Cutting the spur with a hammer mounted firing pin

[jhgtyre]

Okay. I did a little searching and found some info but not the answer to the exact question I have in mind. I have a 629-1 that I've gotten moonclipped and have been shooting it in ICORE matches. Using .44 Russian brass and 240 grain bullets this thing has all the recoil of a bb pistol. The problem I am having is that the stupid hammer spur hits my hand and screws up my shot sometimes. This gun has the firing pin mounted on the hammer. Will cutting the spur off make trouble? From what I have read I don't think it will I am just paranoid and looking for some reassurance from those who have been there and done that.

Thanks,

-Larry

[Airedale]

I bobbed my 25-2 with no subsequent problems.

Go for it!

Dave

[Bill Nesbitt]

<----- No problems here.

[jhgtyre]

I bobbed my 25-2 with no subsequent problems.

Go for it!

Dave

Cool. I can see a date with the Dremel in my future. That darn trigger might get some thinning while I am at it!

Thanks,

-Larry

[Tom E]

Okay. I did a little searching and found some info but not the answer to the exact question I have in mind. I have a 629-1 that I've gotten moonclipped and have been shooting it in ICORE matches. Using .44 Russian brass and 240 grain bullets this thing has all the recoil of a bb pistol. The problem I am having is that the stupid hammer spur hits my hand and screws up my shot sometimes. This gun has the firing pin mounted on the hammer. Will cutting the spur off make trouble? From what I have read I don't think it will I am just paranoid and looking for some reassurance from those who have been there and done that.

Thanks,

-Larry

Cut it, how much depends on the appearance you want. Weigh it first, the forged hammers are much heavier than an MIM hammer. Your cut hammer will probably still be heavier than a stock MIM hammer, but any lightening you do helps.

[jhgtyre]

Okay. I did a little searching and found some info but not the answer to the exact question I have in mind. I have a 629-1 that I've gotten moonclipped and have been shooting it in ICORE matches. Using .44 Russian brass and 240 grain bullets this thing has all the recoil of a bb pistol. The problem I am having is that the stupid hammer spur hits my hand and screws up my shot sometimes. This gun has the firing pin mounted on the hammer. Will cutting the spur off make trouble? From what I have read I don't think it will I am just paranoid and looking for some reassurance from those who have been there and done that.

Thanks,

-Larry

Cut it, how much depends on the appearance you want. Weigh it first, the forged hammers are much heavier than an MIM hammer. Your cut hammer will probably still be heavier than a stock MIM hammer, but any lightening you do helps.

I get how the weight is going to matter but I don't know what percentage I am hoping to drop or if there is a desired final weight. Is there a formula for this or do you just start carving?

-ld

[vrmn1]

For some stupid reason Smith thinks there is some use to those damn long wide target hammers.

And they put them in everything.

You are not going to hurt anything you can cut the hammer up just like Carmoney and others of us have done.

One my hunting revos I leave some spur but trim it up a good bit.

My match guns I really chop them up.

[Tom E]

I get how the weight is going to matter but I don't know what percentage I am hoping to drop or if there is a desired final weight. Is there a formula for this or do you just start carving?

Start carving. Cut all you can. Lighter is better.

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

My carry gun:

My 1955 target USPSA/ICORE gun

Both work well for what they are used for with hammers bobbed. I also have a Model 60 with a factory bobbed hammer.

Edited September 11, 2008 by Round_Gun_Shooter

[jhgtyre]

Nice blasters. I will have to get the bob-o-matic out this week and try this out for the ICORE match this weekend.

Thanks guys,

-ld

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

Nice blasters. I will have to get the bob-o-matic out this week and try this out for the ICORE match this weekend.

Thanks guys,

-ld

If you run into a problem (too much off) I may even have a spare hammer here somewhere.

Gary

[jhgtyre]

Nice blasters. I will have to get the bob-o-matic out this week and try this out for the ICORE match this weekend.

Thanks guys,

-ld

If you run into a problem (too much off) I may even have a spare hammer here somewhere.

Gary

My biggest concern, other than my now extinct fear of making the gun go click instead of bang, is that my hammer will break. I don't plan to cut a ton off so that shouldn't be a big deal. If I do manage to kill it though I will certainly take you up on that offer. I also have a much smaller fear that my work will be butt ugly. Thankfully I have a friend who can usually fix that sort of problem.

Thanks.

-ld

[vrmn1]

Hear is a picture of a hammer mounted firing pin hammer. the Mike cut.

I have done 3 like this or dang close.

[jhgtyre]

Hear is a picture of a hammer mounted firing pin hammer. the Mike cut.

I have done 3 like this or dang close.

Very cool. A blue print is kinda nice to have!

Thanks,

-Larry

[20nickels]

For some stupid reason Smith thinks there is some use to those damn long wide target hammers.

And they put them in everything.

You are not going to hurt anything you can cut the hammer up just like Carmoney and others of us have done.

One my hunting revos I leave some spur but trim it up a good bit.

My match guns I really chop them up.

Agreed, Those wide hammers are just silly. Like a beaver tale on my gun.

[Carmoney]

Hear is a picture of a hammer mounted firing pin hammer. the Mike cut.

I have done 3 like this or dang close.

Very cool. A blue print is kinda nice to have!

Thanks,

-Larry

The hammer in the picture has some additional cuts to remove weight, but I'm not sure they're worth the extra effort. That particular hammer is from my old 25-2 that my son Sam now shoots.

[jhgtyre]

Good to know. I do like the visual reference of that straight line down the back as compared to the pin holes. That gives me a good idea of what should be a safe working zone.

Thanks,

-ld

[AzShooter]

Watch out Larry, between that and those mouse fart loads you are using you may end up in A class soon enough.

[Tom E]

Good to know. I do like the visual reference of that straight line down the back as compared to the pin holes. That gives me a good idea of what should be a safe working zone.

Thanks,

-ld

You can do some rounding at the top (firing pin area) also. Throw a radius around the firing pin pivot. From the side and from the top. The area where weight removal does the most good is farthest from the hammer pivot. Polar moment of inertia.

[Carmoney]

Just make sure you don't remove too much material behind the hammer nose, and don't go so far the rear of the sear spring becomes exposed.

[COF]

Just make sure you don't remove too much material behind the hammer nose, and don't go so far the rear of the sear spring becomes exposed.

Amen to that one! I Carmonized my 686 hammer last summer and took just a smidge too much off and away went the spring. Didn't work so good after that and had to replace the hammer

Jerry

[jhgtyre]

Well I had to wait for the tumbler to clean my brass before I could reload last night so out came the Dremel and off came that huge hammer spur. I decided to just cut the spur and leave the material over the main spring. I will clean it up a tad for cosmetics later but for now I am totally happy with the result. I shot a four stage match with it today and really loved being able to get a really high grip without that spur hitting my hand and screwing up my shot.

Thanks for all the input/advice.

-Larry

[David Sinko]

I cut the spur off all mine with a Dremel and a knife maker friend cleans it up and rounds the edges with a belt sander. He then adds some kind of grit to the wheel to finish it off. This does not disturb the coloring of the sides. I prefer that the end result look concave and not flat. In a few days I will buy an older pristine Model 60 from my brother and it will get the same treatment. On my SP101 I left a rounded nub where the spur used to be in case I needed to carry it in a holster with a retention strap for extra security, but looking back it seems that was not really necessary.

Years ago I had a debate with Hamilton Bowen when I ordered my Redhawk Alpine Conversion. I told him to cut off the hammer spur and he said he felt it would cause ignition problems. I was the first one to ask him to cut the spur off a Redhawk. I told him that there was no evidence this causes ignition problems and the gun functioned perfectly when I got it. Years later it did develop serious ignition problems, and again he accused the spurless hammer as being the culprit. In the end, my original spurless hammer still works fine in that gun but these transfer bar ignition systems are very quirky and difficult to understand. It all made me realize what a wonderful thing the S&W revolver really is.

Dave Sinko