O/U firing both barrels at once

[Mtnmilsurp]

My son just killed a turkey with my old Ruger Red label 20 gauge and it fired both barrels at once.

Has anyone experienced this and/or know what might have caused it and how to prevent it?

 

[505Wapiti]

Seems like you aren’t the only one…

Ruger Red Label fires both barrels at same time

www.shotgunworld.com

 

[VA Ridgerunner]

I have a friend that bird hunts alot with a red label and it hasn't happened to him. I suspect that smarted though!

 

[atmat]

The ole’ fashioned Ruger double-tap.

 

[Mtnmilsurp]

I’ve had this shotgun 20+ years and that was the first time it shot both barrels at once.

It definitely got my 105lb son’s attention. Those bismuth turkey loads are fairly stout but I’m glad it wasn’t a 12 gauge with slugs!

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

Yeah, I'll bet that woke him up! Congrats on the bird!

 

[280Ackley]

I have a Mossberg that does the same thing if you shoot 3” shells!!

 

[Dos Perros]

My SKB 505 20ga just did this to my son with 3" Herter's TSS loads. Knocked him on his ass!

I've had that gun for many years, and I seem to remember it happening maybe once before with heavy pheasant loads. Last year I shot a turkey with the same gun/load combo with no issues. I speculated it had something to do with 1) the amount of recoil, and 2) that my son's smaller mass did not retard the recoil as much as an adult would have. Those TSS are also 1.5 ounces each, maybe that plays in too.

 

[Tod osier]

My son just killed a turkey with my old Ruger Red label 20 gauge and it fired both barrels at once.

Has anyone experienced this and/or know what might have caused it and how to prevent it?

I don't know if it is more or less common than the known issue of not firing the second barrel. Worst money I ever spent as a broke college kid. I'm still bitter.

 

[Zak406]

I gotta get me one of those. I may be able to hit something with one.

 

[Rich M]

I had a red label 12 ga all weather and it was the nicest gun but couldn't shoot full-power homeloads thru there - both barrels would go off. Plain jane reloads were fine. I got rid of the gun and wish i kept it.

 

[Tmac]

No ideas on why it happened. But I offer your son my sympathy. I ended up dazed and bleeding on my arse in the bottom of a blind when an older Spanish 10ga fired both barrels full of 3 1/2” goose loads when I was a youngin. Really gets your attention.

 

[dtrkyman]

I have an Italian made .410 that has done that a hand full of times over the years, not too big a deal with the .410 but you do notice it.

Some turkeys hunters may pay extra for a double that fires both barrels at once

 

[Robobiss]

I’ve had this shotgun 20+ years and that was the first time it shot both barrels at once.

It definitely got my 105lb son’s attention. Those bismuth turkey loads are fairly stout but I’m glad it wasn’t a 12 gauge with slugs!

Needless to say the turkey didn’t stand a chance.

 

[Mtnmilsurp]

Needless to say the turkey didn’t stand a chance.

Unfortunately all I have is skeet chokes and that Tom was at 30 yards so we definitely have some shot to sift out of him.

 

[chemist]

If you have not had it happen before, there is a chance he double tapped the trigger without realizing. The recoil from the first shot pushing the gun far enough back that his finger came off the trigger enough to reset it and then the gun bouncing off his shoulder causing the trigger to fire again. I have had it happen with other makes of guns . With him being on the small side it could be a recoil management thing and not the gun.

 

[WRO]

Turkish guns are notorious for this..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ElkArcher918]

Damn, both barrels going off simultaneously? That's gotta be scary and potentially dangerous, hmm?

 

[*zap*]

Blastemgood

 

[WCB]

If you have not had it happen before, there is a chance he double tapped the trigger without realizing. The recoil from the first shot pushing the gun far enough back that his finger came off the trigger enough to reset it and then the gun bouncing off his shoulder causing the trigger to fire again. I have had it happen with other makes of guns . With him being on the small side it could be a recoil management thing and not the gun.

100% could be the case...my wife did it with her Stevens 555 (newer version as the older ones I believe did have an issue with it). However, I watched her pull up on a Woodcock that shot literally from her feet straight up above her head (like lucky it didn't knock her hat off.) She pulled obviously straight up and barley got the gun to her collar bone and pulled the trigger.

She dumped the wood cock but when the smoke cleared the gun was resting on her upper chest and not shoulder and she looked over and asked "what happened to my gun?" I laughed and said"... you just bump fired an over and under." Being off to the side I heard the two reports and actually saw it happen. She swore she only pulled the trigger once and in the heat of the moment didn't register two shots. Again it wasn't one big bang but almost the fastest double tab/bump fire I have ever heard.