SINGLE-TRIGGER DOUBLE GUNS 55 



which is partly independent of the gun, and either by its 

 lesser motion or want of movement, during the jump back of 

 the recoiling gun, gets in the way of a further trigger move- 

 ment, until the recoil of the gun is over, and the weak spring 

 can replace the independent piece in its normal position again. 



It has been said that the greatest advantage of a single 

 trigger is the facility with which it can be removed and 

 double triggers substituted. But this is merely what those gun- 

 makers have said, who, being obliged to have a single-trigger 

 action of their own for those who ask for them, have been 

 too proud to pay a royalty for a good one, and have not felt 

 quite safe in recommending their own to good customers. 



The real advantages of a single trigger are many. First, 

 one does not have to shift the grip of the gun for the second 

 barrel. As explained above, recoil occupies one-third of a 

 second, and one does not want to add to the jump of the gun 

 during recoil by partly letting go, nor to be unready at the 

 end of it, by still having to move the right-hand grip in 

 changing triggers. In practice, the single trigger is also much 

 the quicker. It is not necessary to say anything about cut 

 fingers and their avoidance by the use of single triggers. But 

 a wonderful advantage is in the more correct length of stock. 

 If one's gun-maker gave one a stock an inch too long, or short, 

 in double triggers, he would be thought not to know his 

 business. There is only one best length for everybody, but 

 every double trigger has two lengths of stock, one an inch 

 longer than the other. 



The author is told that there are still some very bad single- 

 trigger actions being made, but that is quite unnecessary 

 when the best can be employed by paying a royalty, as some 

 of the best gun-makers are in the habit of doing, or were, until 

 the recent action Robertson v. Purdey was settled. 



Probably it would be more correct to say that the 

 principal advantage of a bad single trigger is that it can 

 readily be exchanged for a good one. The author would not 

 on his own authority speak of bad single triggers, because he 

 has tried most of them, and had difficulty with none. 



