Hammergun tales

[Mymwood]

I'm thinking of buying a hammergun. Interested to hear from others who use a hammer gun and what they think of them.

Particularly interested to hear how you get on rough shooting, pigeon shooting?

[39TDS]

Very much prefer a hammer gun and have had mine 30 odd years, its the ones without hammers I struggle with.

What do you mean "how do you get on"?

I expect it makes very little difference what you use once you are familiar with the gun, it all becomes second nature, probably why I struggle with non hammer guns.

[Mymwood]

Very much prefer a hammer gun and have had mine 30 odd years, its the ones without hammers I struggle with.

What do you mean "how do you get on"?

I expect it makes very little difference what you use once you are familiar with the gun, it all becomes second nature, probably why I struggle with non hammer guns.

 

I think what I mean is the speed of getting onto the quarry when rough shooting or pigeon shooting. Is it a question of practice?

[Zapp]

It is not really any different to using a non hammer s/s. You soon get the hang of cocking the hammers as the quarry comes in.

[mudpatten]

That`s an odd question but I think that you will be pleasantly surprised to find that the handling qualities of all but the cheapest old hammer guns is in a class of their own.

 

In the heyday of the hammer gun the gun trade really understood all the subtle nuances of gun handling in a way that modern mass produced gun manufacturers seem to have forgotten, if indeed they ever knew.

 

The only downside to older hammer guns is that the stocks are frequently very short and there are issues with proof, sometimes that is only black powder, and chamber length. Many are only 2 1/2 ".

 

Damascus barrels are also something you might want to research. Good quality Damascus is very strong and durable but there were a number of inferior products that you might want to learn to recognise if you come across a gun not bearing a makers name.

[Beardo]

i absolutely adore mine - it's a joy to shoot with. i'm not sure i'd take it on a big pheasant day as it is slower to reload, but it's great on our syndicate and it's my gun of choice for rough shooting.

[bedwards1966]

I've an old single barrel .410 in hammer gun format. I can't say I use it hugely, but somehow I'm quite happy with the hammer action, even to the point where I like the idea of getting another - I certainly don't mind it.

Perhaps not as quick to reload, though with practice it could be done fairly quickly, plus if so desired it's pretty safe to carry the gun closed but not c****d, unlike non-hammer guns.

[trapperdan]

i absolutely adore mine - it's a joy to shoot with. i'm not sure i'd take it on a big pheasant day as it is slower to reload, but it's great on our syndicate and it's my gun of choice for rough shooting.

 

 

 

 

 

nice photo

[Blunderbust]

As Nick has said, I love shooting mine on the small syndicate type shoots but would not take it on a big day as it takes a while to reaload, being a non ejecter and under leaver.

 

 

I do get a lot of pleasure using a 134 year old gun though and try to use it as much as I can.

Edited May 24, 2012 by Blunderbust

[Hector Vector]

Hammer guns are fine, just need to remember to cock them and be very careful when letting the hammers down. Mine feels very different in terms of balance and handling to all my other guns, but then it does come from another era. It's a nice thing to use and in practice is very little slower to load than a hammerless. It's also a good looking thing.

[dougall]

Hammer guns are great so long as you never rush.Of course all double barrelled shotguns are hammer guns it is just these are on the outside,which to my eye is pleasing.A joy to shoot,lovely sight picture but by definition need to be even more safety conscious when de-cocking/unloading.Most will be from 1870-1900 ish,can pick up v.tidy guns for less than 'hammerless' equivalent.Most important bit with olg guns is Barrels then tight on face then tight but smooth as butter cocking hammers...of all these barrels are most important as basically the expensive bit!Be carefu with proof checking etc,guns then were typically proofed for less loads than modern cartridges,my 20g hammer gun for example is proofed for 7/8ths oz.I think old s/s are great for rough/hide shooting.

ATB

[wildfowler.250]

Do you not cock then before you start walking? Zapp said you cock the gun when you see a bird?

 

I might get an 8 bore hammer gun someday but in reality I will still try and find a hammer-less out of preference.

[Zapp]

You can cock the hammers before you walk around, it is a matter of choice. I use the uncocked hammers as a safety measure, it is easy enough to keep your thumb across both hammers ready to cock them, which becomes second nature after a while. If I were in a hide I would leave them cocked.

 

I agree with what has been said about big driven days though, I would leave the hammergun at home in favour of a boxlock for that.

[wildfowler.250]

You can cock the hammers before you walk around, it is a matter of choice. I use the uncocked hammers as a safety measure, it is easy enough to keep your thumb across both hammers ready to cock them, which becomes second nature after a while. If I were in a hide I would leave them cocked.

 

I agree with what has been said about big driven days though, I would leave the hammergun at home in favour of a boxlock for that.

 

Thanks!

[Zapp]

No worries.

[Blackpowder]

I'M with Zapp , at the end of the day it is a matter of practice. Like earlier posters I love hammerguns, especially my plain old Army and Navy hammergun which has been mine since around 1959. Good practice is when walking up have the gun over your shoulder trigger guard uppermost. With the thumbs hooked around the hammers bring the barrels to vertical and cock both at once, uncocking again hold the barrels vertical this gives the thumbs a better grip on the hammers and I usually uncock one barrel at a time. In a hide for pigeon or fowl while on my own the hammers are always cocked. I find that a top lever hammer gun is quicker to handle than a hammerless non ejector, being for one thing a self opener. Does anyone have any knowledge of what the drill was when shooting with a pair or trio of hammerguns, I have a fealing that the loader(s) handed the gun the the Gun already cocked.

 

Blackpowder

[Mymwood]

Many thanks for the feedback. Some beautiful pictures as well. I've now been up to Cotswood Gun Room to see a few and fired a few at the local range including a Norman of Framlingham, a Purdey and a Boss. All handled superbly and I learned what is meant by 'balance' such as is found with a good quality english gun. It was also a pleasure to experience the smooth trigger action.

The real-life experiences described are reassuring and go a long way to dispel the seemingly unwarranted reputation that hammerguns have in terms of safety. In truth it seems they could be argued as being safer as a hammerless is cocked and ready to fire once closed and if dropped the firing pin can be released, in the case of a hammer gun it seems that if closed and at half-cock it cannot fire and also at full cock is unlikely to go off if dropped as it requires the trigger to actually be pulled before the hammer releases?

Do correct me if I am wrong.

[Wharf Rat]

I used a REmington 812 hammergun for a long time. With a beacer tail forend, large triggerguaed and hammer cocoking, it was very useful in foul weather when wearing gloves. It was much easier to grip the hammer and cock it than to release the safety catch on a hammerless if wet, wearing gloves or your hands were a bit numb at the fingers.

 

The safety issue differs from gun to gun. Some early coil spring hammerless could discharge when dropped, modern coil spring actions much less likely to do so. I have been told that the worry is that if dropped, the hammers on a hammergun may fall on their spurs and this could force them to close, or the absence of any hammer block may cause them to close if the gun is heavily jarred.

 

I would rather share a day with a well handled hammer gun than a badly handled hammerless; whatever the design!

[bedwards1966]

Many thanks for the feedback. Some beautiful pictures as well. I've now been up to Cotswood Gun Room to see a few and fired a few at the local range including a Norman of Framlingham, a Purdey and a Boss. All handled superbly and I learned what is meant by 'balance' such as is found with a good quality english gun. It was also a pleasure to experience the smooth trigger action.

The real-life experiences described are reassuring and go a long way to dispel the seemingly unwarranted reputation that hammerguns have in terms of safety. In truth it seems they could be argued as being safer as a hammerless is cocked and ready to fire once closed and if dropped the firing pin can be released, in the case of a hammer gun it seems that if closed and at half-cock it cannot fire and also at full cock is unlikely to go off if dropped as it requires the trigger to actually be pulled before the hammer releases?

Do correct me if I am wrong.

 

I would say that they are safer to carry round unbroken without the hammers cocked, as doing that without external hammers is indeed asking for a trouble, but to carry them round closed and cocked is not safe, yes they do usually (if not all) require the trigger to be pulled for the firing pin to be pushed forward, but I don't think it safe to carry it round cocked and closed.

[Zapp]

Half and Full Cock are more of a muzzle loader thing, none of my hammerguns has a Half Cock.

 

The hammers are simply left forward with the gun closed. Because they arent in contact with the firing pins in this position the gun can be opened and closed as normal.

 

In theory were there to be a blow to the back of an uncocked hammer, it could go off, but I cant see many feasible accidental ways this could happen with sufficient force to fire the primer.

 

A lot of the superstitions about hammerguns relates to the fact that many have 2 1/2 inch chambers and so can only use 65mm and 67mm cartridges, and that many have damascus barrels. There is much guff talked about these having a habit of blowing up with nitro loads, but provided the gun is nitro proofed and shot with sensible game loads they are as safe as any other gun.

[compo90]

i have a singled barreled 12g Boito hammer gun.....it has a 3inch chamber and is relatively new.....(about 20 years old i think)

 

I like it, you can pop a cartridge in and its safe until the hammers pulled back.....that is the safety....

 

it handles and shoots like any other single barreled shotgun i have ever used. Its also light and quick to point.....I dont see any significant difference in its use besides the hammer to cock it. simple things dont break as easy so a hammer gun should last a long time as a lot less mechanics to go awry

[yankeedoodlepigeon]

My hammer you can only cock one side while open so when you are rough shooting if something gets up you have to close and cock the other. Takes time and I have missed a few fumbling around so I use my o/u for that now. Plus for a good game day you don't want to be pulling hammers back instead of shooting. It is and always will be my best gun though, extra full chokes on both barrels takes a good shot.

[Blackpowder]

A lot of the superstitions about hammerguns relates to the fact that many have 2 1/2 inch chambers and so can only use 65mm and 67mm cartridges, and that many have damascus barrels. There is much guff talked about these having a habit of blowing up with nitro loads, but provided the gun is nitro proofed and shot with sensible game loads they are as safe as any other gun.

I also cannot understand the prejudice against 2 1/2 inch cartridges when you think of the huge numbers of game killed with them in the eras of grand batteaus.

 

Blackpowder

[RED BEARD]

i keep looking out for a nice 12g hammer gun,but i do like my little folding .410 but its a modern type hammer gun.

[bedwards1966]

I also cannot understand the prejudice against 2 1/2 inch cartridges when you think of the huge numbers of game killed with them in the eras of grand batteaus.

 

Blackpowder

 

It's probably just because people either don't understand it, or mainly because most cartridges seem to be 70mm.

I know in my (small) local shop cartridge choice is very limited when I'm after 65mm cases for my old gun, they work just as well but are harder to get. It also means that those with semi's that need 70mm cases have to keep a larger stock of cartridges and avoid mixing them up.

Nothing wrong with them, just sometimes inconvenient.