Shooting hammer guns

[Lloyd McKissick]

Thankyou Mr. Romig.

Seth: I discoursed on this subject earlier here. I mainly carry my hammers cocked and locked. There are modifiers to all that and I discussed them back on page 5 here.

[Seth Mackay-Smith]

Lloyd: thanks, yes, I had read that but per my question I was more looking for discussion on the reasoning behind hunting with a hammer gun broken if you hunt with a hammerless gun closed.

What I read from you was more a discussion of hunting grouse with a hammer gun cocked and closed, correct?

[Dean Romig]

Carrying a hammer gun cocked and open is safer than carrying a hammerless gun closed with the safety “on”(?).





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[Lloyd McKissick]

The better English sidelocks (& their clones) might be the safest (with their intercepting safeties) but Mr. Romig is correct, if the hammer cannot reach the shell, it can't go off.

If you can safely bridge the hammers and cock them upon mounting the gun then that would be the superior way to do it but...most cannot do it safely or effectively. All I can muster is one hammer quickly, which is usually sufficient (if I'm hunting with a partner or partners w/dogs). Safety is paramount here and no bird is worth an accident.

[Seth Mackay-Smith]

I can see I haven't been clear; sorry. (Or maybe the question flew by as people read it lol)

My question arose because I saw several responses explicitly saying that they hunt with hammer guns cocked and open, while I just haven't run across much of anyone noting that they hunt with their hammerless guns open - which amounts to the same thing as having a hammer gun cocked and open.

What I specifically asked was for a response from people who hunt with their hammerless guns closed, but their hammer guns open. Haven't seen any replies addressing my question in the short time since I've asked, but maybe no one falls into that category.

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Seth Mackay-Smith

I can see I haven't been clear; sorry. (Or maybe the question flew by as people read it lol)

My question arose because I saw several responses explicitly saying that they hunt with hammer guns cocked and open, while I just haven't run across much of anyone noting that they hunt with their hammerless guns open - which amounts to the same thing as having a hammer gun cocked and open.

What I specifically asked was for a response from people who hunt with their hammerless guns closed, but their hammer guns open. Haven't seen any replies addressing my question in the short time since I've asked, but maybe no one falls into that category.

Seth, I hunt with hammer guns and hammerless guns closed. Hammer guns get cocked over points when ready to flush. I always tell any companions the status of my hammers, especially careful to let them know when I uncock them (and encourage them to ask me if I forget to say something). Hammerless guns are carried with the safety on until I mount the gun for a shot. It’s a natural movement to slide off the safety as the gun comes up.

I don’t generally use hammer guns for grouse, but I’m sure that if I did so in the tangles we hunt, I would forever be dropping shells and doing extra gyrations to maneuver a broken gun through brush.

[6pt-Sika]

Originally Posted by Seth Mackay-Smith

I'm interested that pretty much everyone carries their hammer guns open and cocked because, of course, a hammerless gun is cocked when opened and will still be cocked when closed.

General question: do you also carry your hammerless guns open? I'm not making a case for changing your habits, but more interested in the reasoning if you carry your hammerless gun closed during a hunt but carry your hammer guns open during a hunt.

I’ve had a couple hammerless no safety guns and I’ve used them at tower shoots . Standing at the peg typically I have the muzzles resting on the toe of my boot with the gun cracked open . And typically if the gun has a safety I wait with the gun closed not on my boot toe and the safety on .

[Bill Murphy]

OK, here it is. Some of us hunt with hammer guns cocked because they are slow to cock on the rise. They are open because hammer guns do not have a safety. Kind of end of the story. However, a hammer gun (closed) is pretty fast to get into action on the rise if the shooter cocks the left hammer on the flush and cocks the right hammer once the gun is at the shoulder. This is the system I choose to use.

[Seth Mackay-Smith]

Nice range of responses here. Thanks, gents. Appreciate the insights.

As far as Parkers go, I only own one hammer gun but I will never own a gun that I'm unwilling to take in the field, so it's useful to understand why these are discussed differently. Also useful to have different methods ready if they're required for different quarry, as discussed here re grouse.

[Phil C]

I now hunt with all of my double shotguns SXS and OU’s open. I did not always do this but it’s a habit I have gotten into. Most of my hunting partners also hunt this way.
The main reason is almost all of my hunting is done over dogs and generally when one of our dogs goes on point we will work our way to them as quickly as we can.
Many of the points, are over a hundred yards out and require moving swiftly to the dogs. In the difficult terrane we hunt, this results in a higher chance for a slip or fall.
When we get to a point where the birds will flush we close our guns.
We also train the way we hunt.
There is a lot going on when you are training young dogs or tuning up old ones.
I really can’t think of a time off hand where I missed an opportunity for a shot due to struggling to get my gun closed unless it’s after firing both barrels and a late flush comes up while I am struggling to reload.
When closing our guns and it may seem so obvious, make sure the barrels are pointed in a safe direction and barrels are then pointed up when approaching the dogs.
I always go over this with guys I take out that are not familiar with bird hunting over dogs.
Many have been taught to keep your gun barrel pointed safely down. Unfortunately walking up on the dogs on point with the barrels down especially with other hunters results in a person raising the barrel through the dog's position on the flush. Increasing the chance for a dog to be shot should an accidental discharge happen.

Missed birds just add to the great memories of the hunt. An accident with a dog or a hunting partner is a scaring memory none of us want to experience.
Different types of hunts may require different safety measures but this is the way I do it.