Double rifle - semi auto ?

Fabnosh

Well-Known Member
Hi all

I've often wondered where the dividing line is between what is a semi auto rifle and what isn't. As far as I'm aware - and I'm happy to be corrected - an automatic keeps firing as long as the trigger is depressed and there is ammo available, a semi-auto fires every time the trigger is pulled and a single shot (bolt action etc) requires manual reloading between each shot.

Double rifles are able to discharge two rounds with repeated trigger pulls. Ok, some have twin triggers (and that may make a crucial difference in terms of the definition) but some do not, so I'm guessing that effectively we have a two shot semi-auto in a full bore calibre. Perhaps, as with the trigger issue, the fact that the rounds are discharged from different barrels may make a difference.....to the definition even if not the target.

Come on, put me out of my misery/confusion.

FN
 
A double rifle cannot be classed as a semi-auto, because a cartridge is not automatically chambered by the mechanical/gas operation of the mechanism upon firing, ready for the next discharge cycle on operation of the trigger.

Ian.
 
On this basis every over and under or side by side shotgun would be semi auto.........they are what they are, not sure i get the quandary you are stuck with personally.
 
Ah, so it's about the cycling of the cartridge not the effect of pulling the trigger. Ok, that seems reasonable.

Thanks Ian

FN
 
a double rifle is just that two rifles side by side, each barrel will leave its own rifleing mark on the bullets and some old rifles you have to full lenght size the brasses, they will not interchange ,so where do you get the self loading from ,perhaps there are double self loading rifles about ,incase one side jams when out big game or rabbit shooting
 
Hi all

I've often wondered where the dividing line is between what is a semi auto rifle and what isn't. As far as I'm aware - and I'm happy to be corrected - an automatic keeps firing as long as the trigger is depressed and there is ammo available, a semi-auto fires every time the trigger is pulled and a single shot (bolt action etc) requires manual reloading between each shot.

Double rifles are able to discharge two rounds with repeated trigger pulls. Ok, some have twin triggers (and that may make a crucial difference in terms of the definition) but some do not, so I'm guessing that effectively we have a two shot semi-auto in a full bore calibre. Perhaps, as with the trigger issue, the fact that the rounds are discharged from different barrels may make a difference.....to the definition even if not the target.

Come on, put me out of my misery/confusion.

FN

Its quite simple - self loading is defined in the act as being automatically loaded, a double rifle isnt automatically reloaded.
 
Effectively two rifles on one stock.
Good for driven game shooting when a fast follow-up shot is required.
With this DB OU Merkel you could fire both barrels in succession by using the front trigger or select either barrel by choice of front or rear trigger.
Myself as a Young Buck in the early 1960s with a brace of Roe.
Happy days of yesteryear before I became a partially sighted Old Cull Buck.
HWH.
P1010163-1.jpg
 
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