Education needed - hammer shotgun

[light_weight]

What I have here is a recently acquired OMPS (Officina Meccanica Pregiate Superfiniture) boxlock SxS from Italy's Gardone Val Trompia (same area where Beretta makes their shotguns I believe - correct me if I am wrong). This shotgun locks up tight, has exposed hammers, game scene engraving, and remnants of case coloring on the receiver so overall a very aesthetically pleasing shotgun to one's eye.

Now here is where shit gets interesting and where I need some education. The hammers do cock and that is how you fire the shotgun, but they do not hit the exposed firing pins whenever the trigger is pulled - they stop just short. I tested this several times with snap caps and once with live ammunition (to confirm the gun would fire, which it did). I was under the impression that a hammer shotgun was supposed to hit the exposed firing pins, which hit the primer, which makes the gun go bang.

So, please, educate me and tell me what exactly I have here. Is it a faux hammer shotgun? Is it a mix? Am I completely wrong about what a hammer shotgun is supposed to do?

 

[YETI]

I don't have an answer to your questions, but that's a beautiful bun!

 

[Al "Shifty" Schultz]

I had a similar problem with a couple of exposed hammer shotguns. In my case the gunsmith had to replace the internal springs which were old and weak. I don't know if it's the same issue in your case, but it was definitely the same symptoms in mine.

 

[Rjohnson.307]

Sounds like rebounding hammers, if the gun fires its hitting the pin. Rebounding hammers strike the pin and bounce back some so the the hammers do not push the firing pin out damaging the pins if you open the action. Hammer guns without rebounding hammers need to be at half cock before opening.

Put a sheet of white paper in front of the pin and dry fire it, you'll be able to verify if it struck the pin.

 

[light_weight]

Sounds like rebounding hammers, if the gun fires its hitting the pin. Rebounding hammers strike the pin and bounce back some so the the hammers do not push the firing pin out damaging the pins if you open the action. Hammer guns without rebounding hammers need to be at half cock before opening.

Put a sheet of white paper in front of the pin and dry fire it, you'll be able to verify if it struck the pin.

Golly I didn't even think about testing it this way. Thank you! I will report back later this evening.

 

[light_weight]

@Rjohnson.307 was right on the money. Marks on the paper. Thank you, sir.