Bobbing the hammer on a DA/SA snub: questions.

[Bill DeShivs]

Yes, as long as the end result is a fired primer.

But again, let's drive that nail- using a 2 lb. hammer works just fine and moves the nail X amount on each hit.
Now, try driving the same nail X amount using a tack hammer. You can't get enough speed on the tack hammer to do the job.

 

[Steve in Allentown]

Yes, as long as the end result is a fired primer.

But again, let's drive that nail- using a 2 lb. hammer works just fine and moves the nail X amount on each hit.
Now, try driving the same nail X amount using a tack hammer. You can't get enough speed on the tack hammer to do the job.

The trick it seems is to find the combination of weight and speed that will get the job done reliably. I think that had I lightened the 625 hammer too much, there wouldn't have been a spring strong enough to make it move fast enough to pop a primer. The thing is I don't know where that line is. I do know that carving up the hammer reduced its weight to 269 grains and resulted in a delightfully light double action trigger pull that lights off every primer I've put through it including Wolf.

So, it's a balancing act between hammer weight and the hammer spring. The Goldilocks rule applies here. A hammer that's not too light and not too heavy. The challenge is having to depend on the experience of others to inform the decision on how much weight to remove.

I have to stress that my only hands-on experience with all of this is limited to two S&W N-frames and I do know S&W K/L-frames can be so modified but I do not know if it is possible with any other revolvers.

 

[Moenie]

Based on #4 it sounds like you've had it done!

Any chance of a picture?
I must say I like they look, though.

Somehow says "take me seriously!"

Truthfully, the hammer on this one is not bobbed but replaced with a bobbed Apex hammer.

 

[Moenie]

1. What are the lesser known disadvantages of bobbing the hammer?

Makes it difficult to spin the cylinder to be sure that there are no high primers, burred rims, etc. binding cylinder rotation.

Ok, I'm missing something here.

Can you spin the cylinder in an Astra while the cylinder is in the frame? None of my DA guns will allow that. I've never owned an Astra but I always thought they were S&W clones.

The only revolvers that will allow me to do that are my SAA single actions but then bobbing an SA hammer is really a bad idea anyway.

 

[Moenie]

Reducing hammer weight can reduce mass enough that primer ignition can suffer.

The lighter hammer accelerates faster and therefore hits the primer/firing pin at a higher velocity. Given energy is velocity squared times mass, in theory the lighter hammer carries more energy assuming the mainspring weight remains the same.

How well the "theory" translated into practice I have no idea.

My understanding is that light hammers are preferred as they give faster lock times, not for reliability.

 

[lee n. field]

Ok, I'm missing something here.

Can you spin the cylinder in an Astra while the cylinder is in the frame? None of my DA guns will allow that. I've never owned an Astra but I always thought they were S&W clones.

The only revolvers that will allow me to do that are my SAA single actions but then bobbing an SA hammer is really a bad idea anyway.

What I have seen some people advocate is pulling the hammer back slightly, and turning the cylinder manually. This is to check to make sure you don't have high primers, that would bind the gun up.

(Seems to me you could accomplish the same end by pushing the cylinder latch, rolling the cylinder out slightly, to get it past the cylinder stop, and turning it. )

 

[lee n. field]

The lighter hammer accelerates faster and therefore hits the primer/firing pin at a higher velocity. Given energy is velocity squared times mass, in theory the lighter hammer carries more energy assuming the mainspring weight remains the same.

How well the "theory" translated into practice I have no idea.

My understanding is that light hammers are preferred as they give faster lock times, not for reliability.

Kel Tec small autos (and other company's copies) use a very small hammer. I've not read of any reliability problems on that account.

 

[Moenie]

What I have seen some people advocate is pulling the hammer back slightly, and turning the cylinder manually. This is to check to make sure you don't have high primers, that would bind the gun up.

(Seems to me you could accomplish the same end by pushing the cylinder latch, rolling the cylinder out slightly, to get it past the cylinder stop, and turning it. )

Ah, ok. Got it.

I was thinking Astra's may have a half cock sear like you get on Colt SAA type revolvers that allows the cylinder to spin freely. I've never owned an Astra.

 

[44 AMP]

The lighter hammer accelerates faster and therefore hits the primer/firing pin at a higher velocity. Given energy is velocity squared times mass, in theory the lighter hammer carries more energy assuming the mainspring weight remains the same.

How well the "theory" translated into practice I have no idea.

Here's a point to consider, math is accurate, but can be misleading. The energy derived from the standard formula where velocity squared is used doesn't tell the entire story. We use it alot, because it is a number that can be calculated the same way over a wide range of very different things, and is useful for general comparisons (energy # to energy #) but not always useful for accurate comparison of actual effect of that energy.

For example, one can load a .22-250 and a .45-70 to exactly the same identical energy in ft/lbs. Which one would you choose for buffalo???

Another example is the door of a safe. Big heavy steel door with plenty of inertia. Slap the door with X ft/lbs of energy, see what happens, then push the door with exactly the same ft/lbs of energy.

the slap barely moves the door, the push gets it swinging closed...same amount of ft/lbs but different results due to factors OTHER than just ft/lbs of energy.

The lightened hammer, swinging faster MAY deliver the same amount of energy calculated on paper, but may NOT deliver the same results, due to other, real world factors.