Hunting with hammers

[Garth Gustafson]

Thanks Dean

[Harold Pickens]

I love to hunt with my 20 J. Manton hammer gun. I usually use hammer guns only when I am by myself--except for the dogs, carrying the gun as Dean suggests. I do close the action as soon as the dogs start getting birdy.

[C.O.B.]

I love shooting clay targets with a hammer gun but I wasn't comfortable using my 16ga lifter in the grouse coverts. I have used one while quail hunting and will take a 28ga with me in a couple of weeks.

[edgarspencer]

As a rule, Parker hammer guns have notoriously heavy hammer springs. I found it just about impossible to cock both hammers with my thumb as I was raising the gun. Like Dean, and because I hunt alone, I walked with both hammers cocked, and the gun opened. I would occasionally drop a shell out of the chamber, so I found that a single strip of Scotch tape, lengthwise on the shell, was all that was necessary to keep them in place.
One of the few times I ever limited on grouse, was with an 0 frame 16ga. lifter, which is now firmly in the grips of another member. I had a grade 2 top lever, 0 frame 16, which was also a joy to carry in the Maine woods. I had Walter Eiserer lighten the hammer springs, by hand filing, and polishing, and that was all that was necessary to be able to cock both hammers with my thumb.

[Big D]

To keep shells from falling out of the chamber, bite lightly on the brass, just enough to put it slightly out of round. Problem solved

[OH Osthaus]

its hard enough to get through my woodcock covers with the gun closed and held upright in front of me with one hand while i clear a path with the other, i have tried with an open empty gun after a shot- its somewhat lower than a pain in the neck

i doubt they carried scotch tape in those old canvas coats

but- seriously -safety first and if that works for you - great

i will admit my one 10 gauge has very stiff springs and gets cocked one at a time - but i am not carrying that 10 pounder into alder bottoms

i haven't seen any old pictures of the hunters in the field with their hammer guns open - none of old timers told me as a kid to have the gun open- i was instructed to keep my thumb off the hammer until i was ready to shoot just like the safety now days

[edgarspencer]

Originally Posted by Rick Losey

i doubt they carried scotch tape in those old canvas coats

I carry a stapler, and Rolodex too. Kinda like a lot of guys I see with three dog collar transmitters, whistles and Lord knows what else.
Or, I'd just put the tape on the shells before I even went out.
If I can't cock both hammers with my thumb while the gun is coming up, then the springs are to stout.

[Autumn Daze]

Or yur too old....

[edgarspencer]

OK Stosh, I take back every nice thing I ever said about you.

Oh wait, I never did that.

[Dean Romig]

I wanted to say that Dave but I didn't have the 'nads...
Besides, I still haven't got the check from him yet.





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