For the Hammer Gun hunters (incl. Hammer Guy), how do you carry the Hammer guns that have no separate safeties? Loaded but open; Hammers Down and closed, etc.
I know that, no matter how much I may practice, I can't get the hammers back in time for a "surprise" Grouse flush. With a good/great dog it can work. but even great dogs have the birds blow out on them often in the grouse woods.
In a place with THICK cover, hammers down and gun closed is your only option. Open and you'd being losing shells or filling your breech with so much junk it wouldn't close when it came time to. I kind of carry mine so my thumb is resting between the hammers. I believe it is very safe, having never felt the hammers really even being snagged by brush or branches.
As RCC says, you cock and shoot just as you would when moving from safe to fire on an "hammerless" gun. These hammerguns are almost all I shoot, so it's just second nature. As the gun comes up the right hammer goes back, I fire, drop in a couple inches, cock the left and fire (if needed).
In more sparse long-walking conditions like out West, I may keep the hammers cocked and break the gun open, carrying it in one hand or over my shoulder. That works real well.
I think with practice, you'd get there Mike. Conditions were real hot and dry in Wisconsin since the opener, so the dogs were strugglin' a bit. Lots of surprise flushes but it was fine. Not to take anything from the dogs, but point or not, a timberdoodle or a grouse is gonna surprise ya.
I learned fast, if you're in the area birds may be, don't expect the dog to lead you to the prize every time. Lots of doubles are sadly missed that way. I take most steps in the field like the next one is going to find me a bird to shoot.
