Turkey Hunting?

[Jim McKee]

Hi!
Anyone using their Parker SBT for turkey hunting?
Thanks!
Jim

[Phil Yearout]

I had a chum suggest that I take my SBT out for pheasants. The lack of a safety is a concern to me, but maybe that's just me.

[PAUL PLUNKETT III]

This thread reminded me of a question I have been meaning to post? Has anyone found or heard of A Parker single barrel trap with a safety installed? When I was an active member of the A H Fox collectors board and had access to the factory card copies, I seem to recall a request for a Fox SBT with Safety installed. Paul

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by Phil Yearout

I had a chum suggest that I take my SBT out for pheasants. The lack of a safety is a concern to me, but maybe that's just me.

Phil, same as hunting with a hammer gun - keep the breech open with a shell in the chamber and simply close it when the gobbler is responding to your calls.





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[Josey Flynn]

Dean, I don’t hunt much with a hammer gun, and I am no expert, but I would think it would be safe to carry loaded with the breech closed as long has the hammers were not cocked. It seems like it would be even safer than a hammerless because with a hammerless it is always cocked. Not trying to correct you, I might be missing something, I’m just looking for insight.

[Big D]

I've had an experience of having the shells fall out of the chambers while walking with an open gun. Unfortunately, it was in a field trial and it was witnessed by about 75 people.

[Dean Romig]

When I'm hunting alone with a hammer gun for grouse and woodcock and I'm in a cover where I can expect a flush or an imminent point I'll hunt with the breech closed and hammers cocked and keep the muzzles pointed at the sky.

When I'm with a partner or other hunters, out of courtesy and safety to them being paramount, I'll hunt with the hammers cocked and the breech open. On the flush it is much simpler and easier to just snap the gun closed than it is to cock both hammers.

When I'm turkey hunting I'm always alone. And I generally hunt with the hammers cocked and breech closed between sitting. When I'm sitting and calling the hammers are down and the breech is closed. I cock the gun when I shoulder it well in advance of the bird making an appearance.... but he will usually have announced himself before he comes into view.

There are a few ways to hunt safely with a hammer gun. But the key word is always safely.





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[Josey Flynn]

That makes sense

[Phil C]

I hunted quail alone this week with my dogs. I took along my 20 gauge DHE with no safety. I hunted with shells in the chambers and the gun open.
Easy enough with Pointers to simply close the gun after approaching my dogs on point. Then walking in to flush the birds.
I did miss a few opportunities when birds flushed early or I stepped on a few singles.
I love the gun but won’t be hunting with it when I hunt with others even though I always carry my all my Double guns broken open when I hunt.
I’m just not comfortable hunting with others without a safety. I actually do not take my gun off safe until the birds flush.
The normal approach to my dogs on point is to snap the gun closed, walk in with barrels pointing safely over the dogs. Walking to the side of my dog and then out front. Birds flush, gun comes up to my shoulder and the safety slides forward at the same time. Finger that is resting on the side of the trigger then slips in and taps the trigger.
I just like the added security of a safety since the country we hunt is rough, rocky and unstable at times. It’s easy enough to loose your balance and fall. Accidental discharges can and have happened. Mechanical safety’s will never replace good safety practices but I do like having a second level of safety on my guns.

[Phil Yearout]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

Phil, same as hunting with a hammer gun - keep the breech open with a shell in the chamber and simply close it when the gobbler is responding to your calls..

Have never hunted with a hammer gun. Makes sense sitting at the base of a tree waiting for a turkey to come by I guess. I know some guys hunt with the breech open; I never have - breech closed, muzzle up for me. It took me a long time to get used to sliding the safety off while shouldering a sxs after years of hunting with my dad's old Savage auto; if I was stomping a CPR field with my SBT I'd probably have the barrel still pointing at the ground while my thumb was hunting for the safety .