doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Is hammer gun fever contagious?

I grew up shooting hammerguns. I don't believe I even saw a hammerless until I was about 20. I learned to shoot with a LC Smith hammer 12 ga, a single barrel hammer 12 ga and a Model 62 Winchester. Maybe it is nostalgic,but I love em.

Yes and no.

Yes in that playing with a hammer gun can be fun.

No in that there is a reason Hammer Guns went away, just as there is a reason SxS are less used. It is not cost. It is ease and efficiencies.

Pumps and Autos were both easier to use and ultimately cheaper.

I shoot Side by Sides all the time and I will continue to use a hammergun from time to time, just as I drive old sports cars. But I doubt either will become more commonly used.

Yes, some years ago. Who is the maker of that Belgian gun?

Pete

Hi Mark, they sure are!!!!!!! Here's mine BTW:

16ga Carl Grundig:



16ga Franz Sodia:



16b D. Gotobed:



12b Samuel Allport:



12b James Harkom:



12ga Bernadelli Italia:



So..as you can see, you just can't own one.

Best!

Greg

I think that a lovely,beautifully made Hammer gun is the bee's bollocks when it comes to art in a gun...man...the action filing, those scooped out percussion fences, the wonderful workmanship of getting those hammers perfect, the lovely Jones action lever (if so fitted)...just a class act,even if they are to some, old fashioned.
I think a well turned out Hammer is visually more eye pleasing than a h'Less number.I love the Jones action, love the look of the top tang when there is no top lever
I wish I'd got on the Hammer gun trail when no one really wanted them
cheers
franc

Absolutely. I hardly use anything else now. Very rarely do I find a gun that I like the feel of better than a hammer gun that is just right.

Antoine Marechal (Belgian). I'm guessing it was made in the 1920's, since it has quadruple nitro proofed krupp steel barrels, but could possibly even be the 30's? Hard to say. Barrels are at Briley right now to have choke added to them.

Agree 100%. The only thing I don't like about them is they can be tricky to use in bad weather, since a thumb can slip off a hammer fairly easily if you're not careful. So, I'll likely always keep a rainy day hammerless gun or two in the safe.

Greg, your hammer gun collection is awesome! If you ever want to loan one or two of those 16's to me so I can compare them to mine, I'm your guy.

It should have a date stamp. Here they are:
http://damascus-barrels.com/Belgian_All_Proofmarks.html

There were 3 "Antoine Marechal's" who operated in Liege. They were active from at least the late 1860's until 1975.

Pete

My fondest hunting memories are of my Dad's 1889 Remington 10 bore. Years ago some missionaries stopped by one day and started quoting scripture to me. I said just a minute and I got the 10 bore out. I told them, "This here is my Bible. It's got both the Old Testament and the New. Which one ya want first?" They jumped in their car and never came back.