Hammer guns.

[Cranfield]

I know we have a good Member called Hammergun (haven't seen him around for a while, which is a pity), but are many people still shooting hammerguns regularly ? :unsure:

 

We had one chap in our Syndicate last season that occasionally brought one, but apart from that, I haven't seen one in the field for years.

Are they going the way of black powder, just a curiosity ?

[dunganick]

i know one guy who shoots a 16 bore hammer gun quite regually, and another who shoots a 12g side opening hammer gun with rust blueing.

 

see a few people brining them out on the shoots that i work on in the season

 

but they are a dieing breed :unsure:

[bobt]

until two years ago I shot with a berretta hammergun had it dated by Bill Harriman at 1941, I thought the Italians had other things on their minds in 41? :unsure:

 

I only stopped using it because on a driven day I had a flush of birds over me and coulnt reload fast enough, as it was a non ejector.

 

may take it out for an airing this week.

[plinker]

ive got 2 but i have had 1 of them deactivated to hang above my fireplace the damascus barrels were paper thin and the stock is cracked on the grip, it has a rotary underlever though and is still as tight as a new gun i believe it is circa 1870.

the other 1 is a basket case but savable hopefully i will be using it for a bit of fun in the not too distant future.my first gun i had when i was a boy was a midland hammer sidelock so i do have a bit of a soft spot for them that said give me my browning o/u for the serious stuff any day.

plinker

[M ROBSON]

You still see a few old hammerguns on the foreshore, admittedly they tend to be 10 bore and larger.

 

Mark.

[Gemini]

I have, and regularly use, two hammerguns. A Chas Osborne and a Thomas Osborne.

The C. Osborne is a lovely old back-action gun and the T Osborne is a beautiful sidelock.

[Country_est]

Was at a game fair early on this year and was looking at a Mcnab hammer gun.

 

Brand new still making them but the price was 7.5K POUNDS so it want much of a wilfowling pigeon gun. But as a matched pair if I win the lottery then posibley.

 

One of the guys I first shot with had inhertited his grandfarthers Pape Hammer gun. I really did like that one, and would like one just for special days ect ect.

 

PS whats everyones opion on the stock of a S/S.

 

I much prefer a straight stock on by s/s SLE, but have semi pistol grip on my O/U

 

trev

Edited August 10, 2005 by Country_est

[Snotty]

I love 'em, I've got about 6 :(

 

Here's Westley Richards sn: 3503 pinfire converted centre fire with nitro proof, still shoots.

 

 

Here's a William Rochester Pape 10 bore with more patents than you can shake a stick at B)

 

 

best regards

 

Snotty

[The Big Red Fox]

I know a few guys with hammers too but some shoots are not allowing hammer guns for fear of an accident..shame really

[wabbitbosher]

i know one guy who shoots a 16 bore hammer gun quite regually, and another who shoots a 12g side opening hammer gun with rust blueing.

 

see a few people brining them out on the shoots that i work on in the season

 

but they are a dieing breed

Dying breed !!!

 

What are you saying about me !

:( B)

 

I've three hammerguns my webley n scott "rust browning" The keepers gun true cyl and 3/4 light weight i use it all the time for pigeon shooting with 32g gamebore clear pigeon no6's "WHAT A TOOL"!!!!!!!!

 

and a Real nice side lock Davies n sons Damascus barrel PROPER Sweetheart!!!

zebra striped pattern (My fair weather gun)

 

And lastly my pollard BP hammergun that i'm doing a resto job on at the mo ,

I love em all

 

i only really use my O/U's for clay shooting (witch i dont do a lot of at the mo)

I'll stick some pics on

 

WB

[wabbitbosher]

The pollard side lock Damascus

[wabbitbosher]

My Davies n sons Damascus hammer

[wabbitbosher]

And my old faithful Webley

O yes they are All semi pistol grip I love em !!

[Snotty]

And my old faithful Webley

O yes they are All semi pistol grip I love em !!

How do you get on with shooting that pistol grip?

 

I've just bought one and it looks a bit odd :(

 

[Gemini]

I actually find them more comfortable to shoot, because it stops my second finger joint being bashed about by the recoil.

There are a couple of nice guns on here, and I am sure that anyone of you lads who have never had the pleasure of holding a piece of history in your hands, would love to own one of those lovely old girls. :(

G.M.

[wabbitbosher]

And my old faithful Webley

O yes they are All semi pistol grip I love em !!

How do you get on with shooting that pistol grip?

 

I've just bought one and it looks a bit odd

 

I had a 16 bore S/S Laurona Hammerless with a straight hand stock , it never seemed to sit right in my hand and i always found it hard to get to that second trigger

I brought the webley as a resto project over one winter (i've always had a passion for the oldies) it just happend that it was a pistol grip (it was a mess)

I got up one pigeon shooting morning (as you do ) and moved the part restored Hammergun out the cabinet to get to the "Blunderbus" and thought Sod it i'll give it a go pigeon shooting it was all striped of its browning and i'd freed all its moving parts and polished the bores

O MY GOD

you know a bad workman always blames his tools "Well" first shot was a crosser pigeon at about 75 feet up with its A### on fire in a flash i thought "back trigger"

THWACK it droped like a stone within seconds i heard one comming through the trees i saw it in a two foot gap in the branches the white wing bars just lit up THWACK down it came,, I had the biggest smile on my face i followed that over the next half hour or so with a further 10 shots brought down another 7 birds ( i tell a lie one was a rabbit one a squirrel) still 9/12 was flippin good for me i've not shot a O/U on the rough since

"MMMMMMMMMMMMMM" HAMMERGUNSSSSSSSSS

Now i'm on a quest for a 16 bore hammer with a pistol grip to restore

[Snotty]

Thanks WB

 

If there is the vaguest possibility this pistol grip will make me a crack shot then I'm all in favour. I'll try some clays and report back.

 

Here's an extreme damascene on a Chas Osborne pin fire I got for 35 quid. I couldn't get the crut off the barrels so I took it to a local grit blaster. When grit blasting didn't work he put on a sort of leather space suit and went behind some safety screens to try his heavy duty industrial sand blasting machine which sounded like a DC10 revving up

 

That worked

 

[BTMS]

WB<

 

What do you think of this 16 bore?

 

Brian

 

PS This is a drilling 16 bore sbs abd .410 under

[Snotty]

Goodness me, is that a back sight?

[wabbitbosher]

WB<

 

What do you think of this 16 bore?

 

Brian

 

PS This is a drilling 16 bore sbs abd .410 under

Very nice is it for sale?

[BTMS]

Snotty,

 

Yes a back sight originally a Boar gun ?.223(Guess) now a16 bore with adrilled out

.410 all legl.

 

WB

 

Yes it was going to be a project for me but my skills are not up to it, having said that the barrells are mint last fired 3 months ago also about 500 carts. The fore end 2 small nicks the stock v good.

 

Brian

[Big Vern]

Have got an old damascus barrelled underlever hammer gun. makers name is "JJ Langley" just wonderin` if any body knows anything about them? I know nothing about it myself but I love to shoot with it occasionally. Its marked "not for Ball" and has been nitro proofed. Any info would be much appreciated from this new guy...(me)!

[wabbitbosher]

Have got an old damascus barrelled underlever hammer gun. makers name is "JJ Langley" just wonderin` if any body knows anything about them? I know nothing about it myself but I love to shoot with it occasionally. Its marked "not for Ball" and has been nitro proofed. Any info would be much appreciated from this new guy...(me)!

J J Langley (1854-1951) established his business in 1880 at 51 Bute Street, London.

In 1903 he moved out of London to 31 Park Street, Luton, but by 1908 he was recorded in Church Street. In 1910 his address was recorded as Hows Yard, Church Street. This was probably a more precise address rather than a change of address. In 1912 he was recorded back at 31 Park Street (Square?).

 

In 1919 Aubrey Lewis was made a partner in the firm ( J Langley & Lewis).

 

In 1926 the firm was recorded at 6a Church Street as J Langley & Lewis.

 

In 1930 J J Langley retired, and the name of the business changed to Aubrey Lewis who traded from the Langley Gun Works at 6a Church Street.

 

It may be that the firm changed hands in 1939 but if this is true, who bought it is not known.

 

In 1950 the business moved to 19 Church Street (in 1954 the firm was described as a Gun and Cartridge maker, and in 1960 it traded as a gun and fishing tackle dealer).

 

The firm ceased tarding in 1969.

[wabbitbosher]

Makes your gun Pre 1919 then , then again i thought that by the underlever and damascus barrell

WB

[Big Vern]

Thanks WB. As you can see i am brand new to this sight but i will drop in from time to time if you dont mind putting up with me. I have had this gun for some time and i really love using it. You have made me very happy now i know a lot more about its history. Many thanks for taking the time and trouble to reply, it is realy appreciated.

 

BV.