Guys – a deliberate attempt at lighting a fire !!

I’ve been “brought –up” in a “hammerless” environment, just plain old bolt guns, few folk down here use lever-guns, fewer still have use of handguns, and the single-shot rifles that are common here are BSA 12/15’s and Martini-Henry’s, which are of course hammerless. In the modern era here only Ruger #1’s are common.

I’ve recently obtained a Flat Spring Low Wall, and this is a NICE action to use, cycling an action like this just feels right, the smoothness and positive lever pressure is great compared with a #1, where the lever just “flops about”. I can get the hang of the hammer, and its half cock position, but can’t decide if is better or worse than a hammerless action or just different.

Is the hammer vs no hammer a Ford vs Chev thing or is there more to it that I’m not getting ?? Is it situational i.e. one for hunting, one for target shooting ??

Cheers

Foster

Warning!!! Hammers are addictive, once you start you can't get them out of your system!! Soon you will be lusting for single action revolvers and cowboy hats too!!

Ha - you can't tell me that, I've spent 25 years training Reining and Rope horses, so I already wear the hats !!

To hammer of course. I feel safer with the hammer in half cock than with a safety that I cant see.

I think there is a hammer inside the Ruger No. 1 as well. The Hi- and Lo walls are of course of superior design.

tentman, if that is the case you are DOOMED!! Go ahead and get the hammer you are almost there anyway!!

quote:

I’ve recently obtained a Flat Spring Low Wall, and this is a NICE action to use

Check back in a while and let us know your decision because you will not be asking the question for long. I have never fired a low wall but the High Wall is by far my favorite.
But I like tang sights.
The #1 is not that bad but they are not well suited for a tang sight.

The original Win walls are perhaps the most versatile SS actions available, and are some of my favorites. IMO you can't go wrong with one of these!
Regards, Joe

quote:

To hammer of course. I feel safer with the hammer in half cock than with a safety that I cant see.

Never trust a safety-of any kind!

No hammer

No hammer of course - at least you won't be trying to fire the rifle with the hammer on half-cock. The safety issue is moot - I would never trust a half-cock safety. But then again, I don't trust a 'normal' safety either...
And the most versatile acton is the Martini, of course!

Get the hammer. The 1874 Sharps is the rifle all the other rifles in your gunsafe secretely hope they will turn in to when they wake up every morning. Especially the Martinis.