Parker Gun Collectors Association Forums  

Go Back   Parker Gun Collectors Association Forums Parker Forums Parker Hammer Guns

Notices

Reply
Thread Tools Display Modes
Shooting hammer guns
Unread 06-22-2025, 09:07 PM   #1
Member
Stepmac
Forum Associate

Member Info
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,308
Thanks: 0
Thanked 418 Times in 237 Posts

Default Shooting hammer guns

I've been looking at hammer guns for sale and am considering purchasing one. However, I have never discussed shooting a hammer gun with anyone who owns one and I have NEVER seen anyone shoot one! Not once! There must be hammer gun shooters reading these pages. So can some of you hammer dudes tell me something about shooting hammer guns and if you do it, why?
Steve McCarty is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06-22-2025, 09:48 PM   #2
Member
Gary Cripps
PGCA Member

Member Info
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 267
Thanks: 316
Thanked 426 Times in 95 Posts

Default

Just another action type. Have shot pumps, semi-auto, levers, hammers and break action. Just need to get familiar with each.
Gary Cripps is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Gary Cripps For Your Post:
Unread 06-22-2025, 10:05 PM   #3
Member
Stan Hoover
PGCA Lifetime
Member
 
Stan Hoover's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 1,139
Thanks: 2,762
Thanked 3,101 Times in 825 Posts

Default

Hammerless guns are boring 😴

Parker hammer guns are just way more fun

I honestly feel Parker and some other hammer guns, the lines are just beautiful, engraving, etc….

Only my opinion
Stan Hoover is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06-23-2025, 06:09 AM   #4
Member
Dean Hanson
PGCA Lifetime
Member

Member Info
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 464
Thanks: 1,169
Thanked 648 Times in 220 Posts

Default

Steve, I would suggest shooting a hammer gun that you could borrow. It is not for everyone. I took to it right away and love the feel, routine, and just the nostalgia of it. You can purchase a nice shooter for under $1000 and see how it goes. Ya wont lose if you want to send it down the road. I suggest a 1 frame 30" 12 gauge. Good luck with your endeavor.
__________________
If it were easy, everyone would do it.
Dean H Hanson is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to Dean H Hanson For Your Post:
Unread 06-23-2025, 07:36 AM   #5
Member
john pulis
PGCA Member

Member Info
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 669
Thanks: 1,893
Thanked 304 Times in 208 Posts

Default

Ditto what Dean and Stan say. I prefer a Parker hammer to a hammerless, the nostalgia et al., but it is not for everyone. The sight picture on non-Parker hammer guns is sometimes blocked by the hammers that do not cock below the sightline on the receiver. Good luck.
john pulis is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to john pulis For Your Post:
Unread 06-23-2025, 08:04 AM   #6
Member
Randy Roberts
PGCA Lifetime
Member
 
Randy G Roberts's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,240
Thanks: 5,051
Thanked 6,583 Times in 2,103 Posts

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Stan Hoover View Post
Hammerless guns are boring 😴
Stanley, in the event a boring hammerless gun comes along you do have my number, right?
Randy G Roberts is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to Randy G Roberts For Your Post:
Unread 06-23-2025, 09:31 AM   #7
Member
mobirdhunter
PGCA Lifetime
Member
 
Garry L Gordon's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,547
Thanks: 15,694
Thanked 12,038 Times in 3,727 Posts

Default

Steve, you’re getting good feedback, and you can see there are most certainly aficionados of hammer guns. You didn’t say for what purpose you wanted the gun, and that would certainly make a difference, presenting different matters.

I hunt with hammer guns. Dealing with the cocking is the main difference. On, for example dove or ducks, where you’re generally standing or sitting, it’s okay to have your gun cocked as you see game come in (obviously, being safe around your companions, both two- and 4-legged). I’ve had great hunts on wild Bobs over pointing dogs, but, I’m not personally comfortable using a hammer gun on grouse in thick cover (and with a companion). Some guys carry their guns loaded, cocked, and open. This doesn’t work for me.

I’ve had great hunts with my hammer guns. There is nothing quite like my 30” Cogswell and Harrison 16 bore back action gun which weighs less than 6lbs.

Every lover of old guns should try a hammer gun.
__________________
"Doubtless the good Lord could have made a better game bird than bobwhite, and better country to hunt him in...but equally doubtless, he never did." -- Guy de la Valdene (from A Handful of Feathers )

"'I promise you,' he said, 'on my word of honor, I won't die on the opening of the bird season.'" -- Robert Ruark (from The Old Man and the Boy)
Garry L Gordon is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Garry L Gordon For Your Post:
Unread 06-23-2025, 10:42 AM   #8
Member
Stan Hoover
PGCA Lifetime
Member
 
Stan Hoover's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 1,139
Thanks: 2,762
Thanked 3,101 Times in 825 Posts

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Randy G Roberts View Post
Stanley, in the event a boring hammerless gun comes along you do have my number, right?
Don't be waiting by the phone Randy, all of my boring guns are way too short for your liking
Stan Hoover is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to Stan Hoover For Your Post:
Unread 06-23-2025, 11:22 AM   #9
Member
Dean Romig
PGCA Invincible
Life Member
 
Dean Romig's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 32,903
Thanks: 38,563
Thanked 35,829 Times in 13,139 Posts

Default

Steve, if only you lived in New England you could join me at Addieville East Farms in RI and you could shoot any number of my Parker Lifter or T/A hammer guns from 10 gauge down to 16.






.
__________________
"I'm a Setter man.
Not because I think they're better than the other breeds,
but because I'm a romantic - stuck on tradition - and to me, a Setter just "belongs" in the grouse picture."

George King, "That's Ruff", 2010 - a timeless classic.
Dean Romig is online now   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Dean Romig For Your Post:
Unread 06-23-2025, 11:25 AM   #10
Member
William Woods
PGCA Lifetime
Member

Member Info
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 303
Thanks: 3,044
Thanked 334 Times in 149 Posts

Default

My first gun, given to me by my maternal grandfather, was a 28 gauge hammer gun. I still have it. I bought a 16 gauge German hammer gun later, still have that one as well. I have used both and like both. My shooting skill is the same with both hammer guns and hammerless guns.......poor.
William Woods is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to William Woods For Your Post:
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:15 PM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © 1998 - 2025, Parkerguns.org
Copyright © 2004 Design par Megatekno
- 2008 style update 3.7 avec l'autorisation de son auteur par Stradfred.