I have a got a craving for a hammer gun. Anyone here got one, shot, or even seen the Noblesse in person? Any opinions on these? What is the retail price? The website shows very little. In fact the only place I could find it was in the catalog that you can download.

Are there any other hammer guns that are in the $2000-3000 range.

Try Kirby Hoyt.

I second the Kirby Hoyt connection.

Hi, the Fausti I think is in the 12k range. Depends on the hammergun you want, vintage or modern. If you go vintage, you have a whole bunch to consider, Kirby would be my choice also. The downside is you'll more than likely have to shoot 2 1/2" loads and even with a gun chambered for 2 3/4", low pressure loads are the way to go.

If you want a good vintage hammergun, do your homework and ask lots of questions, there is a learning curve to vintage guns, especially Brit guns.

If you want a modern gun, I'd suggest either a Bernadelli or Siace. CZ also offers a cheaper hammergun (not their coach gun) that might be a good starter, they run about $800 to $900.

Hammergun are fun, but once the bug bites you....your done!!!! I know!!!

Anyway, good luck to you!

Greg

I don't see that as a downside. I load or buy low pressure, 2 1/2 inch shells for all my shotguns whether modern or vintage. It might be a bit more expensive, but I find that I shoot better when the gun doesn't kick like a giraffe.

Hi, I know what you mean, bad wording on my part, I also shoot 2 1/2" in all my guns for upland birds, same as you, vintage or modern. I've never really felt a need for "Super Dupper" loads. But some folks seem to shy away from them or think they are not "Big" enough for hunting. If only they knew!

All the best!

Greg

You should be able to find a very nice hammer gun for under $3K. That puts you in the range for some American classics like Parkers and for some of the nicer modern European guns like the Bernardelli Italia or Italia Extra, or a Siace, or a Beretta/Mi Val. For half of your budget you could get a Bernardelli Brescia. You might even find a Brit hammer gun in good shape in your price range. The Bernardellis will happily shoot WallyWorld shells all day long. The Brit guns and the American classics should be fed lower pressure stuff.

Thanks for the replies. Dang, I didn’t realize that Fausti made anything in the 12K range. I guess that takes care of that. I will look into the Bernardelli’s.

I would like to have a vintage hammer gun even more than a new one, but there is very few around here to look at, and buying one of these thru the internet would be very risky.

The $9000.00 (on sale at a show) Fausti I handled had mushy feeling locks.

B2,

Imagine you plan to hunt with your hammergun. If so, issue becomes whether you have a safety so you can carry your gun cocked while in the field. (All of the hammerless guns are cocked once you close the barrels.) Hammer guns with safeties are rare although more common among the modern guns.

The alternative is to choose your hammer gun so that you can sweep the uncocked hammers back with your thumb as the covey rises. Such a vintage gun is easier to find than is one with a safety, but you would need to check it out yourself. Some argue for keeping the action open and then closing it at a covey rise. Can't imagine walking around with the action open myself and, besides, some hammer guns will not open/close with the right hammer cocked!

Bottom line, buy a modern hammer gun that has a safety.
Regards, Tim

Buck, I'm in Jackson and have a few hammer guns (none for sale). Would be happy to help you on this.

My contact info is in my profile.

Mike

Mike, I mite take you up on that. Thanks

Tim, I mainly shoot sporting clays as there's not much bird hunting around here except for doves and thats only good the first weekend in my area.I have a 20ga. RBL that I like to use for doves.

I like to go old school every now and then and shoot something old or something build like the older guns. I could also use it at the bigger shoots for the SxS events.

If you hunt over a pointer I can't see how cocking the hammers would be a problem at all. The first time I tried it I was sure I would forget a few times, but I never did. I actually enjoyed the nice crisp click...click before flushing a bird.
CHAZ

The problem arises when you start walking with a cocked hammer gun.

Cocking the hammers while mounting the gun will become like easing off the safety while mounting.

Cocking one hammer will, but most folks (including me)can't safely thumb'em both back while mounting the gun. If your thumb slips off a hammer part way back the gun goes boom! On surprise birds I cock the right hammer as I mount the gun to shoot. When I have a pointed covey I cock both hammers and keep the gun pointed in a safe direction as I flush the birds. That's my experience anyhow...Geo

Always interesting to me about hammer guns.I have some and I know that when hammer is mentioned,it is meant external hammers.Of course ,I have a few hammer guns that have hammers that are internal--M-21's,L.C,s,Foxes,P-guns etc.They all cock on the open and when shut are not on safe.Unless I put them on safe (non-automatic).I have a Siace external that cocks on open and is not safe unless I use the tang safety.I also have older externals that only cock by hand and there is no safe.With the M-21's, I hunt with gun open as it partially closes to keep the shells from falling out.There are few guns that I fully trust the safety.I had a Kimber bolt 22-250 discharge when I moved the safety to fire.So,with me, I treat every gun as able to fire and my method of safety is to always keep the muzzle pointed so that I am in control of where the projectile is going to go.BTY the Kimber was on target.

I feel that I should add I open the action everytime I need to drop the hammers after not shooting. I had one instance where I held a hammer and pulled the wrong trigger, with the gun open it was simply a dryfire, not a negligent discharge.

As far as walking with the hammers back I can't see why moving in on a point with the barrels pointed skyward would be an issue. Could this be an instance of a safety feature (mechanical safety) creating sloppy behavior (poor muzzle control)?
CHAZ

I love hammer guns. But, my thumb did slip off a hammer once as I was cocking it when I was hunting in the rain, walking up on my dog on point. Of course, I had the gun at port arms with muzzle pointing skyward, but be aware of that going in. Since then however, I don't use hammer guns in the rain. I don't like to upland hunt in the rain period, but I do live in Washington...

There is also the safety issue of making sure to remember to let the hammer down after you cock it if no bird flushes.

Kirby Hoyt had a nice article in Shooting Sportsman a while back about quail hunting with hammer guns (he has quail running around all over his spread in Wenatchee). He cocks once on the rise and shoots, then drops the gun, cocks the second hammer and re-mounts. It only takes an extra second or two, but it is the safest method. Or,as someone on here once posted, "we're not at war with the birds."

I have had a couple narrow framed guns, 16's, that I could cock both hammers with one hand....But like the quote above says, it aint a war...If I have a dog on point, I generally cock both hammers on the approach...If it's surprise flush, I get one cocked and after I miss the first shot, have plenty of time to cock the other hammer and miss again...Mr. Joe Wood is a fast man with a hammergun...

I have a slim German 16Ga hammer gun that I use for all my less than duck sized bird shooting. I cock hammer when approaching the dog and the second after the first shot. It sounds like it would take along time but after you practice it a bunch it's as quick and natural as clicking off the safety or shifting gears in a car or anything else. Get some snap caps and just make it a point to practice the firing cycle a dozen times every day. It only takes a few minutes of time.

I started out cocking both hammers at once and got to where I could do that naturally and quickly too. My problem was remembering to uncock an unfired barrel. (as has been mentioned) After I caught myself walking around with a cocked gun a few times I changed my method.

Don't mean to hijack the thread but would like to know more about the hammergun your showing Shane? Husqvarna?

Rick