doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Help! I Need a Hammer Gun!

Everyone NEEDS a hammer gun. Or two.

Hello Montana,

I've always wanted to see your loved Grant. [Maybe I have seen it but forgot :(]

Could you indulge us with a photo or three?

JC

Have you noticed Joe that it's a slippery slope you're venturing on to here (LOL).

Steve

For Larry Brown: LC Smith hammer guns were built in 10, 12 and 16 gauge. No 20 gauges were advertized or known to exist. The type II guns built after 1898 in 12 gauge all have 2 3/4" chambers, but 2 9/16" would have been standard during hammer gun production, along with bores of .650" diameter. The steel barrel Smith hammer guns should actually be stronger than their hammerless counterparts, as less metal was removed from the frame due to no cocking mechanism, and less wood was removed from the head of the stock for the safety and cocking parts. Based on my observations, very few LC Smith hammer guns are seen with cracked stocks.

+1

Also it's hard to stop at just one hammergun.

Joe - read my book. It covers all you need to know to get started.

You are not limited to vintage guns. There are modern, fluid steel guns available from Beretta/MiVal, Bernardelli, SIACE, and others including, I think, Huglu. I have a couple of fluid steel Bernardelli Brescia hammer guns in 12 ga that cost me only $1K each and will shoot any modern 2-3/4" lead load. If I open the chokes, they will be fine for steel. There is also the Bernardelli Italia (same gun with more engraving and nicer finish). SIACE guns tend to be more expensive, but they are readily available on the used market. Ivory Beads officially closed yesterday, but they will still probably answer the phone. They had a Beretta/MiVal 12 hammer gun last week and it may still be available. Somebody on ShotgunWorld was trying to sell a Bernardelli Brescia 20 ga a couple of months ago, and that one may still be available.

Parker hammer Damascus guns tend to be fairly stout, and there are plenty around; mine was $1k a few years ago. There are also plenty of unrecognized Brit (mostly Birmingham) and Belgian guns out there with laminated, twist and Damascus barrels available at decent prices, but buy those from someone you trust, unless you are able to inspect before purchase. You also don't need to spend the money on RST and other boutique low pressure loads, because companies like Fiocchi and B&P have a line of low pressure loads at very competitive prices. My Brit laminated steel 12 likes the Fiocchi 7/8 oz training loads that are very low pressure (6100 I think, but don't remember for sure); these are available over the counter at my local sporting goods store.

Another alternative would be to buy a 10 gauge and shoot 12 ga loads with ChamberMates. Could save you some money on the initial purchase and allow use of WallyWorld ammo if the gun is tight.

Here are a couple of Old 1865 to 1873 Vintage Hammergunss that I shoot quite often, Just FYI

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If you are going to the trouble of shooting with a hammer gun then get something that is nice - not some plain nail with thick barrels that handles like a scaffolding pole - something with character - that handles as though it knows what to do - at least 100 years old - that you will be proud to be custodian of for your life time, admiring the skill of the men who lovingly crafted it by hand, under oil lamp light - Oh I am getting a bit too sentimental and nostalgic here so here are a couple of photos to wet your appetite at what you could look after at a reasonable price. As you have heard many times before "life is far too short to shoot with an ugly gun!"
John

Thanks for that, Tom. I knew there were tens, couldn't recall whether there were 16's. Your points about strength vs the hammerless make sense--but some of them are now a century plus in age. And some current 2 3/4" factory shells are either way heavier in terms of shot charge or else have far higher velocities (or some of both) than were available when those Elsies were made. Standard velocity target loads are likely pretty safe, but I'd certainly stay away from anything either very heavy or very fast. IMO, the very heavy/very fast lead loads for upland game are basically unnecessary anyhow. I don't think the birds we shoot today are any harder to kill than the birds those old Elsies were killing with early smokeless loads over 100 years ago.