I've owned hammer guns in 10 (A. Hollis), 12 (V. Bernardelli, now sold, and Charles Moore), 16 (Austrian guild), 20 (V. Bernardelli) and 28 (SIACE). The only one which I could consistently cock both hammers on was the 12 gauge Bernardelli and I could do so even on a skeet field shooting station 8 (we occasionally shoot doubles on 8 at my club for giggles - inbound first, then outbound). The others all have heavy enough springs that cocking both hammers is an issue, at least for me. The SIACE is the only one of the bunch with a safety, but I prefer to use it as a traditional hammer gun rather than carrying it cocked in the field. I'm not fast enough to even consider grouse or woodcock with a hammer gun, but the Moore over pointing dogs for pheasants is about my favorite form of upland hunting. The Hollis will someday see a goose blind (with bismuth), but for the time being it shoots skeet with 1-1/8 ounce handloads.
