Actually, when I hunt I generally carry all doubles open until I shoot. (Works ideally with a non-auto safety). Always seemed to me to be the safest system that could exist.

I’ve pierced WIN , REM , Federal and Chedditte primers with several hammer guns 10-12-16 . But I’ve never knock on wood pierced one with a hammerless gun SO FAR :whistle:

I’m debating taking a 16 hammer on an upcoming quail deal . I’ll carry the gun cracked open unloaded with the hammers down . When dogs are on point I’ll load close and just before they flush I’ll pull the hammers back . I’m no advocate of walking around with the gun cracked open and the hammers back then closing on loaded chambers with the hammers back .

Just for clarity, I have never hunted anything but doves with a hammer gun, and there is no walking as a rule. What I described is typical upland hunting with lhammerless guns. I got into this practice with my kids. I always felt safer in a group if only the people over the dog have a gun ready to fire.

Wasn’t knocking your practices . Several other people have said the correct way is to pull the hammers back while the guns cracked open load close etc . I’ve watched many folks shoot sporting that way , I’m just more comfortable not pulling the hammers back until after the guns closed . I’ve had hammer guns double on me before so I guess I’m just squeamish about the left hammer falling when I close the gun . If the guns closed , I pull the hammers back point it and fire and if both barrels go off it’s what I consider a better situation . And to be honest one is never gonna be 100% ceratain they know when the gun will finally be worn enough to accidentally drop . My Grade 0 16 hammer dropped on me twice at a practice round at one of my semi local clubs , 16 isn’t anything terrible recoil wise when it happens but it sure messes up the mental aspect .

Those who advocated the pull the hammers back before loading then close claimed it cut down on thumbs slipping off the hammers during cocking and getting accidental discharge . And by no means do I disagree with that . I’m just more comfortable load close then pull back .