doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com False Hammer Guns

Daryl
I do love that pin fire false hammer! Must have beem an old guy who ordered that - probably shot one as a boy and thought he would bring some of his youthful memories back.

Oldfarmer, you could be right. It is a 16 bore, making it a bit more uncommon, I'd guess. Here are a couple of guns that are maybe in between outside hammer/inside hammer cocking lever guns. It's the Bentley patent on a Warilow and a Thomas Turner.

Here's an American version. This is the American Arms Co. of Boston, Patented March 21, 1882 and May 29, 1883. It came in both single barrel and double barrel and was called "Semi-Hammerless" Trade-Mark. I believe the patent was by Whitmore. Oddly, the buttplate is marked American Arms, Bluffton, Alabama.

What cracking bits of workmanship. I guess these are leaning more towards cocking indicators rather than a way of manualy cocking/decocking the hammers. I assume they have to have barrel cocking otherwise it would be fairly difficult to cock them with those stubby leavers. I know there were several different ideas including little windows to show if the hammers are cocked. I always thought these pretty pointless on a hammerless gun as when you open it they are both cocked and you should be aware of when you have fired the gun.
John
Posts crossed - I was refering to the Thomas Turner!!

John, I always thought the Bentley patent allowed you to cock the gun from the outside, but I have never owned one. Now, I am not sure if it is a barrel cocker, too, but would guess it is. That would make it like the Fukert patent which is a barrel cocker, but can also be cocked, albiet not so easily, with the thumb pushing the vestidual hammers. Maybe someone out there has a Bentley patent and can help.

I looked in Crudgington and Baker and find the Bentley patent is for only the sidelock/hammer configuration and not for cocking the hammers , by dropdown barrels or other means. I think the Turner gun is a toplever cocking gun. I would guess that any Bentley patent guns that we see might self cock differently than the next one we see. I think they are cool guns and marvel at the workmanship.

I think I would want the barrels pointing skywards if I was decocking on a cold, wet day, trying to keep my thumb pressed onto those leaves!!
If we haven't resolved it by June I will ask David Baker his opinion as he is hoping to come to our Perrins meet.
There was loads of inovation going on around then - I have never seen one - but have read about hammer guns with barrel cocking and even ejectors - now that gives the best of everything.
John

John, I too think this is the most fun period. I see a safety on the Warilow and assume the lever cocking Turner has one, too. I might guess one would Uncock these guns much like is done with a hammerless of normal design. I always try to uncock the Fukert with my thumb on the small hammer, but it does not feel safe. I always admire self cocking hammer guns , especially with ejectors, when I see them in an auction. Unfortunately, someone with deeper pockets admires them , too. Good luck on your Perrins meet. It sounds so fun.

The Moore and Grey looks very similar to a duel ignition gun .Wonder if that how it started life ?

I was just looking through Diggory Haddocks book on vintage guns and on page 92 he illustartes a Bently semi-hammerless gun similar to the Thomas - but with no leaf attachments - so no possibility of using them to either cock or de cock the hammers - i guess someone felt the need to invent snap caps?
John