check out slow motion of my 44 alaskan

I have never noticed the hammer bounce on a revolver before.

After watching the video, I pulled out an SP101 and a GP100 and did some very simple experimentation.

It seems that the GP100/Super Redhawk/SP101 design (they're all very similar internally) is set up so that when the trigger is held fully to the rear, hammer motion has no effect on the rest of the trigger/cylinder linkage. From experimentation, it seems that the hammer is completely disconnected from the internal linkage with the trigger held to the rear. I'll have to play around to see how that disconnection is implemented the next time I have one taken apart.

It looks like the hammer is bouncing due to the dynamics of the cartridge firing, not due to simply hitting the frame and rebounding. It would be interesting to see a slow-mo of the pistol being dryfired to see if there's any bounce present in the absence of a cartridge being discharged.
 
You are braver then I am.. I would never stick my finger out to the front of trigger gaurd on that 500.. Me, I would tuck it right under the trigger gaurd, nice and tight!
 
Johnksa I noticed the same thing, very surprising and initially alarming. But you are right there is a transfer bar that protects against a dble tap. Just the same that hammer is bouncing a lot!
 
JohnKSa said:
From experimentation, it seems that the hammer is completely disconnected from the internal linkage with the trigger held to the rear.
Click to expand...

Yes. The hand is mounted on the trigger, so when the trigger's back, it's out of play, and the hammer's free to move back and forth.


JohnKSa said:
It looks like the hammer is bouncing due to the dynamics of the cartridge firing, not due to simply hitting the frame and rebounding.
Click to expand...

Yes again. When fired, the case slams back against the recoil shield and hits the protruding firing pin. It's this action that resets the primer back fully into the case, and it's likely the equal and opposite reaction has the firing pin hitting the hammer, causing the hammer bump.

With their hammer-mounted hands, though, I wonder how single action revolvers don't advance the cylinder when the hammer bumps like that. :confused:
 
wasp and 1stmar you are right. i did notice i had my finger out and not sure why? i usualy dont shoot revolver like that. i did just finish shooting my sig p220 where it does feel comfortable to put that finger on front trigger gard.(for me anyway). sure dont need any flame cutting on my finger,though it looks somewhat low for that to happen.the second video taken was the 44 alaskan in which is my normal hold.
might not be bad ideal for anyone to video their shooting and learn some lessons-kind of like golfers do for their form?
 
video was taken outside about high noon, the backdrop is a wall with big thick rubber tiles for sound-wonder what night would look like.ive seen other videos.the guy has other videos on you tube and would guess probably to the same range.have not checked the rest out, think they are all slow mo of different firearms.
 
"It seems that the GP100/Super Redhawk/SP101 design (they're all very similar internally) is set up so that when the trigger is held fully to the rear, hammer motion has no effect on the rest of the trigger/cylinder linkage."
Otherwise that thing looks like it'd take off on full auto! :eek:

TCB
 
Cool videos! One thing is for certain, the .500 is a serious hunk of steel. I really don't think I have any use for a beast like that, too much of a handful and way too expensive to shoot. But the Alaskan is another thing altogether, I would like one in .44mag.
 
But you are right there is a transfer bar that protects against a dble tap.
Click to expand...
Actually, with the trigger held to the rear, the transfer bar will remain in the "fire" position. If the cylinder were to somehow advance during the interval of the hammer bounce, presenting an unfired cartridge to the firing pin, the gun might fire a second time.

The real safety mechanism in this case is that although the hammer bounces, it is, while the trigger is held to the rear, disconnected from the internal mechanism that advances the cylinder. In addition, the cylinder "bolt" in this design holds the cylinder in place against rotation. So the hammer can bounce all day but it will only bounce harmlessly on the chamber that has already been fired.

Very interesting video. It makes me all the more impressed with the gun designers who developed workable firearms without the benefit of things like high-speed video analysis.
 
JohnKSa,

Good point about the cylinder not advancing. I would be worried if this was a single action revolver though.. that bounce would be like "fanning" the hammer on a SA... right?
 
That's correct. If hammers on single-action revolvers bounced like that, there would be some serious potential for multiple shots per trigger pull.

That's part of why I earlier expressed curiosity about the dynamics of what causes the hammer to bounce.

Clearly something is keeping the single-action revolvers from bouncing like we see in the video even though the dynamics of the interaction between the case, firing pin and hammer should be identical with what occurs in a double-action design.
 
I have slomo filmed my 44 mag as well. I used full tilt 240 grain gas checked LSWC ammunition. I also saw minor hammer bounce with the heaviest loads. I wondered if the bounce was caused by recoil, or the primer pushing back on the firing pin when the pressure in the case gets high enough?

Are you using the stock weight hammer spring? You may be able to see evidence of the bounce on the primer.
 
Alaskan has all stock parts.primers in case are flat with with mill marks off of backing plate. 240 gr with h110 near max. cases eject fine.
 
Alaskan has all stock parts.primers in case are flat with with mill marks off of backing plate. 240 gr with h110 near max. cases eject fine.
Click to expand...

That's about where I'm at, H110 with a max load, I can see the mill marks in my primers as well, I figured that was a good place to stop:p
 
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