SHOOTING THE "COWBOY" DOUBLE SHOTGUN

Cowboy Double part 3

RECOIL

People of small stature and/or slight build can get belted pretty good by recoil from a short barreled shotgun. The following tips can help this situation somewhat:

(1) Install, or have installed, a good recoil pad. Be sure and maintain correct "length of pull".

(2) Modify your firing stance somewhat so you are leaning forward, the foot on the same side as the hand gripping the forearm being forward and supporting more weight than the rear foot.

(3) Do some daily exercises with a small set of dumb bells to build up your shoulder muscles. Irish Clementine did this and it helped her A BUNCH!

(4) Load your own light loads (less powder and shot for less recoil), or buy light factory trap loads.

(5) Use a heavier gun such as a shotgun with longer barrels. The heavier shotgun will absorb more of the recoil.  Get a recoil reducer from www.brownells.com.  Or pack lead tightly into the hole in the butt stock.

(6) Have your gunsmith lengthen the forcing cone [transition from chamber to barrel]. 

(7) Change to a smaller gauge shotgun (e.g. go from a 12 gauge to a 16 or 20 gauge),

BUT IF YOU REDUCE THE SHOT.   YOU ALSO REDUCE YOUR CHANCES OF TAKING DOWN A TARGET WITH A PARTIAL HIT!

Also, read Reducing Shotgun Recoil

SHOOTING HINTS

The first misconception that must be overcome is that you can just point your shotgun at the target (if it is reasonably close, say 10 to 15 yards), squeeze the trigger, and watch the plate fall. WRONG FRIEND!! At that distance, even with a cylinder bore the shot pattern is so tight that you must AIM AS THOUGH YOU WERE USING A RIFLE. The bigger the target and the closer it is, the less perfect the aim has to be, BUT YOU STILL MUST AIM unless the targets are VERY large or VERY close. To aim the shotgun, use the action rearward of where the barrels are joined as a reference aiming point like the rear sight of a rifle. This places the bead so it is just visible above the action.

One last thing - remember it is necessary to CLEAN AND LUBRICATE THE CHAMBERS before each match if you expect the empties to fall out. Accumulated powder residue in the chambers will inhibit ejection of empties. Some shooters take a cleaning rod with a "mop" and solvent to the match for this reason. In a climate with low humidity, like Arizona, solvents in the cleaner/lubricator evaporate quickly. Under these conditions, you should re-lube the chambers just prior to the match - that is, after you get there!

On the left is a DUD with silicone replacing the primer to protect the firing pin during dry firing. On the right a sized hull is trimmed just rearward of the crimp shoulder to make an EMPTY.

SPEED LOADING

It is important to practice loading your shotgun quickly. If you do not reload shotgun ammo, then have someone who does make up the following for you in your gauge size: four rounds (re-sized, of course) loaded with powder, shot, and wad. In place of the primer, and before the cases are loaded, stuff the primer pockets full of GE silicone sealer - the material used to seal fish tanks, auto glass, etc. Let the silicone dry before loading the cases. The silicone allows you to dry fire the shotgun without breaking the firing pins. These rounds here-after are referred to as DUDS. Also prepare four more cases by re-sizing, de-priming, and replacing the primers with silicone. With a sharp box knife, cut off the plastic case just forward of the point where the crimp shoulder starts. You now have cases that will fall out of the gun as though they were just fired! I call these EMPTIES. The drill I use to practice "Speed Loading" the shotgun follows:

Before starting this training drill, make sure ALL LIVE AMMUNITION FOR YOUR SHOTGUN IS PLACED A GOOD DISTANCE AWAY FROM YOU so it cannot accidentally be loaded into your gun. Small paper plates can be taped to a wall 5 to 7 yards apart as aiming points for the non-live-firing portions of the following drill. Place the rounds with which you will be practicing in your belt or bandolier so they can be easily removed and they are in the loops at the height.

1. Start from a "port arms" position with two trimmed and sized EMPTIES chambered.

2. Quickly shoulder the shotgun with the sights aligned directly on target. When you look at the target and then shoulder the gun, the bead should "automatically" be right on the target. Practice until you can do this - it is not hard!

3. "Lock onto the target" by pulling back on the forearm to firmly position the butt stock against your shoulder.

4. The arm contacting the trigger should have the elbow positioned out and away from the body at approximately 90 degrees. This improves control of recoil, improves body contact area for positioning the butt stock, and also moves the middle finger away from the trigger guard so it is not slammed during recoil.

5. Simulate pulling the trigger (you can dry fire if the EMPTIES have the previously mentioned silicone replacing the primer to prevent breaking the firing pin). The sequence of triggering is your preference, although most shooters prefer to start with the front trigger and then move to the rear.

6. Immediatelv after pulling the trigger for the first shot, swing the gun to the second target. Do not loose eye contact with the bead or physical contact with the shotgun with either hand or your head. Engage the second target.

To extract the empties, point the barrel UP as the action is broken, allowing gravity to help out.

For a faster method, as you open the action, raise the barrel slightly and jerk the gun back.  The inertia should remove the shells

7. Point the barrels slightly upward, open the action, and eject the empties. The gun can be opened with a "wrist flipping" action, or it can simply be pointed barrels up and opened. Both methods work. I prefer "wrist flipping" as it seems to eject the shells faster.

8. Quickly return the gun to the loading position - that is action open, chambers up (barrels pointed downward), and supported by the "fore end" hand so the "trigger" hand can accomplish the reloading. The butt stock is positioned between the shooter's arm and body just below the "trigger" hand shoulder. Some doubles, and the Savage Stevens in particular, "spring back" to a partially closed condition after being emptied, making it difficult to insert the next two rounds. The gun can be adjusted to eliminate this condition, or you can do as Lucky Smucky does and hold the gun open by grasping the barrels

forward of the fore end and holding the butt stock against your body thereby exerting downward pressure on the barrels and keeping them open enough to insert rounds.

Montana Dan shows how to chamber the rounds "straight in'. Note he is holding the action open with his "fore end hand" to prevent "spring back".

9. From the belt or bandolier, withdraw together two trimmed and sized EMPTIES. KEEPING YOUR EYES DIRECTLY ON THE CHAMBER OPENINGS, insert the rounds SMOOTHLY. Speed is used to withdraw the rounds from the belt, but they MUST BE SMOOTHLY INSERTED into the chambers. Forcing them can cause you to loose control, possibly dropping them to the ground. (Incidentally, if you DO happen to drop a round - forget it, its gone! ALWAYS carry extra rounds with you during a match. Go immediately back to your belt or bandolier for a new round.)

I find a rocking motion, inserting the rounds from the top portion of the chamber openings and rotating them downward, seems to work best. Achieving an EXACT alignment of rounds with the chambers eliminates the need for the "rocking" motion, but seems slower for me. Once both rounds are started into the chambers, use the side of the thumb or forefinger to push them the rest of the way in.

Smoothly insert ammo from the top downward with a "rocking motion" to align rounds with the chamber.

10. Shoulder the shotgun with the bead aligned on the first simulated target and repeat the sequence starting with step 3 above.

When you can do this drill with reasonable speed, start with the trimmed EMPTIES in the gun and speed load from the belt or bandolier using the DUDS. These simulate a loaded shell (NO LIVE PRIMER) and have rounded, crimped ends making them easier to chamber. If you worked hard to chamber the trimmed EMPTIES, the DUDS will go in considerably easier and faster.

Update.   Some recent alternatives from World Champ Duelist Macon Rounds may be faster for you.

8.  Revised.   Open the action while leaving the gun on your shoulder  - just open the action and drop the barrels down.

9.  Pick up your shells with your off-hand (not trigger hand) with your index finger on top of the brass. 

Bring the shells up to the gun, and looking at the holes drop or rock in the shells, close the chamber and you're ready to fire.

Advantages, the shells are lighter and faster to raise than the gun.  When you leave it on your shoulder and load with your left hand, the barrels are more nearly verticle so gravity helps even more.  Using the off-hand loading reduces required hand movement.

When you think you have mastered these drills, head for the range and try it with live ammunition and real knockdown targets. When firing live ammo at multiple targets DO NOT WATCH THE TARGETS FALL. As soon as you pull the trigger, quickly swing to the next target.

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