Shooting hammer guns

[Stepmac]

Originally Posted by Harry Collins

when I lived in Italy 53 years ago, I purchased a hammered 20 gauge Bernadelli Brescia. I shot several flats of shells a week at skeet. I wanted to improve my field hunting. At every station that presented doubles I would cock the right barrel coming to my shoulder and drop the gun a bit to cock the left barrel for the second shot. I never broke 100, but I got pretty handy with the little gun. I took my first double ever on Pheasant in the mountains of Italy. It's one hell of a lot of fun. You can't go wrong.

I lived in London in 19fifty seven. I was 13. It was wonderful. I learned to ride the buses and the underground and the world of London was my oyster. Wonderful museums. Great movie theatres. Blitz damage all over the place. Funny money. Today the Blitz damage is fixed and the money is different and I'm 80! Different.

[Lloyd McKissick]

Shoot it in good health Sir.

[Stepmac]

Originally Posted by Lloyd McKissick

Shoot it in good health Sir.

I wish I could shoot/hunt with some of you guys. I am an experienced hunter/shooter. I was a drill sergeant for years and then a commander of drill sergeants. I hunted for a generation in western Kansas. I've been to Africa, but only shot a camera. It was interesting, however. South Africa was a mess. Not safe folks. Cape Buffalo scared my poor wife to death! It was close to her, we are talking five feet. Those critters STINK.

[Stepmac]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

I always carry my hammer guns cocked with the action open in the field.

Further, when shooting clays, i will always cock my hammers before closing the breech… Cocking hammers after closing the breech on live shells leaves open the possibility of the hammer slipping off your thumb and causing an unintentional discharge.





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Probably...or maybe the most dangerous shotgun is the '97 Winchester. The safety is the half cock position of the hammer. When placing the hammer on half cock or taking thumbing it back to full cock it is easy for the hammer to slip off one's thumb and set off the charge. I've hunted with a guy who shot a 97 and he shot it well. He was a Naval Aviator. His call sign was "Fingers". He is gone now. We miss him.

[Lloyd McKissick]

Killed my 1st duck with a '97. It had been my great-grandfathers.

[Dean Romig]

My first deer rifle, a Winchester 94 in .30-30 was the same wat regarding the hammer and half-cock.





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[davidboyles]

I own a 10 bore best quality hammer and just shot a limit of doves over waterhole using Gauge Mates with 12 ga Win AA 1185 fps 1 oz factory shells. Boy did I make some long shots and made the mistake of some too close. Hamburger doves!! Sure was fun and sporting had previously shot a nice Tom last spring at 65 yds using Salt Creek loaded short 10 Bismuth 5’s equally as much fun. Go Gettem 10 bores!!! Best to you cheers David

[davidboyles]

Forgot to mention it is a best quality Clabrough made in 1887 Damascus with Treble Lock and low hammers. One of 5 Best Quality Clabrough’s I own! Hunt with all of them low pressure loads. 3 -12’s one 16 one 10!

[edgarspencer]

Originally Posted by Steve McCarty

Probably...or maybe the most dangerous shotgun is the '97 Winchester. The safety is the half cock position of the hammer. When placing the hammer on half cock or taking thumbing it back to full cock it is easy for the hammer to slip off one's thumb and set off the charge.

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

My first deer rifle, a Winchester 94 in .30-30 was the same wat regarding the hammer and half-cock.
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Unless the safety sear slot has been broken off the hammer, it is not possible for the hammer to drop all the way UNLESS you are simultaneously pulling the trigger. The upper end of the trigger is the sear on both the '97, and the 1894 rifle. The hammer must be pulled, moving the sear away from the hammer safety slot. Give the boys at Winchester a little credit.

[Dean Romig]

The first big buck I ever shot at, a heavy 8-pt. Was with my 94. I was 14 and the buck ran out in the field in front of me and stopped broadside. I never even thought to cock the hammer but with what must have been super human strength I pulled it right through half-cock…. “CLICK!” And he took off running. My next four shots went all over the place and I never saw him again despite tracking him for the next hour when he went through a swamp.

I never thought it would have been possible but it happened.





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