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.

[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!

[Stepmac]

So, after reading many posts here I have decided to buy a Hammer gun that I found on Guns International site. I emailed the sellor and he has not replied to me yet, but i think the sale will to thru. Now for a description of the gun. It is a W.C. Scott 12 F & F made in 1885 according to the site. "C" shaped hammers, Damascus barrels, very pretty wood. So we'll see. Why did I buy a hammer gun? Someone here mentioned that hammer guns can be carried, open with the hammers cocked and that sounds good to me. Sounds safe and unlikely to try to shoot while on safe, which we all have done and hate. Cost? $1500 plus shipping. Not too bad. Also the C shaped hammers look like when cocked they will be out of the way and out of my vision, something else I like. I have owned hammer guns before, but you know what? I cannot recall ever shooting one. When I was in the hospital last year I sold most of my shotguns, thinking it was curtains. I let some of my favorites go. I'm rebuilding my collection. It's fun.

[Stepmac]

Neat Hammer Guns Researcher! I'm looking forward to my new W.C. Scott hammer gun. For years I shot an original 1861 Musket. I still own it. I shot percussion revolvers for years too. One an original '51 Navy. A very nice shooter, an early early number pistol. But my favorite BP pistol is a Ruger Old Army. Now those, while modern, are wonderful shooters.

Modern shooters? A few. A nice Winny Model 70 in 270. With that rifle, I need no other. I shoot it with open sights. A Savage 99 in 300 Savage. Hard to find ammo for it. An old Winny '73 in 32/20. Made in 1883. Neat rifle and like new. I guess it does not qualify for a "new rifle". A Mannlicher Schaneaur (no one can spell that word) in 30'06. I load that little rifle like a cannon and take cover when I touch it off.

[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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