Hammer VS Hammerless
 

OK I am going out on a limb here this may have been done before BUT I have not seen it . In all honesty which do you feel have the nicer lines and more detail to the stock and frame ? Since I started this 0 grade hammer job I have noticed how nice these guns must have been when they were made. That D grade Hammer that is on GB what a piece of sculpture.

Grade 2 Lifter
 

There is no doubt that a lot of artistry was lost when the hammerless gun prevailed. This is a grade 2 ie G lifter.

Best, Austin

You think the change was driven by economics?

PARKER SCHOOL OF GUN AESTHETICS
MID TERM EXAM

1. The beauty of the gun makers' artistry is manifested in:

a: Parker hammer guns
b: Parker hammerless guns
c: The eye of the beholder
d: All of the above
e: None of the above

CORRECT ANSWER: d:

If you happened to answer e: You may need to attend evening classes for extra study or you may be a visitor from the Fox site :)

Cheers,
Jack

I like the hammer guns esp the lifters. The sideplated actions just seem to flow better IMHO.

c: eye of the beholder

(I like them too)

Don't know much about them, but we've had a few used as bird guns on trips. Here's one we had along and that Parker made with those English Joseph Whitworth barrels. Don't think its been used to hold down many barb wire fence strands.

Hammers or hammerless for hunting:

1. One must keep the action open for safety while hunting with a hammer gun if its hammers are cocked. If the hammers are not cocked it is hard to quickly cock both hammers when a bird appears! With the hammers cocked one could trip and fall in which the gun might close violently and a hammer slip off its sear. This is not good for one's hunting mates or dogs. The hammerless gun has an easy to use safety mechinism.

2. Reloading either requires the action to be opened, shells stuffed into the chambers, action closed, and either both hammers cocked or the automatic safety be pushed forward. While waterfowl hunting, if one is very lucky or they need to dispatch a cripple, one needs to reload quickly.

I have Parker Top Lever hammer guns and Hammerless guns. I prefer to hunt with hammerless but do shoot enjoy shooting the beautiful top lever and lifter hammer guns!

Compare hammers or hammerless to a automatic transmission in a sports car. I bought a new Camaro last year with a stick shift 6 speed transmission. The same car with its computer operated 6 speed automatic trans and steering wheel mounted paddle shifter would have been more functional but not as much fun to drive! If however I had to drive in heavy traffic for hours every day I might have bought a Camaro with an automatic!

Mark this is not a direct response to your post but this subject came up at the New Years day shoot. I wouldn't trust a hammer less Parker with safety on any more than a hammer gun with hammers back ..... the hammer less hammers are cocked and the safety only prevents triggers being pulled, how many Parker owners have had their gun double, that same gun with a accidental fall could fire..... the sears on hammer less guns could be worn or powder and crud keep them from engaging correctly.

With a little practice; you can cock the hammers on the mount as fast as you can release a safety.

Best, Austin