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O/U trigger<s>

B_McB_Mc Member Posts: 794 ✭✭✭✭
edited April 2008 in Ask the Experts
I would like opinions on single trigger vs. double triggers on an over and under shotgun.

I am looking at the

Stoeger Condor (single) (http://www.stoegerindustries.com/firearms/stoeger_condor.php)

and the

CZ-Mallard (double)
(http://www.cz-usa.com/product_detail.php?id=58)

Comments

  • geeguygeeguy Member Posts: 1,047
    edited November -1
    Opinion depends upon "what" you are doing with it. The double trigger is a great asset in the field because you can select the choke (shot pattern)just by pulling the front or rear trigger. In competitive shooting you normally can select the barrel on the safety and don't have to worry about "losing" a bird due to pulling the wrong trigger.

    I have several friends that have a Stoger. Based on the metal and bore I cannot recommend that gun for field or range. Balance poor, trigger pull poor, wood of low grade, steel of low grade, finish is poor, price low (value low). But some people would highly disagree with the above, that's why it's only an opinion.

    Best of luck.
  • B_McB_Mc Member Posts: 794 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by geeguy

    I have several friends that have a Stoger. Based on the metal and bore I cannot recommend that gun for field or range. Balance poor, trigger pull poor, wood of low grade, steel of low grade, finish is poor, price low (value low). But some people would highly disagree with the above, that's why it's only an opinion.

    Best of luck.


    Well what could I use it for??
  • FWAdditFWAddit Member Posts: 918 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have no experience specific to either the Stoeger or the CZ over-under, but I can give some general comparisons of single/double trigger guns.

    I like both, but I have given up on double triggers and now own only single-trigger doubles because it's too confusing to switch back and forth between the types. I could also be happy with nothing but double-trigger doubles, depending on the particular guns involved.

    The single trigger, being more complex mechanically, is more likely to fail, especially in an inexpensive model. It took me hours of fiddling to get a Spanish import to fire the second barrel consistently. A friend had a single-trigger Huglu that often fired both barrels with one pull. Another thing: if the single trigger is non-selective, you have to be satisfied to always shoot the more open-choked barrel first. For hunting quail or grouse, that's usually OK. But a selective single trigger is better even for those sports, everything considered.

    geeguy is right about the advantage of a double trigger, except that I never had the presence of mind to pick a trigger after the bird flushed. This may just be my clumsiness, not a real problem with the trigger. It was handy if I had time to anticipate the range ahead of time, though. What can be a big problem with some double triggers, depending on trigger spacing and on the shape of the trigger guard and grip, is bruising of the middle finger. I had a light over-under with the front (first) trigger way forward, a trigger guard with a steep angle at the back, and a tight pistol grip that kept my hand close to the trigger guard. That gun beat my middle finger so bad it would be swollen, discolored, and very sore after a dozen shots or so. I got rid of it.* If you choose a double-trigger gun, I recommend picking one on which the back of the trigger guard slopes gently.

    *Edit: I got rid of the gun, not the middle finger. I need that to communicate disapproval.
  • duckhunterduckhunter Member Posts: 7,687 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Buy the CZ to use and use the Stroger for a tomato stake.
  • triple223taptriple223tap Member Posts: 385 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Buy the CZ to use and use the Stroger for a tomato stake.

    I've never shot a Stoeger, but I have looked at them - yuk!

    An even better idea, save your money up and find a nice used Browning. You'll never regret it.
  • RobinRobin Member Posts: 1,228 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Single triggers in inexpensive guns is not usually a good thing.

    With all things being equal, practice makes perfect. Double triggers always seem ackward to me until I started shooting clay targets on a semi regular basis. At this point, I feel as comfortable with double triggers, if not more so than a single trigger. Since my best double gun is choked C/IC it doesn't make a tremendous difference which gets pulled first for most target shooting I do. I doubt it makes much difference for most hunting uses either. If your double is choked F/IC it would probably be worth practicing trigger selection.

    Shotguns, especially O/U and SxS, have a special attaction to a lot of folks, me included. I have and have had my share of inexpensive shotguns of all sorts. All of the O/U and SxS I picked up in the last few years have been either classics in good condition or quality new boxlocks or sidelocks. I have settled for fewer but better quality shotguns. Since I live in Florida, most of my bird hunting requires travel. It makes little sense to me to pay the expense of travel, hunt fees etc. and hunt with a poor quality inexpensive shotgun.

    As far as price and quality goes with double guns, I think price generally varies directly to quality and dependability, but paying $400 for a tomato stake is way to much.[:D]
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