Charter Arms Undercover .38 - Partial Bob on Hammer

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RustyKnight

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Recently picked up a C.A. Undercover, .38. I've decided it will be primarily pocket-carry back-up.

Not crazy about the hammer spur. Not great in a pocket. I know I can get a double-action only hammer for 25 bux, but I'm not keen on losing all single-action.

So...anyone here tried a partial bob? Reduce length while retaining some ability to single-action. If you have images of your successful experiment with this, that'd be appreciated.

 
I understand your want for the single action to remain, but in this case with this gun you have to choose, bobbed double action only hammer or spurred double action/single action hammer. the factory bobbed hammers are more than just bobbed, they are designed to still have the weight of a full hammer so the light strike issue isn't one.
 
I've replaced the hammer in a few of my charter arms, it's easy and looks good when done. If mine is designated carry gun, then I practice with it at the range as a carry gun, DAO, I'll never use single action in a defensive situation. Plus, I've found some bobbed hammers to be downright dangerous when tried to use as single action, not enough meat left on the hammer and had my thumb slip off once. Never again ! Now I either leave the hammer alone or swap it out for the DAO hammer.
 
Or could just learn to properly use the DA trigger....
It doesn’t cost a thing and makes you a better shooter.
 
I know you honestly believe that the spur on a carry gun is going to be a problem , we have all been told that repeatedly .... so it must be true.

I was going to purchase a J frame for concealed carry , but do not like DAO revolvers so I asked two friends who were policemen about "The Problem " ...
Both carried J frame 38 special back ups and BOTH had spurred triggers....Both said it was no problem... I have two J frames , carried since 2004 , IWB and pocket and I know you don't want to hear this...but drawing the guns has never been a problem...not one snag. I can cock it , let the hammer down and shoot them DA or SA...NO Problems !
And that's the truth...both of my police buddies have lived to retirement age while carrying revolvers with the factory spurs .
Gary
 
I have a Charter Bulldog .44 and it has a factory bobbed hammer with serrations on for SA cocking that work just fine.

 
JERRYS. said:
the factory bobbed hammers are more than just bobbed, they are designed to still have the weight of a full hammer so the light strike issue isn't one
Click to expand...

In the FWIW dept, all else equal, a lighter hammer actually increases reliability.


kymasabe said:
when tried to use as single action, not enough meat left on the hammer and had my thumb slip off once. Never again !
Click to expand...

With the caveat that I'm not familiar with Charter's lockwork, revolvers are generally designed so that if the hammer slips and falls while cocking, the gun won't go off if your finger's off the trigger.


TBM900 said:
Or could just learn to properly use the DA trigger....
It doesn’t cost a thing and makes you a better shooter.
Click to expand...

I tend to agree on both. Plus, cocking the hammer (especially one with a little bitty spur) in a high stress situation is very bad JuJu.
 
The partial bob keeps some mass in the hammer.
A friend did a severe bob on a Taurus and had to put in a stronger mainspring.
 
MrBorland said:
In the FWIW dept, all else equal, a lighter hammer actually increases reliability
Click to expand...

Jim Watson said:
A friend did a severe bob on a Taurus and had to put in a stronger mainspring
Click to expand...

There are limits and caveats to my statement above. Mass (more correctly rotational inertia) can get so low that the hammer has trouble overcoming internal fraction. This can be a particular issue if the gun's in need of a good internal smoothing to begin with. It's why bobbing the hammer (especially if it's a radical bob) is best done as part of a good action job by a qualified 'smith.
 
gwpercle said:
I know you honestly believe that the spur on a carry gun is going to be a problem , we have all been told that repeatedly .... so it must be true.

I was going to purchase a J frame for concealed carry , but do not like DAO revolvers so I asked two friends who were policemen about "The Problem " ...
Both carried J frame 38 special back ups and BOTH had spurred triggers....Both said it was no problem... I have two J frames , carried since 2004 , IWB and pocket and I know you don't want to hear this...but drawing the guns has never been a problem...not one snag. I can cock it , let the hammer down and shoot them DA or SA...NO Problems !
And that's the truth...both of my police buddies have lived to retirement age while carrying revolvers with the factory spurs .
Gary
Click to expand...
I've spent over 40 years in law enforcement
Starting back in the 70's when the VAST majority of LEOs primary was a wheel gun
And probably 99.99999999999999999% of BUG's were wheel guns
I've known many LEOs who snagged their spur
I've witnessed LEOs snag their spur
I've snagged my own spur
It happens

There are carry methods that can reduce the likelihood
There are draw methods that can reduce the likelihood
But it can still happen, even to the most well trained & practiced

You want to know what I've never seen in all that time?
You want to know what I've never even heard in all that time?
A single instance of anyone ever needing to take a single action shot

Just say'n ;)
 
Hammer spur isnt needed, buy the DAO hammer and never worry about it again. The Undercover is a 2" barrel, a point and shoot self defense gun. Why would you want a hammer spur? For bullseye shooting...with a snubby? Ditch the spur, spend the $25.
 
The old factory pocket hammers pop up on GB and ebay from time to time.

There are two sizes, one for the Undercover framed guns, and one for the Bulldog framed guns.
 
I Bobbed the hammer on a Smith 37. It works just fine. If I want, for some reason to cock it, it takes a strong pinch with thumb and forefinger.
 

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I slowly and carefully ground off most of the hammer spur of one of my Taurus 85's. I took my time and let the metal cool down between grindings so that I wouldn't hurt the temper of the steel. I just left a little round nub that can't snag on anything. It's not beautiful, but it was easy to do and now it's snagproof.
 
I didn’t say a hammer didn’t need mass. Matter of fact, I even clarified that some minimal mass is necessary.

A hammer traveling through it's arc has momentum and power. It needs both to light off primers, but it’s got more than enough momentum in stock form. Lightening the hammer speeds it up (assuming the same mainspring), shifting the balance towards more power, since power is more dependent on speed than is momentum.
 
A car rolls into you from behind at 1 mph. You feel your car lurch - that's momentum being transferred. Yet your rear bumper is pristine because that slow lumbering car had little power.

Now, take a good swing at that bumper with a ball peen hammer. Relatively low momentum, but relatively high power. You bet it's gonna leave a mark. Momentum is good for moving things, power is good for denting things.

When a revolver's hammer drops, you'll always have momentum and power, but stock actions are generally weighted towards momentum. By lightening the hammer, you increase power, which is what really dents the primer.
 
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