Upland hunting with hammer guns

[Richard Flanders]

If I remember correctly Murphy bites the crimped end of the shell to deform it a bit and preventing it from falling out. It doesn't take much to keep them in the chamber. I don't think it's a good idea to deform the brass base. Trigg hunts with his hammerless guns open until the dog goes on point and I follow him around and pick up shells, some from a previous days hunt he had been on. I don't do that; too much 'stuff' falls inside the action-sticks etc-some of which necessitate taking the floorplate off to remove. I would certainly never carry a hammer gun closed and cocked when hunting with others and/or a dog; I don't even do it hunting alone with no dog, but have it loaded, cocked and open until something flushes and try to keep rubbish from getting into the action. It's easy in a preserve situation to carry them open and loaded or even unloaded until the dog goes on point. At our open field preserve up here there are relatively few surprises unless a bird wakes up and runs so it works well to carry a hammer gun loaded, cocked and open. I don't bite my shells ala Murphy when hunting/dog training there. I have also dismantled every Parker I have for cleaning/inspection/repair so I know where the sears are with respect to wear to address the issue George brought up of closing causing a discharge. I've bought hammer guns that came with sears worn/mangled enough to have that be a definite issue. I dismantle every Parker before I ever shoot it, especially around anyone else. Not much of anything more embarrassing or dangerous than an accidental discharge of a shotgun when shooting around others; just once and you will be suspect from then on. Your shooting buddies are likely to buy you a beenie cap with a siren and a rotating red beacon on it....

oops. Didn't read page 2 before writing this. I've not tried the cocking of the hammers when a bird flushes. Sounds like Harry has a lot of experience at that. I did see a nice hammer gun at a shot once that had the hammer ears come over towards the middle of the breech enough that you could bridge them with one thumb. It was very easy to put your right thumb across both and cock it. I liked that a lot. It was a 12ga too, but not a large framed gun.

[Harry Collins]

Richard,

I think it is Austin that cockes both hammer as the gun comes up. He is a great shot and a delight to shoot with. Great observation. I have several Parkers you could do that with, but also have one with off set hammers (you can open the gun with it cocked) that it might be a little dangerious doing. I still like a closed gun hammers down. With practice you will find on the skeet range you have plenty of time to shoot doubles with hammers down and cocking for each bird.

Harry

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by Harry Collins

With practice you will find on the skeet range you have plenty of time to shoot doubles with hammers down and cocking for each bird. Harry

But not on ruffed grouse and woodcock in heavy cover without a dog.

[Jawjadawg]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

But not on ruffed grouse and woodcock in heavy cover without a dog.

I'd love to hear how those guys who hunt from their 4 wheelers in the UP and Minnesota handle it - hammers down/cocked, open/closed?

[C.O.B.]

I hunt in the U.P. but don't have a 4 wheeler but when I take the hammer gun I don't cock it untill I walk in on a point and I'm usually hunting alone.

[Richard Flanders]

On some skeet shots I can barely even see both birds much less cock hammers for each clay. I like to cock the hammers with the gun open then close it when ready to call for the birds/clays. I've not shot a light and/or small framed hammer gun though. Mine are both pretty stout guns. A small frame hammer gun is one of my dream guns. I would like for every hammer gun to be such that it could be opened with the hammers cocked. It's much safer I think.

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by Richard Flanders

A small frame hammer gun is one of my dream guns. I would like for every hammer gun to be such that it could be opened with the hammers cocked. It's much safer I think.

Mine is an absolute delight to hunt with and carry and with the fishtail lever it opens easily with the hammers cocked.


As in WHF's "New England Grouse Shooting"'s Little Gun... "Gee-rifus Ev, she don't weigh nothin'."
.

[Richard Flanders]

Dean: please locate the nearest Star Trek replicator and clone your gun for me... You can beam it to my home address when it's ready....

[Bill Murphy]

Austin may in fact cock both of his hammers at the same time on the rise. However, chances are he uses the less strenuous, more reliable, and safer method of cocking the left, then the right, just finishing the cocking of the right barrel as the trigger is pulled. It doesn't matter which trigger you decide to pull first, but as you are finishing the cocking of the right barrel, your hand is in the shooting position.

[GH-16]

OK Dean,

Now you've got me drooling! What gauge is your little hammer gun? Please tell me more about it.

Paul