I guess my first post didn't go thru so I'll ask again. What is the "standard" method for two quick shots with a hammer double? Do you start the show with both cocked or right/left as is normally done. Would recoil of the first affect the cocked hammer on the second barrel? Gun in question is the Pedersoli Kodiak in everybody's favorite DG caliber 45-70 of course.

Q:
I have no experience with the Kodiak but shoot lots with my hammer doubles from .450 up to 4-bore. When at the range I sometimes cock one hammer at a time and others I cock both hammers for a quicker left and right (I shoot the left barrel first and have done so for 20+ years). If the sears are solid, cocking both hammers should not be a problem. If "hair trigger pulls" then the second hammer may fall upon recoil. Then, there is the problem of "strumming" the rear hammer and doubling that way (which has never happened to me as I fire the left barre [rear trigger] first).
Cal

Hello quartermain,

I cock both the hammmers on my Pedersoli 45-70. Also for my Pedersoli 9.3x74R.

If you didn't get the factory target with your rifle, you can get a copy my emailing Pedersoli and giving them the serial number.

I have a 20b SXS Jones Rotary Underlever Hammer Gun that I shoot over the dog on Upland Birds. When the dog goes on point I walk up to the dog, thumb back both hammers and move to flush the bird. If, the bird does not offer me a shot or I shoot one barrel (usually the right as I all ways shoot the front trigger first)
I will then open up the action (an advantage to the Jones Under lever) and then de-cock the Hammers or remaining Hammer. If I was to use a Hammer Gun on four footed critters I would cock both hammers as I closed in on the shot, would have to know my gun and how much noise it might make when cocking the hammers this is why some guns have Stalking Safeties. The biggest concern is in de-cocking the Hammers, be careful not to grab the right Hammer and the back Trigger...
Good Luck
Good Shooting

I always cock both barrels at the same time; after all, aren't your hammerless doubles always cocked? I do the same thing in CAS too.
And I always fire both barrels; it evens out the wear, it insures dead, or overly dead, game, and it is fun. And it amuses the other species that are at the range.

Never had a double hammer rifle. My first shotgun was my Grandpa's New York double 12ga with hammers.

Like Zephyr when I was lucky enough to hunt quail hunt behind a dog I would cock both when he went on point or when Dove hunting and I saw them coming.

No dog or hunting rabbits so everything was a jump shot I pretty much had a single shot from the right side. Probably why I always shot it right/left.

My Kodiaks when hunting, cocked both--no issues.
At the range developing loads -usually one at a time.

quote:

Originally posted by quartermain:
Do you start the show with both cocked or right/left as is normally done. Would recoil of the first affect the cocked hammer on the second barrel?

There is no reason to think that a hammer gun would be more apt to double than a hammerless gun but this comes down to each individual rifle and how its triggers and tumblers or hammers have been tuned.
Try it with both hammers cocked on your gun and you will know soon enough if it is the best way to shoot your Kodiak. Of course, you don't have to have the second barrel loaded when you do this but it does add to the anticipation!

I have always cocked both hammers on my rifles as it just seems to make sense. I also shoot the front trigger first.

Typically most rebounding hammer guns cannot mechanically double as if the hammer slips off the sear it will slam forward on the rebound /second notch. Only the trigger being held back will allow the sear to clear the second notch and hit the firing pin.

When bird hunting with my David Murray 12 bore Hammer double, and the dogs are birdy, then I open the action, pull back both hammers, and then close the action and fire when the birds are flushed. That's the proper way to approach birds with a hammer gun.

I have not hunted dangerous game with a hammer double, but I imagine I would use a similar strategy.

Ive shot hundreds of birds using that technique, and it works flawlessly.

Many thanks, gentlemen. I was sure I would here from Mac, Cal, and DPCD on that question. As for those of you who may have a Kodiak, what bullet or load comb. did you find that shot well? As some of you might recall, I prefer heavy bullets-460 WFNGC or 500 gr. slugs. I've heard of other owners stating the Kodiak prefers a heavier bullet, even tho it is supposedly regulated with 300 gr. ammo. What say you, Mac, Cal, or any of you other learned gents? (Even Shootaway, who uses his hammers on his bullet noses.)

Thanks, Aaron, for giving us a mechanical reason for my question. I guess I never even thought of the rebounding feature of the hammers.

I have only owned Kodiak percussion doubles;, which don't have rebounding hammers.

I cock both hammers when approaching game, either quail/pheasants with my H&H 16 bore or ele with my WR 500. Rebounding hammers allow one to carry loaded chamber and lowered hammers. Aaron said it best on doubling. I have always used hammer guns and have never had an issue. Like Cal said, rear trigger first.

quote:

Originally posted by quartermain:
I guess my first post didn't go thru so I'll ask again. What is the "standard" method for two quick shots with a hammer double? Do you start the show with both cocked or right/left as is normally done. Would recoil of the first affect the cocked hammer on the second barrel? Gun in question is the Pedersoli Kodiak in everybody's favorite DG caliber 45-70 of course.

I have several hammer double firearms! However most are cape guns. (cape guns) are side by side combination guns with a rifle on one barrel and a shotgun on the other. a couple are side by side hammer double rifles.

When using the hammer double rifle when game is sighted or when following up I cock both hammers. That is no different from a hammerless double because both tumblers (hammers) are cocked every time the rifle the rifle is opened except for the Blaser, and the K-gun. There is no reason a hammer gun would be more prone to doubling than a hammerless.

When calling coyotes with my cape guns I always cock both the rifle and shot hammers. This is because the Yotes often come in in pairs, or if a miss, I instantly fire the other barrel because coyotes rarely give you a second chance for very long. When hunting deer with the Cape guns, I usually only cock the rifle side, and have the shot side loaded with bird shot for quail which are open at the same time as deer in my area.

For follow-up I would cock both barrels on both types of doubles, but would change the shot side to a slug for things like wild hogs or black bear.

That is a very long winded way of saying if the double is in good condition there is no worry about a double discharge from recoil on either a hammer gun of a hammerless one!

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