O/U - Top or bottom barrel for 1st shot?

[3rdShot]

New to over/under shotguns...picked up a Yildiz 12 ga on here a while back for next year dove season...have Briley extended tubes (IC and SK) on the way, the way the birds fly where I usually hunt, they appear out of the brushy area behind us heading into the field we are facing. So, first shot will be the skeet tube, then the imp cyl.

Does it make a difference whether you shoot the top barrel first? If you get the bird with one shot, the ejector will dump out that round...is it easier to just reload the top barrel more often?

Or, will the bottom barrel recoil more straight back with less muzzle jump for a follow up shot with the top barrel?

[Drycreek3189]

Bottom barrel recoils more straight back, gives you a little quicker second shot. At least that's the theory. Never bothered me much either way.

[Phillip Fields]

Bottom barrel first, it is more in line with the centerline of the gun and will not recoil as far out of position for the second shot.

[swanjts]

Mine is fixed choke Mod over Imp so I typically shoot bottom first.

[Jeremy_S]

Bottom first for the reasons stated above. Always went bottom first shooting doubles. I was taught that by a AA27AA shooter when I was learning trap.

[Smart]

Bottom first for reasons stated above......the theory is the recovery is a little quicker after the first shot from the bottom barrel.

[dmcm33]

Just to kick a dead horse, bottom barrel first.

[Barrett]

Bottom

[Pin Oak DXT]

Bottom

[tigerscowboy]

Case should be closed here. Regardless of the choke. Good question to seek confirmation. There are many more that also did not know or even bothered to consider.

[Artos]

There is a reason the fixed choked models always had the bottom with the most open pattern...now the real question is for sxs??

[Smart]

There is a reason the fixed choked models always had the bottom with the most open pattern...now the real question is for sxs??

Bottom first..[emoji12]

[macVsog]

Indeed as others has stated - bottom first.

Really miss my two O/U's - Heinrich Krieghoff ULM P 12 gauge. Had the Briley upper choke and oversized spreader choke on the lower and a Browning Superposed Pigeon with the grade 3 skeet set and 20, 28 and 410 barrels.

[Artos]

Bottom first..[emoji12]

I didn't know you wing shooted hood style...you would fit in at WWA just fine.

[cmh2007]

Bottom always