Bobbed Hammer Benefits

[mshotwell]

What does bobbing the hammer do? I've seen this done alot.

Thanks

[Viggen]

A combination of things: you can get your hand up a bit higher on the gun without the hammer spur striking your hand and I think I have heard it said that it delivers a better hit on the firing pin allowing you to run a lighter tirgger. One of the gunsmith type folk will have to weigh in on the last one.

I suppose there is a certain cool factor involved also.

[8shooter]

My belief ... I repeat ... My belief is that is is purely a preference of the person holding the gun. I think the only benefit of the bobbed hammer is to give you a lighter trigger, as it gives you a lesser mass in the travel to the firing pin.

I still believe the most advantage you could ever have is ....practise.

Throw a bobbed hammer gun in the hands of Jerry, Cliff or Spook and you have a winner, now throw an unbobbed hammer gun in the same hands and you have the same result.

It comes back to preference.... I prefer unbobbed, but I am far from their level so that is off little consequence... until you get to their level I think the focus should be more put towards PRACTISE.

Simply my opinion.

[Viggen]

Well said......

[Waltermitty]

A lighter hammer requires less force to get up to speed, so it requires less mainspring force to reliably light primers. This allows a lower trigger weight since on the double action revolver you must pull against the mainspring for every shot.

Single action is virtually useless in action pistol competition (ICORE, USPSA, et al) because it takes too long to cock and then fire. So removing the material is a pretty big chunk of weight for no loss in function.

I also take a very high grip which would interfere with the hammer otherwise.

Outside of the realm of competition, many carry guns have bobbed hammers because of the snag factor. Getting clear of concealment can be a problem with a hammer hanging up on everything on the way out. Some designs try to retain both with hammer shield designs.

I own both for different reasons, but my racing guns are bobbed.

[8shooter]

I would not be listening to me in regards to carry ... as it is illegeal in my country, my opinion is purely based on competition

thanks for the confidence Viggen

Edited November 24, 2006 by 8shooter

[Carmoney]

As several others have noted, bobbing the hammer makes it lighter. When the hammer is lighter, it acts more efficiently in setting off the primer. As Randy Lee phrases it, "Fast slap always beats slow crushing blow." This allows the mainspring to be lightened up more than if you left the hammer at its full original weight. This, by the way, is the whole point to Randy's aftermarket hammer. However, that product is very expensive.

My home-done version accomplishes the same purpose:

There are other places you can remove weight from a hammer as well. Take a look at the other spots where I took away some metal from the hammer of the 25-2 Sam shoots--none compromise structural integrity--this hammer weighs less than the Randy hammer, and less than half of its original weight:

Another minor benefit is that it creates slightly less disruption when the hammer falls. (Those who have installed a Koenig or C&S superlight hammer in their 1911s will know what I'm talking about.) Plus if you get too high a grip when you draw the gun, the spur won't come back into the web of your hand.

You guys know how I feel about tricky mods to revolvers. They're all fine if you want to do them, but they're not going to make that big a deal in the final analysis. As I have repeated ad nauseum, a $450 625 with a nice action can take you all the way, if your skills are up to it. My advice: If you're handy and you like fooling with your guns, try experimenting with the light hammer thing and see what you think--but if you're not a tinkerer, it's not worth sending the gun out just to have somebody bob the hammer.

[8shooter]

Carmoney is right ..... unless you are at the top the balance it really depends on you.

My personal experience I found that lighter triggers didn't suit me, so bobbing hammers was a waist of time, however in the process I found my good friend was advantaged by lighter hammers and has since proven himself in the TOP 5 at the ICORE nats, not bad for an AUSSIE huh????

[Northern Xtreme]

Wow Carmoney, that is some impressive work!

You have inspired me, I am going to pick up an extra hammer and give it a try.

Would you mind sharing the process with me?

I would assume you would use a cutting wheel with the dremel and then maybe a grinder and some filing? Or do you need to use a hack saw at first?

[Carmoney]

Would you mind sharing the process with me?

Paul, there's nothing too technical about it. It's all done with the dremel tool. I use a fiber cut-off wheel to do all the major surgery, then switch to a sanding drum to shape it, then a cratex tip to finish it up. In the past I buffed the exterior part to a high polish, now I tend to use wet/dry sandpaper at the end to give it sort of a brushed finish. The hammer can get fairly hot when you're grinding if you're not careful. I usually hold it with a pair of flat-jawed visegrips, which act as a heat sink, plus I cool the hammer off with a spray of brake cleaner every few minutes to help keep it cool.

As you can see, I've done both the old- and new-style hammers, and both forged and MIM hammers, all with no problem.

[mshotwell]

Thanks for all the Quick responds. I have a Dremel tool and sometime. I just get the nerve to do it.

[Waltermitty]

Thanks for all the Quick responds. I have a Dremel tool and sometime. I just get the nerve to do it.

I don't know how you get your nerve, but don't drink and dremel.

[Mooney]

In addition to the action benefits of bobbing your hammer, I find that the hammer spur just adds another potential distraction in the form of ANOTHER focal plane while focusing on everything else that's going on- smoothing out the rear of the hammer relieves the eyes of the "pointy thing coming at me...better look at it" scenario.

Or maybe it's just me...

[Northern Xtreme]

Would you mind sharing the process with me?

Paul, there's nothing too technical about it. It's all done with the dremel tool. I use a fiber cut-off wheel to do all the major surgery, then switch to a sanding drum to shape it, then a cratex tip to finish it up. In the past I buffed the exterior part to a high polish, now I tend to use wet/dry sandpaper at the end to give it sort of a brushed finish. The hammer can get fairly hot when you're grinding if you're not careful. I usually hold it with a pair of flat-jawed visegrips, which act as a heat sink, plus I cool the hammer off with a spray of brake cleaner every few minutes to help keep it cool.

As you can see, I've done both the old- and new-style hammers, and both forged and MIM hammers, all with no problem.

Thanks Mike,

I am going to give it a try.

[RePete]

I've found that a bobbed hammer AND Wolff Reduced Power mainspring produces a fail to fire conditionUNLESS you are using Federal primers. Ergo I leave my hammers alone and use the factory mainspring with the 15# return spring.

RePete.

[Carmoney]

RePete, it's not the bobbed hammer creating the problem. Contrary to popular belief, lightening the hammer will improve primer ignition efficiency. Guarantee ya.

I should clarify that all this talk about super-light actions is for the competition arena only. On a carry or defense gun, bobbed hammers are fine, but you do want full-power (but not necessarily "over-power") springs.

To ensure 100% primer ignition, most of us competition wheelgunners use only Federal primers, and many of us (particularly those of us who have not yet invested in a Dillon 1050) take the extra step of hand-seating the primers to below flush. With properly-prepared ammo, my 625 with its 5.25 pound action will NEVER misfire.

[alellis]

With properly-prepared ammo, my 625 with its 5.25 pound action will NEVER misfire.

I for one would like to have a lighter double action pull on my 625.

With the standard innards it is around 9.5 LLbs.

I fitted a lighter mainspring and rebound spring. But had some light strikes.

When I powered up the mainspring to fire everyone it seems to be overpowering the lighter rebound spring and the trigger won't reset quick enough.

So how do I sort that out.

al

[mshotwell]

Well I went for it. 2 Dremel tools, 1 grinder, and one vice. NO liquid help!

I have to finish it yet. I didn't get to radical with it yet. Thanks for all the help.

Thanks Carmoney for the pictures, they help alot.

Edited November 25, 2006 by mshotwell

[Carmoney]

Yeah!!

[aerosigns]

Mike converts yet another.

MS nice work. Mike helped me with mine also and I can't say I have regretted it.

Now your 'wheel' cool!

Edited November 25, 2006 by aerosigns

[mshotwell]

Mike converts yet another.

MS nice work. Mike helped me with mine also and I can't say I have regretted it.

Now your 'wheel' cool!

Cool!!!!!!!

I see you are form the QC, are you going to be at Milan tommorrow?

Shotwell

[aerosigns]

Yes I will.

I will probably be there early enough to help set up with Terry.

I shouldn't be hard to find. It will be nice to meet you in person (probably again) and look at that hammer job.

Did you shoot Revo the last time we shot USPSA and ICORE?

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

With properly-prepared ammo, my 625 with its 5.25 pound action will NEVER misfire.

I for one would like to have a lighter double action pull on my 625.

With the standard innards it is around 9.5 LLbs.

I fitted a lighter mainspring and rebound spring. But had some light strikes.

When I powered up the mainspring to fire everyone it seems to be overpowering the lighter rebound spring and the trigger won't reset quick enough.

So how do I sort that out.

al

There are 6 different weight rebound springs in my kit. I match the rebound spring to the main spring for every gun and find no two are exactly the same. I use Wolfe reduced weight main springs sometimes and bend some times.

It seems with the arthritis, lighter is not always better and I end up with a 14# or 15# rebound spring needed to balance out the main spring. It also takes some stoning of the internals to smooth trigger pull and reset to where I want it.

I have bobbed hammers for a long time on both carry and competition guns of all frame sizes (J, K, L & N). I also balance the springs on my carry guns making them lighter than factory and smoother but still within factory specs.

Reducing spring tensions and weights will give lighter pulls but actually working the action is needed to make them reliable. (I also like the extended firing pins on J K & L )

[Waltermitty]

Mike converts yet another.

MS nice work. Mike helped me with mine also and I can't say I have regretted it.

snip

Now your 'wheel' cool!

It's just like taking the training wheels off your bicycle. Now you can run with the big kids.

[mshotwell]

Yes I will.

I will probably be there early enough to help set up with Terry.

I shouldn't be hard to find. It will be nice to meet you in person (probably again) and look at that hammer job.

Did you shoot Revo the last time we shot USPSA and ICORE?

I was there, see you tomorrow. I'll be there about 9