As a “general rule” ........... ,
 

As a “general rule” is it safe to assume that in the 8 gauge guns atleast the hammerless guns are typically thicker in the wrist than the hammer guns ? My hammerless with the original stock is a good deal thicker than my hammerless which also has the original stock . Also there’s no great difference in the time both these guns were made something like 1904-1908 .

Not the best pics but you should be able to see the difference . Also adding a bit to the idea the fact that the hammer gun is on a larger number frame and weighs atleast 1 1/2 more pounds .

Ive always thought it just looked thicker on the hammerless guns because the wood behind the breach is not relieved for the hammers so it looks thicker . If you really want to see a drastic difference like this look at a 4 gauge/bore hammer gun vs modern hammerless ones :shock: The new ones look way out of proportion . I was reading about Watson Bros 4 gauge double and they mentioned how theirs was better proportioned than the other English made modern 4 gauge . Which I think that was a slight at Westley Richards 4 gauge droplock .

That’s a real surprise that the wrist of the hammer gun is so much smaller all around.





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I have noticed that myself

You put your hand around both the ones I have and it’s a big difference in the WRIST . Don’t much care about the euro makers just intrested in the Parker 8’s and maybe the Smith’s . I will however in regards to the euro big guns say this , a sort of friend/Gun broker that lives close came by the shop one day with a hammerless Scott or Greener have forgotten which . Anyway it had 10 gauge fluid steel barrels VERY thick in the breech end however it was kinda fine in the wrist and we sent it to Orland to have the stock bent . I found out later the gun had a set of damascus 8 gauge barrels at home that were original to the gun and later in life it was fitted with the 10 gauge barrels at the factory .

I’ve only had my hand around a few but seems to me every hammerless I handled in an 8 Parker was a good bit thicker in the wrist . You’re going to be at Hausemann’s and or Koneski’s I assume I’ll bring both them to both places you can see for yourself in person . I suspect CL will be there with atleast one of his hammerless guns and I think Jimmy’s planning on bringing one . So there should be others to yeah or nay whether I’m correct in my thinking .

I was able to heft Mike Harris’s Smith hammerless 8 and as well as I can remmember it seemed a lot more “fine” in the wrist than a Parker hammerless 8 . There was a Lefever 8 there as well that day but I wasn’t afforded the opportunity to heft it !

While I havnt seen a Smith or Lefever 8 gauge in person looking at the pictures they look slender or steamlined for their size . If you look at a picture of a hammerless 6 frame you can tell it beefy around the action .

Craig, those are some fine looking guns!