Thanks Destry- I was in knee pants when I shot the older Hammer Purdey my GrandFather "inherited" from my Great GrandFather- and I don't shoot or collect hammer guns per se, so perhaps my terms got "bobbled" but your point is right- barrels pointed towards the ground, unload, then de-cock. As I have been accused of going off half-cocked more than once in my almost 70 years, well you get my drift. A Boyhood friend died from a freak hammer gun accident- out duck hunting, a big storm kicked up, almost swamped the canoe, he had a I. Johnson Champion single shot, still loaded, grabbed it by the muzzle to pull it out from under the thwart, the hammer caught, went back and the sear didn't hold, and when a gun mis-fires, it never seems to miss. I don't own or care for the great Model 1897 Win-prefer the hammerless (OK enclosed hammer) sleeker Model 12, which you'll see me shoot for the next one in April, especially if I bring my son-in-law- you'll like seeing him shoot, as he is also a Southpaw as are you. I do have a hammer Winchester rifle- an 1894 in .30WCF with 24" octagonal barrel my GrandFather bought in 1915-shot many a buck in MI with that, but cold hands in Nov.& wet and slippery gloves, plus the open action that can collect moisture-so it's a "Safe Queen"-- After the pleasure of shooting your fine hammer Parker 10, I can see why they have a strong following however-ox
