doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Using a hammergun?

Lloyd
If ever there was a place for a hammer gun in grouse hunting, that's it. You are golden there.

We go from this


to this

BrentD: I wouldn't even consider it otherwise. Compared to what I used to hunt in Pennsylvania, Minnesota has been a cake walk.



and this is without the usual tangles...

Never been to PA for hunting purposes. can't imagine anything thicker than some of the places I get trapped into. If there is worse, I'm happy to avoid it


I think you would really like a nice 16 or 20 gauge, more than a 12.

For hunting, I would agree, but this next one will most-likely be used on targets. 12s are far-more common and easily fed. In a more-perfect world, I'd have a Thomas Turner variant for those grouse trails, scalloped stock and all.

https://www.gunsinternational.com/g...ro-damascus-barrels.cfm?gun_id=101623756

The hammer on most American single shots (which many of us learned on as kids) aren't all that easy for a kid to cock (especially in weather cold enough to require gloves--and potentially try and decock if they get the hammer back but don't shoot. (The Winchester 37 is something of an exception.) But if I were choosing a single shot for a youth, I'd look for a Savage Model 220. (You'll probably have to do some looking to find one in 20ga, which is what I'd recommend for a beginner.) It has a top tang safety as do most doubles, which makes conversion to either a sxs or OU pretty easy. But decocking a hammergun while pointing it at the ground seems relatively safe . . . although potentially not for your dog if you don't know where he is.

I cock them as I shoulder them unless I am turkey hunting. Then I squeeze the trigger, pull the hammer back into place and have it set for the show. No click! Just like deer hunting with a lever gun

As a kid my first shotgun was a H&R Topper 20 gauge single shot with an exposed hammer.
Hunting pheasants with my dad in Michigan was an experience. When the weather was cold, as it often was in MI, I often couldn’t pull back the hammer. Especially having the wits scared out of me when the birds flushed from underneath my feet!

Owenjj3: Just reread your post (and thankyou for that). So...you do find that with non-rebounding hammers cocking from half-cock is easier than the now-standard rebounding locks? That only makes sense to me.

In the world of hammerguns, the non-rebounders and the Jones underlever guns don't seem to get much love. That, of course, affects their "desirability" and re-sale value. Clearly, side-levers and big names are attractive to me as well but...I don't need to start there to learn what I want to know about them. I'm mainly focused the better British guns and then on fit and condition for use. Beauty is a lovely add-on (and I'm hoping for a little of that too) but "fit" seems to be everything for me these days. That helps me refine my search quite a bit.

how bout this...

https://www.gunsinternational.com/g...4-quot-nitro-proofs.cfm?gun_id=102233747


thanks for wonderful images of grouse woods...

Ed: You're most welcome. Kirby is where I find myself looking most of the time these days. There are likely better deals out there but... he always has something to consider.