Lifter 20 ga.

[Hammer Gun]

We need to make that happen, 20 gauge hammer guns are really rare, you are fortunate to own one! Gary

[Milton C Starr]

Originally Posted by Gary Carmichael Sr

We need to make that happen, 20 gauge hammer guns are really rare, you are fortunate to own one! Gary

While it wasnt a Parkers , I went into a class 3 dealers shop about a week ago .
He had a Bakers 20 gauge hammer gun with 30" barrels . I know next to nothing about Bakers or 20 gauges but he was asking 999$ . The gun locked up tight like a vault . He also had a Thomas Baker I think it was that was a 20 ga hammer gun with 30" barrels for the same price but was off the face . Both had damascus barrels . First time ive ever held a small gauge hammer gun felt really good in the hands though .

[Bill Murphy]

I assume the Baker was not an American gun.

[Milton C Starr]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

I assume the Baker was not an American gun.

From what I read they were made in NY .
I know some of the guys on another site like the Baker black beauty which was a 16 ga sxs they made . Wasnt Baker owned by LC Smith or was that a different Baker ? It was a neat 20 gauge felt very long on such a small frame with those 30" barrels . Not sure if it was worth 999$ im not a 20 gauge shooter . Ive only shot 3 different 20 gauges a Remington spartan 20 , a Benelli nova 20 and a Purdey 20 ga . If I wasnt saving for a Parker id might buy it .
All the 20 gauge hammer sxs ive seen for sale are alot more than that Baker .
At first I thought it was a 28 gauge but I dont think the 28 gauge was around that far back ? probably 1880s-1890s.

[C.O.B.]

Baker was an American company. A friend of mine has several hammerless guns of varying quality in grades. They were well made but not on the same level as Parker or Fox.
20ga hammer guns are indeed special. I have a Boss thumb break with 30 inch barrels thats fun to shoot. It's tightly choked and I'd like to find another one thats more open.

[Bill Murphy]

My statement was based on the fact that a 30" 20 gauge hammer gun is more likely to be an English Baker than an American one. We would like to see pictures of this smallbore.

[Milton C Starr]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

My statement was based on the fact that a 30" 20 gauge hammer gun is more likely to be an English Baker than an American one. We would like to see pictures of this smallbore.

I could might get some this weekend , its in a gunshop about 50 miles from here . They mostly sell modern guns but they have a little rack with pre 1899 guns and some ww1 surplus rifles . I never looked into 20 ga hammer guns before I just assumed that they were common .

Theyll probably sit in that store forever , most people around here prefer o/u's and if they did buy a sxs theyd probably get a Stoeger . We have alot of quail hunting down here but not by locals . Seems most people who live down here use their shotguns for waterfowling and the most popular gun for that at least in my area is the Benellis .


They had two of them 20 gauge hammer guns 30" barrels , but one was off the face but the Baker seemed rock solid . What chamber length was 20 gauge guns back then ?

[Milton C Starr]

Originally Posted by Rich Anderson

Baker was an American company. A friend of mine has several hammerless guns of varying quality in grades. They were well made but not on the same level as Parker or Fox.
20ga hammer guns are indeed special. I have a Boss thumb break with 30 inch barrels thats fun to shoot. It's tightly choked and I'd like to find another one thats more open.

These little 20 ga hammer guns were almost as long as the Italian Vetterli rifle they were sitting beside . The damascus pattern was still pretty visible on the barrels as well .

[Craig Budgeon]

Baker Gun and Forging Co. never offered a 20ga. gun. H.D. Folsom who bought out Baker in 1919 offered a 20ga. hammerless gun of inferior quality. I'm sure your Baker hammer gun is English. Geoffrey Boothroyd's book Shotguns and Gunsmiths may provide additional info.

[mobirdhunter]

There are at least 2 Baker gun makers in the UK -- F. P. Baker, and F. T. Baker. I have a nice F. P. Baker gun. I'm sure there are more since there is a Baker patent not associated with these two makers as I recall...but, hey, I'm old and don't always recall correctly.

In any event, a nice, well made English 20 hammer gun should take a bird or two.