pdxrealtor Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 I'm playing around with lightening hammers. Has anyone ever seen a hammer that has been carved out too thin snap, crack, or otherwise fail? Here are some pictures. The first one is mine. I've got several more I want to do for me and some friends and I'd like to know if, aside from looking thin, these things are actually failing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4mike Posted September 14, 2016 Share Posted September 14, 2016 I am the author of a second photo, it is still functional Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxrealtor Posted September 14, 2016 Author Share Posted September 14, 2016 4mike... Thank you. You had a couple more in the same thread I found the above hammer in. Any issues with them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4mike Posted September 15, 2016 Share Posted September 15, 2016 I made in the past a few simmilar designed hammers under 20g with no problems during using and I believe you can find pictures of even lighter ones here in correct thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskan454 Posted September 15, 2016 Share Posted September 15, 2016 I just finished chopping mine up and the hammer itself came out to 288 grains, haven't weighed it with the sear and stirrup parts yet but it should be around 315-320 total if my memory is correct. Originally I did it in a similar shape to the Apex hammer (top picture) but the metal was way too thin on the side shown and it chipped. I figured the best chance to salvage the part was keeping it as sturdy as possible while not removing too much weight to start. It should see range time tomorrow so we'll see how it holds up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cherokeewind Posted September 15, 2016 Share Posted September 15, 2016 Are the last two pics of the same hammer that is in the top pic, after you salvaged it or of a different hammer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskan454 Posted September 15, 2016 Share Posted September 15, 2016 The bottom two are the same hammer after it chipped, I just cut the back off, filed it flat, and polished it. It actually looks pretty nice installed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzShooter Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 With all that lightening, what weight trigger pull can you reliably get? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskan454 Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 I'm shooting for 5 lbs after I finish polishing the action. I did less weight reduction on a different gun and it runs 5.5 lbs all day long. I've not had any light strikes at that weight. It could probably be lower but I like having a tad extra insurance with the hammer spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxrealtor Posted September 16, 2016 Author Share Posted September 16, 2016 21 hours ago, 4mike said: I made in the past a few simmilar designed hammers under 20g with no problems during using and I believe you can find pictures of even lighter ones here in correct thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxrealtor Posted September 16, 2016 Author Share Posted September 16, 2016 .. ^^^^^that last hammer was my favorite out of all I've dug up. Perhaps I'll make a spurless one like that and see which one I like best. Any idea how much that weighs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxrealtor Posted September 16, 2016 Author Share Posted September 16, 2016 8 hours ago, Alaskan454 said: The bottom two are the same hammer after it chipped, I just cut the back off, filed it flat, and polished it. It actually looks pretty nice installed. Do you have pics of the chipped hammer? Was it a nick type chip, or a chunk or what? That seems like hard metal.... Mine the way it is will not flex when I squeeze it. May it just snaps, with no flex? Makes me want to put it in a vice with a weight gauge on it to see how strong it is. Lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxrealtor Posted September 16, 2016 Author Share Posted September 16, 2016 4 hours ago, Alaskan454 said: I'm shooting for 5 lbs after I finish polishing the action. I did less weight reduction on a different gun and it runs 5.5 lbs all day long. I've not had any light strikes at that weight. It could probably be lower but I like having a tad extra insurance with the hammer spring. Are those pulls with federal primers or anything off the shelf? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4mike Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 1 hour ago, pdxrealtor said: .. Any idea how much that weighs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskan454 Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 7 hours ago, pdxrealtor said: Do you have pics of the chipped hammer? Was it a nick type chip, or a chunk or what? That seems like hard metal.... Mine the way it is will not flex when I squeeze it. May it just snaps, with no flex? Makes me want to put it in a vice with a weight gauge on it to see how strong it is. Lol. I didn't take a picture of the chip but it was just a very small piece that broke off. It happened because I finished the hammer while looking at the wrong side, the lock side has more meat in the central region than the one that touches the side plate. Here's where it chipped, probably could have left it and been fine but I kind of wanted to try a new design anyway. 7 hours ago, pdxrealtor said: Are those pulls with federal primers or anything off the shelf? Federals only, the same gun with CCI primers needed and extra 1-1.5 pounds to be reliable. Also, I agree that 4Mike's hammer looks pretty cool. I might give that a try this winter with a spare part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxrealtor Posted September 16, 2016 Author Share Posted September 16, 2016 3 hours ago, Alaskan454 said: I didn't take a picture of the chip but it was just a very small piece that broke off. It happened because I finished the hammer while looking at the wrong side, the lock side has more meat in the central region than the one that touches the side plate. Here's where it chipped, probably could have left it and been fine but I kind of wanted to try a new design anyway. Federals only, the same gun with CCI primers needed and extra 1-1.5 pounds to be reliable. Also, I agree that 4Mike's hammer looks pretty cool. I might give that a try this winter with a spare part. I see it so clearly now. Ya, that's a result of simply going to thin while taking down material. Hmmmm.... So your hammer is 18 grams. What rebound spring are you using with those pull weights? I am aiming for 6.5 lbs when done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskan454 Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 I just tested it at the range, right now I'm using a trimmed down 11 pound rebound spring which resets just fine, it's actually a little more power than I probably need after polishing the internals a bit more. I got one light strike at 4 pounds 9 ounces, and no light strikes at 5 pounds 2 ounces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bosshoss Posted September 17, 2016 Share Posted September 17, 2016 My main gun will run 100% at about 4.5 # but I run it at 5.75-6#. I like the resistance on the trigger coming out of recoil for the second shot. At 4.5 pounds my second shot is high. Yes if I shot it that way for a while my timing would change and I would adapt to it. The big thing about a sub 5 pound trigger pull is EVERYTHING has to perfect. Primers have to be seated all the way all the time. A slightly bent moonclip and you have a clicker. My gun at just under 6# doesn't care if I miss seating a primer all the way every once in a while. It doesn't care if a moonclip is slightly tweaked. It doesn't care if i get a little powder under the star or the gun gets really dirty. I just shot the Indiana 400 last weekend. I shot on staff day and our squad shot all 15 stages in 1 day. Just under 500 rounds and I didn't touch the gun. I know I could shoot 2000 or more with out touching it. With the lighter trigger pull I'm sure I would at least clean the cylinder and under the star at least once. IMO if the difference in 6# and 5# is that important you probably need to work on your trigger control some. My main gun has 25K thru it and I have had a handful of clickers. One time the hammer stud broke and I shot a couple of matches with it that way and got a few clickers and the other time the sear pin in the forged hammer worked its way out and dragged on the side plate and I got a couple of clickers. It that gun doesn't go bang something is wrong. Just running a couple of hundred rounds thru a gun is not a good enough test. BTW way the original pictures in the first post the bottom blurry one looks like one of my IDPA hammers that I do. Can't say for sure but I have done quite a few like that for customers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cherokeewind Posted September 17, 2016 Share Posted September 17, 2016 Some of these modified hammers look interesting....... How does their performance compare with the expensive Apex hammers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxrealtor Posted September 17, 2016 Author Share Posted September 17, 2016 16 hours ago, Bosshoss said: My main gun will run 100% at about 4.5 # but I run it at 5.75-6#. I like the resistance on the trigger coming out of recoil for the second shot. At 4.5 pounds my second shot is high. Yes if I shot it that way for a while my timing would change and I would adapt to it. The big thing about a sub 5 pound trigger pull is EVERYTHING has to perfect. Primers have to be seated all the way all the time. A slightly bent moonclip and you have a clicker. My gun at just under 6# doesn't care if I miss seating a primer all the way every once in a while. It doesn't care if a moonclip is slightly tweaked. It doesn't care if i get a little powder under the star or the gun gets really dirty. I just shot the Indiana 400 last weekend. I shot on staff day and our squad shot all 15 stages in 1 day. Just under 500 rounds and I didn't touch the gun. I know I could shoot 2000 or more with out touching it. With the lighter trigger pull I'm sure I would at least clean the cylinder and under the star at least once. IMO if the difference in 6# and 5# is that important you probably need to work on your trigger control some. My main gun has 25K thru it and I have had a handful of clickers. One time the hammer stud broke and I shot a couple of matches with it that way and got a few clickers and the other time the sear pin in the forged hammer worked its way out and dragged on the side plate and I got a couple of clickers. It that gun doesn't go bang something is wrong. Just running a couple of hundred rounds thru a gun is not a good enough test. BTW way the original pictures in the first post the bottom blurry one looks like one of my IDPA hammers that I do. Can't say for sure but I have done quite a few like that for customers. That's the direction I think I'm headed just to be safe. Leaving that bit of material at the front area will certainly add some structural integrity. What kind of 'anything fires' pull weight are you getting with a design like that? I haven't had time to go to the range or make any ammo lately.... so I've yet to fire my hammer pictured in my post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmoney Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 Funny to watch everybody try to put their particular spin on cutting down hammers, and makimg it far more complicated than necessary! So for those who haven't already done so, I hereby authorize all of you to simply Carmonize your hammers! (No charge--hell, I stole the idea from an old Gun Digest article from 1980....) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxrealtor Posted September 19, 2016 Author Share Posted September 19, 2016 lol... I would have simply copied your design a long time ago but I like the slot covered.... regardless of whether or not I keep my ugly spur. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzShooter Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 I Carmonized one of mine and got the best trigger I ever worked on. May not be as pretty as these but it sure works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskan454 Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 I like my overly complicated shape! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhgtyre Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 On 9/19/2016 at 4:33 AM, Alaskan454 said: I like my overly complicated shape! Are we still talking about firearms parts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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