a caution

[geo]

those of you who are NSSA members and have gotten the oct/nov SKIRMISH LINE will see a very good article from the '62 CIVIL WAR TIMES on the blakeslee box loader for the spencer. however the last illustration shows the loading of the spencer chamber with the hammer in the dropped position. this is not safe. CAS and even the civil war info on the spencer say this is a potential slam fire situation. the hammer should be fully cocked (not half cocked, either) before working the reloading lever and chambering a fresh round. the rim fire ammo and the modern centerfire ammo could fire from the weight of the resting hammer. fire, cock the hammer, work the loading lever and fire again. of course be careful not to trip the trigger when working the lever. good luck.

may your merry be very and your happy be everlasting. geo.

[Appalachian Ed]

Maybe if you are referring to the italian guns that do not have an internal firing pin. Most conversion blocks, and the Romano guns, have a internal floating pin, that is perfectly safe to cycle with the hammer down. You run a greater risk with hammer up, and hitting the trigger when closing the lever. If anything, Half cock would be the safest. NOT fully cocked.

[Harve Curry]

I agree and half cock traps the sear, much safer.

[major]

I have probably fired over 2000 blanks from my Armisport 44-40 Spencer and I always work the action first then cock the hammer and have never had a slam fire.  I think that the firing pin in the block falls into the breach just below the point of chambering and then slides up into the fully closed position.  This arrangement may keep the hammer from pushed the firing pin into the primer, or it at least keeps it for exerting enough force to set it off.  Of course if my gun went off with a blank it wouldn't make much difference anyway, as long as the muzzle was pointed in a safe direction.
Terry

[Injun Ryder]

I try to always cock the hammer first but in the "heat of battle" at a SASS match, I will sometimes get out of sequence and chamber a round with the hammer down on my 44 Russian. It will slamfire when you close the breech with authority! It has happened to me 4-5 times.