Hello -
After much homework and searches through countless web sites, I purchased my first CZ 12 ga coach gun a few days ago. Very pleased with it's looks and construction - other manufacturers' coach guns pale in comparison
I'm a bit embarrassed to say that in looking at the hammers, I cannot figure out how this gun actually fires ... the hammers rest approx 1/8" from the firing pins. I've watched a few videos and, as best as I can tell, there's also a gap between those coach gun hammers and the firing pin.
I won't be able to get out to the range till this weekend, so if anyone has some input until then, i appreciate it.
Thanks -
Regards,
Joseph
(I also haven't figured out how to insert a pic yet)
PS - 1/23/18
watching more vids ... all the coach gun triggers sit approx 1/8" from firing pins, and they fire ...
will go to the range this weekend and BSU ... maybe by then I'll have the physics of this figured out ...
OK, I don't own a CZ hammer gun nor have I ever had one in my hands - but I've owned a modern Rossi coach gun and an c.1900 English hammer gun... every modern hammer gun I am aware of has rebounding hammers. The hammers at rest are a few mm (or 1/8") off the firing pins. The firing pins are spring loaded to retract after firing so they don't sit proud of the breech face.
This is a safety feature. In the bad old days with non-rebounding hammers (I've had one of those as well - a rifled 12 bore under-lever "Elephant gun"), after firing the hammers rested on the firing pins which protruded from the breech-face. Before reloading, the shooter had to retract the hammers to (what I reluctantly call) a "half-cock" position. In fact the protruding firing pins made it difficult to open the gun but an enthusiastic shooter might not notice the resistance in the heat of the moment. If he/she didn't, and slammed the action shut on two fresh cartridges the protruding firing pins would fire the new cartridges before the action was (manually) locked shut. The results could be very ugly so a design change was called for.
Try this exercise - UNLOAD the gun.
Dis-assemble your new gun as if you were going to clean it - fore-end off, barrels off.
With the bare breech - no cartridges anywhere close - and the hammers UNCOCKED - depress a trigger - nothing should happen.
While keeping the trigger pressed, push forward on the relevant hammer with your thumb. It should move forward and operate the firing pin. Release the thumb pressure (keep your finger on the trigger) and the hammer should rebound to the rest position and the firing pin should retract.
Now release the trigger and try pushing forward on the hammer - it shouldn't move.
In action, the momentum of the hammer carries it past the rest position and hits the firing pin momentarily before rebounding. A spring then retracts the firing pin. If it ever doesn't, take it to a gunsmith. When you release the trigger, the hammer is blocked from hitting the firing pin if it is bumped.
And that is how rebounding hammers keep us safe.
