Double barrel for Cowboy Action Shooting

[Sandy50]

Well gentlemen, and occasional lady, I am down to selecting a double barrel shotgun for CAS next year. My research has uncovered several options: Baikal, Stoeger, and buying an older double and cutting it down. My logical side, and from watching competitions, tells me that the hammerless, single trigger model would be quicker in competition, but I'm sure drawn to the Baikal with the external hammers.

I would appreciate recommendations from SASS shooters who have been shooting for years, and are just much smarter about things, to weigh-in with your thoughts.

Best regards,

Buckshot Red
SASS 90026

 

[kaferhaus]

I realize this is a "play toy" but I wouldn't own a hammer gun for any practical purposes. They certainly look good but as you already know, not very competitive.

 

[Border Hopper]

The SASS rules should be consulted before you buy your smoothbore.
Some categories (like Classic Cowboy) require a hammered double. Most categories don't specify whether you have external hammers, but your gun cannot have working ejectors.
Check a current rulebook, or go to www.sassnet.com for the lowdown on your shotgun.
You may want to bypass the rule on hammers by shooting in a different category.
Border Doc, Life SASS

 

[J-Bar]

The TTN hammered double is the best "new" hammered double. If you are handy with tools, the mechanism is simple enough that a home tinker can do a pretty good action job on one.

If you want trouble free operation without a lot of expense, get a Stevens 311, or its fancy grandson, the Fox model B by Savage/Stevens. If you think you want to get really competitive, look at an SKB 100, SKB 200, or a Browning BSS. Expensive but very reliable in competition. These are hammerless guns, of course.

I have heard too many complaints about Baikal and Stoeger shotguns to get very excited about them. Like so many other things, you get pretty much what you pay for.

 

[Sandy50]

Border Hopper,

Thank you for the suggestion, I did check the SASS rulebook, and it does allow internal hammers and single triggers. I had not thought about what the SASS rulebook would allow in my quest for a quick smooth bore.

 

[Virginian]

Based on non scientific observation, I would say the non hammered Stoegers outnumber everything else three to one. The dedicated dress up to the hilt dudes have some form of hammered or the other, and the world champs almost all use pumps or hammerless.
I had a Stoeger, non-ejector Uplander, and it wasn't a Purdey but it never failed. I get ill when I see chopped Stevens and Foxes.