Shooting hammer guns

[Stepmac]

Originally Posted by Dean H Hanson

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.

I ended up buying a W.C. Scott hammer gun made in 188five. Sent the money off, but have not received the gun yet. I hope everything turns out okay. I'm a bit nervous. But the gun looks, from the pictures, like a nice gun. C hammers, damascus barrels, of course. I have never shot a hammer gun, but I like thinking about how I will.

[john pulis]

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.

[Dean Romig]

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.






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[William Woods]

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.

[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]

Do you shoot single barrel shotguns like pumps and semi-autos?
If yes, how is your skill with those?





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[Stepmac]

I carry double guns open, and if I can, I slip off the safety. The open action is "safe" after all. When the birds flush I close the action and go to work. It always makes me a little nervous when I see a guy carrying a double gun closed. I wonder where his safety is. I carry a Winny Model 12 with the action open safety off. Birds come up I close the action and go to town. The old "suicide" safety on my ancient Auto 5 is a bit iffy. I put a shell in the chamber and set the safety "on". When I think the birds are about to fly I click the safety off, if they don't flush I click the safety back on, but it is always something that I have to remember to do and I don't really like it. I think that pumps with the safety off and the action open is the safest way to bird hunt, followed close by with a double with action open. Sometimes, and usually the safety sets itself when you open the action. Birds come up you close the action and have to click the safety off with most double guns, but not all.

[Stepmac]

When shooting an auto I am constantly flipping the safety on and off, because I carry the gun with a shell in the chamber safety on. That is why I don't like the suicide safety becaue it is not as positive as is the button in front of, or behind the trigger. As have most of us I have seen several guys shot while we are hunting. I have never seen anyone hurt, but I have heard a few choice words. I have known one gent who was killed when he jumped out of his pickup and grabbed his gun by it's barrel and pulled it out. The gun pointed at him and the trigger caught on something and the gun went off. The load hit him in the middle of his chest and he was gone. Very sad and he was a very experienced hunter. A farmer and cattleman. Folks, it can happen to anyone!