This kind of scares me about the Baikal Coach guns

[Kestrel]

With the real external hammers - I was thinking if you had it loaded and wanted to lower the hammers and pulled the wrong trigger (thinking it was for the hammer you were holding) - BOOM!

Is this as much a potential problem as I'm thinking?

Steve

 

[Sam]

Not a problem if you bother to learn the gun and keep your head "in the game and out of your @$$"

Sam

 

[c_yeager]

The simplest solution is simply not to lower the hammers that way. There is really no reason to do so. But, if you really wanted to you could store it with the chambers loaded and the action just slightly open and get the same "effect".

 

[Dave McCracken]

Some hammer guns, both singles and doubles, can have the actions opened while cocked and the hammers lowered with the primers safely away from the pins. Others cannot.

Sam, keep it on The High Road. This is a family friendly forum.

Steve, learning the gun and observing the 4 Rules will reduce any risk greatly.

 

[BowStreetRunner]

good idea dave, i think breaking open the action and then lowering the hammers would be the best plan

 

[Kestrel]

Dave,

That sounds like the solution.

It's easy to say "keep your head in the game" without thinking it through... There could very well be some point when someone just happen to pull the wrong trigger with their finger on the wrong hammer...

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Sam]

It is easy to keep your head in the game.
It requires familiarization with the weapon, lots of practice and drill drill drill.

There is really no excuse for sloppy gunhandling, like Dave said, follow the rules and learn the gun.

Sam

Pardon my excesses

 

[Hal]

I'm not trying to be a wisenheimer,,,and God knows I know about as little about shotguns as I do about social behavior ,,,but is there any valid reason to lower the hammers on a loaded gun?

 

[Kestrel]

Hal,

I like to lower the hammers on the gun when I point it at the neighbor's cat. I let him watch me load it, so he gets real nervous. Then I slowly lower the hammers, while looking at him threateningly...





Actually, I don't even have one. I thought if it were loaded and put in the corner for HD, I would want the hammers down. In all honesty, though, an 870 fulfills that role, so it really probably wouldn't even happen.

Steve

 

[45auto]

I'd pass on shotguns with hammers for any real use.

There's a good reason why most shotguns don't have them.

 

[Mannlicher]

There is no protection from 'dumb'

 

[Kestrel]

Oops - I realized why this isn't even an issue. I read something about the Baikal automatically cocking upon opening. This actually doesn't apply to the external hammers that are real hammers.

Uhh... the cat thing was a joke for those who don't recognize humor.

Steve

 

[Kestrel]

There is no protection from 'dumb'

Mannlicher,

What do you mean by that?

 

[Gordon]

I've had a real outside hammer Baikal SXS since 1976 with nary a problem . It has been continously loaded. I've NEVER cocked it in a condition orange situation, what with the 2lb triggers and no safeties. I HAVE lowered the hammers back down on loaded chambers if the shot went away. Just like a Colt SAA !

 

[zeke]

Recently got a Baikal real hammer, and ya can break it after the hammers are cocked. If the safety is off when you break it, it automatically comes on. This shorty has 20 in tubes, while being three inches shorter than a 18.5 in pump. The barrels can drop free of their own weight when opened.

Suprisingly effective on clay birds, when fitted with the Mod and full choke. Very tight patterns with 00 buck, using the same chokes.

Also have what appears to be one of the earlier real hammered versions in 16 gage. (all it says is made in USSR). There is no safety, the hammer springs are very heavy and had to have the sears re-cut to increase the weight of trigger pull. Has some sort of side locking bolt? (am not sure if that is the correct term). Has 28 inch tubes.

 

[Gordon]

Yup Zeke; Thats what I've got. Was somewhat far out to buy a "made in USSR" gun in 1976, mine has what you describe. I never had the sears worked on , seems ok to me to have a 2lb trigger after you cock a 30 lb hammer! I bought this "lupara" because I couldn't find another like a "Bernadelli" that Col Cooper reccomended to me (and Mel Tappan) back then! The old style Baikal was certainly hell for stout and I imagine it will remain loaded with buck and hammers down for generations to come! Mine is choked Imp cyl and modified in its 20" chrome lined barrells and yes it is an effective bird gun (if you get your head down on stock) but cocking hammers on a raising quail is inconvient.

 

[zeke]

Gordon-My earlier Russian has mod and full choked tubes, but no chrome lining. Gave up pressing my cheek down hard enough to keep bead on target on the Baikals (bruised cheek bones). When trying out the new real hammer, just placed cheek on stock and held below the target. Far different hold and sighting plane than my other inexpensive sxs.

It seems all my Baikals (4) have tighter bores than any other shotgun owned. When patterning my first, a standard 12 gage with 28 in and fixed chokes, the full patterning extra full and the modified patterned full.

Picked up the 16 gage at an auction several years ago, never seen another quite like it. Great fun to take it to local clay bird shooting events, get alot of strange comments, as it looks like a genuine antiquity.

 

[Sunray]

Gotta go with Sam on this one. If you're not totally familiar with the firearms you're shooting, you should be. Or stay off the range. There's no excuse for negligence.

 

[LCSNM]

zeke - -Recently got a Baikal real hammer, and ya can break it after the hammers are cocked. If the safety is off when you break it, it automatically comes on. This shorty has 20 in tubes, while being three inches shorter than a 18.5 in pump. The barrels can drop free of their own weight when opened.

I'm green with envy. I have had the Bounty Hunter II Real Hammer , prepaid and backorderd for 3 months. My FFL says Coach guns really hard to get. They have my order on two separate distributor lists.

I emailed EAA for availability - 'Trust my FFL, but verify'. EAA's response was - as they come in they are sent to distributors.............
I have heard somewhere else that production on the Bounty Hunter II has slowed down or been delayed due to production of "John Wayne Special" Coach Gun. Pretty SOB, but out of my price range.

 

[Coronach]

It is easy to keep your head in the game.

Sure, until the SHTF. Or until you get distracted. Or, or or...

Think every "oops" was done by an idiot? I don't.

Mike

 

[zeke]

LCSNM-lucked into this one, after trying uncessfully to order one of the ones CDNN was advertising (was too slow on the credit card draw).

The trigger pulls were long and gritty when new. There still long, but have smoothed up considerable. Really like having the safety, and would be suitable for hunting, thanks to the screw in chokes and tight bores.

Have one of the previous "fake hammer" models with 28 in tubes and screw in chokes. These tubes also fit the real hammered version.

It does have some serious "lift" , when firing buckshot, and needs a quality recoil pad.

Have always wanted a coach gun with real hammers, probably watched too many cowboy movies when younger (and older).