgun event with singles and doubles so it’s just natural to have both of the hammers back on my Damascus double when approaching my dog on point.
Doc,

I hunt with a pointing dog, so when the dog goes on point, I get close, cock both hammers and complete the flush. I've used the second shot many times if I missed the first or the bird is wounded but still airborne. Have used two shots on a turkey too. I've also doubled on quail, hungarian partridge and even pheasant. If I don't use the second barrel, I just lower the hammer, reload barrel #1 and tap the second barrel's load just for peace of mind that it is seated properly. I want two shots. There's a 3-shot percussion muzzleloader with a break open barrel that has been tempting me, but the $4000 price tag is a bit steep. It is hammerless, and the front trigger fires the right and then left barrel while the back trigger fires the lower barrel. All that and its around the 7-pound mark. If it were 2/3 the price, I'd buy it today.