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#438920 03/16/16 11:03 AM
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I'm sure that there's a reference to this somewhere but I've haven't been able to find it. I've used hammerless guns all my life but love the looks of the old hammer guns. I'm curious though as to how one uses them while hunting. Are they generally carried at half cock and then fully cocked just prior to or during a flush? It seems like this could cost one many shots when game is jumped or flushes unexpectedly. If this is the case, how is it done? Are both hammers cocked with eh thumb as the gun is raised to the shoulder?

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It depends on the species of game hunted. Duck hunting is a non-issue. There is usually time to cock both barrels while the birds are coming into range.

Upland game is a different issue. I have hunted many years with hammer guns, and have come on the system of cocking one barrel on the flush and then hold the second barrel in reserve for a second flush. Over the years of hunting grouse and woodcock, I can probably count on my fingers of situations where I would get two GOOD shots at one bird. More times than I care to admit, I have whiffed with two fleeting shots on one bird only to have a second bird flush moments later, only to be standing there with an empty gun. I have taken many birds with the reserved barrel strategy.

However, having said that, if you hunt in areas where multiple birds can flush at once (pheasants, quail, etc.) A hammer gun will limit your rate of fire.

This is for cartridge guns that generally have low hammers, and are difficult to cock with your thumb at the same time. Alternatively, percussion guns and other guns with high hammer spurs such as pinfires, can with practice, be cocked at the same time.



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I've used my hammer gun for upland shooting and if shooting over a dog there is enough time to cock the hammers, flush and shoot. I have also cocked the hammers and opened the gun and load it and carry it at my side with my hand over the breech so the shells don't fall out.
The ones I shoot with do not have a half cock.


David


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Most rebounding hammer guns do not have a half cock position. With a non-rebounding hammer you can set the hammer at half cock and easily bring it into battery upon the flush. Not so easy with the full cocking motion required on a rebounding hammer gun.

I've never had much luck walking around the woods with a fully cocked gun broken open. It scares me too much when considering a fall, and I leave a trail of unfired shells through the woods like Hansel and Gretel's breadcrumbs.

My solution is to just cock the right hammer on the shot and leave the 2nd barrel in reserve. As someone already noted, it's not a problem with ducks or doves as there is time to cock both hammers before the shot has to be taken....Geo

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I agree with George . I carry the gun with cartridges in the barrels and hammers not cocked. Usually on a strap if its thick. and It usually is where I mostly hunt. A fall with a loaded and cocked gun is a way to shoot your dog or someone else. Open and loaded breeches are an option but bring a lot of ammo as you will be leaving a trail like Goldilocks. If you have time to close the breech you have time to cock a hammer especially over a dog.


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I'm mostly a quail hunter puffing behind AmarilloMike's supurb turd hounds. When a dog goes on point I bring them both back to full cock before walking in for the flush. I know the gun is ready to go and act accordingly, as we should all do anytime! Remember, all guns have hammers, it's just that with them exposed it is a eye catching reminder just how dangerous any gun is. Remember--the only "safe" direction for any gun to be pointed is up at the sky!!!!

I am amazed and frightened how many times I've seen hunters walking around with their safeties off, thinking them perfectly safe and slinging the barrels in any direction. Most often they are using guns without automatic safeties.

Reading a lot of old literature I believe that many of the old timers also pulled them back when anticipating action, not during.


When an old man dies a library burns to the ground. (Old African proverb)
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I've owned three hammer guns, two of which are still in my vault. One of them (a Bernardelli Italia 12 gauge) had a combination of sufficiently light springs and some particular angle to the hammer spurs that allowed both hammers to be cocked simultaneously as the gun was raised. I shot skeet doubles, low gun, with hammers cocked after I called for the bird and never had an issue.

The other two, a Charles Moore 12 gauge and a Ferlach made (I've blanked on the maker's name, but it's a nice 1920s gun) 16 gauge have heavier springs or sufficiently different angles on the hammer spurs that I cannot cock them both simultaneously as I mount the gun. I usually cock one hammer, fire the gun and then dismount the gun and cock the other hammer if I'm firing a follow-up shot. I make very, very few follow-up shots, as you might imagine.

With a smaller gun (say a 20 or a 28 gauge), you might have better luck as the space between the hammers is less, allowing better leverage with the right thumb.

Rem

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"IF" you carry a hammer gun loaded, open & cocked make absolutely certain of two things. 1 that the barrels have a positive stop. some hammer guns did not & were checked from opening further by the forend iron butting against the bottom of the frame. This applies an undue stress on the forend lug & consequently the bottom rib Don't whatever you do EVER EVER Fall. This could prove disastrous to you, your dog, fellow hunter as well as your gun. My personal advise is "Don't" carry it open.


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Hammerless guns are cocked on opening (the vast majority of them). So you are carrying around a COCKED gun when using a hammerless or repeater.

The safety blocks the trigger NOT THE HAMMER. So a gun on "safe" is not safe in an accidental hammer fall. The hammer can fall with the safety on.

Consequently this preoccupation with cocking the hammer gun is a little misplaced unless you do the same with a hammerless, ie, carry it open and close it on mounting the gun.

It is perfectly safe to cock the hammers when in an active hunting phase, ie behind a dog on point or at the stand when pass shooting. All other situations call for an open gun, regardless of hammer location.

The notion that walking few steps with a cocked hammer gun is somehow more dangerous than with a cocked hammerless on "safe" is weird. At least a rebounding hammer gun has a safety notch to catch the hammer in an accidental hammer fall, while your Anson Deeley SXS, OU, pump and auto do NOT.

Dismantling a few guns and seeing how they work is an eye opening experience.

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Well said, Shotgunlover!


When an old man dies a library burns to the ground. (Old African proverb)
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