Top Lever Hammer Guns. Not trying to pick a fight here, and remember beauty is in the eye of the beholder but these look great. Below is a picture of my Grandfathers Westley Richards 12 bore shotgun.

I am greatly attached to this old shot gun, she is still good and tight and in great shape despite all the abuse I gave her as a kid. I used to hunt rabbits at night in the sugar beet fields in Norfolk, UK. Once the harvest had started I would drive round the fields at night using a little IH B250 tractor, stick shift, hand throttle, (no cab) and operate a hammer 12 g. I had a sack hung on the back of the tractor and 2 dozen rabbits a night was the norm. Please no comments on safe gun handling, I was young and foolish then, and it was great fun.

I love the look of the old undelever hammer guns but I find them slow and awkward as I am not used to them. I would not hesitate is taking a top lever hammer rifle for use against dangerous game and due to my familiarity with this style I do not believe I would be handicapped in any way. That is why this old .577 NE caught my eye.