Any Hammer-gun Hunters?

M

Mike Trudel

Well-known member
I have a real "hankerin" to shoot a hammer-gun. Probably a 10 bore. Never having played with or even seen one of these guns shot, I was wondering what position are the hammers left in prior to shooting? Do you cock them and leave the action open? Or are they left in the half cocked position? Is it difficult to snap shoot? And what exactly is a "rebounding hammer"?

I know Bill Wassan enjoys shooting this type of gun, but was wondering if anyone else had experience with them?

Thanks for any info.
 
Who knew that the ascension to true duck “hunter” could precede the attainment of such knowledge.

Good luck in your search… I can’t help, but if you need to know how to field strip a benelli, I can help.

Tod

 
Mike it has been years since I shot a hammered shot gun but every year with a muzzle loader same principal. Gun should be at haft cock. Thats your safety. Never leave the hammer down or at full cock.

With out any shells in the gun. When you bring up the gun to fire, Your thumb pulls back the hammer to cock position. Then your finger goes to the trigger. This you should practice until it becomes automatic.

The only problem I have encountered was with a H&R single shot shot gun. The shape of the hammer was rounded back and your thumb could slip off the hammer. That could be dangerous gun going off before you are ready. This is why to practice before hand with and with out gloves. I hope this answers you questions.
 
Sorry the only two guns I can actually field strip are a Benelli and an M16. The M16 is the only one I can do in the dark though.

I guess the timing of you bringing up an Ascension is good though, seeing that this is the time period when we celebrate such.
 
Mike,as you know I have recently bought a 1970s vintage Hammer gun.So far I've only shot 10 rounds out of it mainly to determine if it might double.The front trigger pull was heavy and the back very light.It didn't double,so I had a smith adjust the triggers to get them closer to even.Now your questions,and a few here shoot precussion guns.They have a half cock position,mainly to place the cap on the nipple,then when you are ready to fire you fully cock the hammers,and fire.A breech loader does not have a half cock position,and the hammers are in a rebounded position.They can't go forward unless the trigger is pulled.Some guns function exactly like a hammerless breechloader,in that the hammers are cocked when you open the gun,(self cocking).These guns have a slide safety,whereas a safety is not necessary on guns that you cock the hammers,some are so equiped.Carrying a hammer gun loaded with the hammers down is safer than a hammerless gun ,in that the hammers are not cocked.If your thumb should slip during the cocking process the gun will not fire unless the trigger is pulled back.Hope this helps.Hi-grade hammer guns are still made>Many live pigeon shooters prefer them because they know they have a cocked hammer.No alibies in pigeon shooting.
 
take a look at the position of the hammers on the gun that Joe posted today.....notice how they are OFF the firing pins?

Non-rebounding hammers when fired sit on the firing pins which leaves them in the "fired" position....i.e. extended forward into the primer.....with this type of hammer its necessary to move the hammers back to half cock so that the springs on the firing pins relax so that the pins withdraw BEFORE you can open the gun for reloading.....if you doj't then you damage the firing pins....

REBOUNDING HAMMERS do that for you...the hammers will be down after firing but will have "bounced back" sufficiently so that the pressure is off of the pins so that you don't have to move the hammers to half cock to reload.....

Hunters that I know that use safetyless hammer guns hunt with the hammers back and the actions unlocked......thats your safety...like manual safeties some people close the action and then mount the gun....others close the action as they mount the guns....to me, thats MUCH safer than the actual manual cocking of hammers, with live loads waiting for the "accident" that will eventually happen when the hammers slip on a cold wet thumb, (and especially given that you'll try to cock them both at the same time), with enough force to ignite the load......

Its not necessary to have the action "wide open"....just cracked works and is way safer than fumbling with triggers being cocked.....do that when the gun is open and a mistake is nothing but a simple mistake.....



Steve
 
Mike,carrying a hammer gun,cocked is OK dependant on where,what,when and who you are hunting/with.The hammers do not strike the firing pins unless the trigger is pulled,just like a Ruger Single action,so your thumb slipping off the hammer spur while mounting will not fire the gun unless your trigger is on the trigger.Your choice depending on the circumstances,and the design/shape of the hammers,as well as the effort to cock them.Practice,practice,practice.I'll carry closed,hammers down.It will slow me down slightly to allow the bird to get out a bit before I shoot,and will cock one hammer at a time.
 
Mike,

I hunt with a .410-10 ga single shots with hammers and I hunt with a few guys who shoot Winchester 1897's, Rossi SxS's with hammers, and Bernardelli SxS's with hammers. I have hunted pheasants, quail, rabbits, and waterfowl with these guys and no one ever cocks a gun in the field till it is time to shoot. The only time I have seen any one of them cock a gun before the shot was right before the called pull at the sporting clays range. I know of a 12 ga Bernardelli SXS double hammer gun for sale if anyone is looking for a sweet little SXS. I can put you in touch with the owner.

Mike
 
Mike,

I hunt with a hammer 410 double for rabbits over beagles. I carry it closed with the hammers down. I will cock the right as I raise the gun and then the left as needed after firing the right. Easy enough on a 410 that your hand can reach across. On my 12ga perc. gun I will normally cock both as I shoulder the gun, I carry the perc. on half cock.

It's really much easier than it sounds.

Gene
 
Regarding hammer guns, I had a Purdey 12 bore hammer that I used frequently for several years. I got it about 20 years ago when one could pick up English hammer guns for next to nothing. It was a nice bar in wood gun and I paid $900 for it. (those days are history!) I only used the gun for upland game, especially snipe. However, I had problems with safety. When a bird would flush I would take my right thumb and cock both hammers in a single motion. I could do this as quickly as pushing a safety forward. The problem was when I only shot one barrel, the second hammer was still cocked. Over about ten years I had four times that instead of looking down to make certain I had a firm grip on the hammer that needed to be uncocked, I didn't and the gun went off. This happened once during a dove shoot in North Carolina, twice while snipe hunting, and the last time while valley quail hunting in Oregon. But that last time, was in fact the last for me. I shot over the back of my Lab. The charge was well over her back, but made my knees weak for awhile. I sold the gun soon after. (for about twice what I had paid for it, but today that same gun would bring $4500 or more)
All of this is to say that a person needs to be extra careful with a hammer gun. I had problems and decided I wasn't the type to use one. But I know of many hunters who have used them for years with no problems. In fact, I am bring some hammer guns over from England to offer on my site. If there is interest, I will stock more. Worth Mathewson
 
Well Mike,

I was raised in a little town in Northeastern North Carolina where most folks were poor as dirt so I saw right many hammer guns being used. You can't really call my Savage model 94-c single shot a hammer gun even though it had one that had to be manually cocked before you could shoot. My cousin bubba was given a double barrell to use by his Dad. Bobba's gun was either a Savage or Remington (I don't recall which) Bubba had several accidental discharges with the gun until an older guy taught him to use the half cock. Though I certainly advise against it Bubba used modern shells in that gun even though he new acording to the ammo boxes that he shouldn't. He shot that old gun well and killed countless deer and a ton of small game with it. Use the half cock and maybe you won't have any accidental discharges.

Thanks for triggering that memory for me.

Best,

Harry
 
Harry,most breech loading cartridge guns do not have a "half cock" position.There is no need for them.The gun is safe with the hammers down,at rest.If there is a safety,then you could cock the hammers and with the safety on it would be the same as carrying a hammerless gun.Some hammerguns are self cocking,with safeties.
 
Joe, a rebounding hammer is a fairly new invention in the lifeline of guns. My 1950's model 94 has a half cock notch, the old Model 97 that I shot my first buck with had a half cock notch, my muzzle loaders have a half cock notch and a big old dbl hammer wall hanger that I have has half cock notches. None of these are rebounding hammers and if you let the hammer all the way down on a loaded chamber, a hard bump will set the shell off.Hammer guns are not more inherintly dangerous than any other fire arm since all firearms have a notch that keeps a hammer or spring loaded firing pin from hitting the primer. Learn what the gun is for sure and act accordingly.
 
Lee,I am reffering to double shotguns,and previously acknowledged that precusion guns have a half cock position.The hammer gun with rebounding hammers is inherantly safer in many ways,than a hammerless gun with the safety on.The operator must be the safety factor regardless of the equipment.If I had a hammer gun without rebounding hammers,I would expect it to have a half cock position,so that they wern't pressing on the firing pins.Adjust to what is safe for the equipment being used.
 
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Since Mr. Wasson shoots both muzzleloaders and the later shotguns are you thinking of a cartridge hammer gun or a muzzleloader? I will assume you are talking about a cartridge double with hammers becasue you also asked about rebounding hammers.

You also mentioned the gun you wanted being a 10 ga. There are always a few 10's on teh auction sights, but few in good shape it seems. Plus most all of them I see are damascus, which is fine if you want to load ammo for them using Pyrodex or B.P.

As I'm sure Worth would agree, finding a fluid or Armory steel barreled 10 ga. hammer gun is not only difficukt but expensive today. I suggest that you let Worth see what he can come up with from his sources in England

My advice would be to look for a 12 ga. as good shootable 10's (other than damascus) are very hard to find and they would be chambered for the 2-7/8" shells which are damn hard to find.

If you were looking for a muzzleloading double I would suggest getting a 10 ga. if you plan to mostly hunt waterfowl with it. Otherwise a 12 would be fine. I find no problem shooting ducks, geese and turkeys with my 12 bore muzzle-stuffer when the birds are in range.

As for HOW TO carry a hammer double while hunting, I carry my percussuon guns on half-cock with muzzle pointed either up or down at the ground. If I see that I have to cross a ditch or a fence, I stop and remove the percussion cap adn put a new one on when I proceed.

With my hammer double cartridge shotguns, I DON'T own any that do not have rebounding hammers and if I am hunting around others that are closer than 100 yards from me, I carry the gun with the action open (the same as I do with my modern doubles and O/U's). If I'm far enough away from others I will carry the hammer gun closed, BUT NEVER COCKED. There is plenty of time to cock my gun when a bird gets up that I feel is close enough for me to shoot. I NEVER cock both barrels at once for ANY REASON. If I miss teh first shot there is STILL plenty of time to cock the second hammer and get off the second barrel.

I have always had strong feelings about gun safety (you can ask anyone I've hunted with) and I will be the first one to let you know if you are not handling your gun in a safe manner, call me an old prude, but that's just the way I am.

Mike, you might want to explain a little more of just what type of gun you have in mind and I'm sure some of the guys around here will be happy to keep an eye out for that type of hammer double for you.

Dave
 
Dave, I am talking about a cartridge gun, not a muzzle loader. I like big bores. I would like to someday own a 10ga, an 8ga, and even a 4ga. I just bought a Union Amera Grulla 12 ga magnum (no Hammers), for my everyday gun. I would like a hammer 10 bore for my "shore gun". I hunt from points or islands about 6-10 times per year, as usually I boat hunt.

I prefer damascus barrels. I see why they were so hard to give up for fluid steel. Testing has been done, showing that damascus can be used with nitro powders. Shells to long for their chambers were fired even with items clogging barrels and the damascus stood up to the testing. It took 28,000 psi before any damage was done to the damascus gun. Utilizing slower, loaded down ammo, I should be fine. The results of this type of testing appeared in 3 issues of Shotgun Journal. I did not read the article, but I know the gentleman who did the testing.
 
MikeI found this one for under 1k on a site.No 8 ga were found.There is a Very nice Famars built 70s for 4.5k,also 12ga

Joe O
 
Mike, I just have to chime in on this one. With 40+ years of shooting/ hunting and starting with a Stevens 94 I have a couple thoughts. Also I teach firearms safety and the event that triggered me to do that was watching a young man walk through a Cabela's store with his new single shot shotgun at full cock. Shiver me timbers!! Never cock any gun until you are ready to pull the trigger. (that would be PERIOD!!) Also the number one rule is muzzle control. (again-PERIOD!!!) You can get by with all sorts of failures and stupidity if the barrel is pointed in a safe direction. There is a lot of discusion about the most important gun safety rule but I stand by mine, not to discount any others.
 
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