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if you pulled back the hammer on a revolver but did not want to shoot it, how would you safely lower the hammer down without discharging the revolver?
lowering the hammer down?
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RIDE-RED 350r
New member
I don't know about other brands/types of revolvers, but on a S&W DA revolver, if you let your finger off the trigger after you have eased the hammer past the sear on it's way down, it is not possible for the firing pin to strike the primer. If your finger remains on the trigger, the firing pin can strike the primer.
To demonstrate how the internal hammer block on a S&W works..
1) VERIFY THE WEAPON IS CLEARED!!
2) cock the hammer in SA mode and point the muzzle straight up.
3) drop a BIC non-clicker type pen down into the barrel letting it come to rest at the back of the frame against the firing pin hole.
4) Pull the trigger, noting that the pen flies out of the barrel.
This demonstrates how the firing pin protrudes through the firing pin hole and strikes a primer in a normal firing situation when your finger pulls the trigger.
Now, repeat steps 1 through 3. Only this time while holding the revolver pointing the muzzle straight up with the hammer cocked and your pen back in the chamber, strike the trigger with another pen or similar object until the hammer falls. Don't pull or push the trigger, tap it repeatedly until the hammer falls. This simulates an accidental hammer drop induced by dropping the revolver or other such set of circumstances where the hammer could be influenced to fall without your finger pulling the trigger. If your internal hammer block is functioning correctly, the pen will not fly out of the barrel, indicating that the firing pin did not protrude into the chamber to strike a primer. You will also note that the trigger came back to the full forward position, but made a noise you never heard your revolver make before.
Once you understand this, you will understand how to safely un-cock your revolver the way I stated at the beginning of this post.(if it is a S&W). I cannot speak to other brands/types.
To demonstrate how the internal hammer block on a S&W works..
1) VERIFY THE WEAPON IS CLEARED!!
2) cock the hammer in SA mode and point the muzzle straight up.
3) drop a BIC non-clicker type pen down into the barrel letting it come to rest at the back of the frame against the firing pin hole.
4) Pull the trigger, noting that the pen flies out of the barrel.
This demonstrates how the firing pin protrudes through the firing pin hole and strikes a primer in a normal firing situation when your finger pulls the trigger.
Now, repeat steps 1 through 3. Only this time while holding the revolver pointing the muzzle straight up with the hammer cocked and your pen back in the chamber, strike the trigger with another pen or similar object until the hammer falls. Don't pull or push the trigger, tap it repeatedly until the hammer falls. This simulates an accidental hammer drop induced by dropping the revolver or other such set of circumstances where the hammer could be influenced to fall without your finger pulling the trigger. If your internal hammer block is functioning correctly, the pen will not fly out of the barrel, indicating that the firing pin did not protrude into the chamber to strike a primer. You will also note that the trigger came back to the full forward position, but made a noise you never heard your revolver make before.
Once you understand this, you will understand how to safely un-cock your revolver the way I stated at the beginning of this post.(if it is a S&W). I cannot speak to other brands/types.
Bob Wright
New member
RIDE-RED 350r:
That proceedure works best using a red Coca-Cola No. 2 wooden pencil, with an unused eraser at the tip. Place it eraser down.
An yellow Eagle No. 2 pencil also works.
Bob Wright
That proceedure works best using a red Coca-Cola No. 2 wooden pencil, with an unused eraser at the tip. Place it eraser down.
An yellow Eagle No. 2 pencil also works.
Bob Wright
I dont understand holding it back at all. That would disable the trigger bar safety, would it not? Or are you talking about something else?
If you trip the trigger, and let go of the hammer, you'll see it goes back down differently, if you hold the trigger, or you dont. At least with any of the DA revolvers Im accustomed to.
If you trip the trigger, and let go of the hammer, you'll see it goes back down differently, if you hold the trigger, or you dont. At least with any of the DA revolvers Im accustomed to.
Driftwood Johnson
New member
Good Grief!
Some of you guys are overthinking this.
With your finger off the trigger, pull the hammer all the way back. It will travel back a little bit further than the full cock position.
Maintaining pressure on the hammer spur with your thumb, pull the trigger. As long as you maintain the same pressure on the hammer spur that you used to pull the hammer all the way back, the hammer will not fall.
Let up slightly with the pressure on your thumb to lower the hammer in a controlled fashion. Forget about letting go of the trigger, keep the trigger pressed back with your trigger finger.
Continue to lower the hammer, allowing your thumb to ride the hammer spur without losing control of the hammer.
That's all there is to it. Even though this is a single action revolver, the procedure is the same for a double action revolver. Forget about letting go of the trigger, that requires more motor skills. Just keep the trigger pressed back while you lower the hammer with your thumb. With a double action revolver, once the hammer is all the way down, release the trigger and it will pop to the forward postion.
Of course it is best to practice this with an unloaded gun before trying it with a loaded one. Do it over and over again until you feel you have control. Should take all of five minutes to master it.
By the way, I wouldn't dream of letting go of the trigger and then letting the hammer fly. Even with a modern double action revolver, it just doesn't make sense. Just control the hammer on the way down. Same with a transfer bar equipped Ruger. Just lower the hammer carefully.
Some of you guys are overthinking this.
With your finger off the trigger, pull the hammer all the way back. It will travel back a little bit further than the full cock position.
Maintaining pressure on the hammer spur with your thumb, pull the trigger. As long as you maintain the same pressure on the hammer spur that you used to pull the hammer all the way back, the hammer will not fall.
Let up slightly with the pressure on your thumb to lower the hammer in a controlled fashion. Forget about letting go of the trigger, keep the trigger pressed back with your trigger finger.
Continue to lower the hammer, allowing your thumb to ride the hammer spur without losing control of the hammer.
That's all there is to it. Even though this is a single action revolver, the procedure is the same for a double action revolver. Forget about letting go of the trigger, that requires more motor skills. Just keep the trigger pressed back while you lower the hammer with your thumb. With a double action revolver, once the hammer is all the way down, release the trigger and it will pop to the forward postion.
Of course it is best to practice this with an unloaded gun before trying it with a loaded one. Do it over and over again until you feel you have control. Should take all of five minutes to master it.
By the way, I wouldn't dream of letting go of the trigger and then letting the hammer fly. Even with a modern double action revolver, it just doesn't make sense. Just control the hammer on the way down. Same with a transfer bar equipped Ruger. Just lower the hammer carefully.
Concur.
You worry about coordinating the release of the trigger while lowering the hammer, you add complexity to a very simple process.
Same with appendages between hammer & frame.
Anytime you add complexity, you multiply the chances of something going wrong.
Practice empty, get the basic motor skills down, muzzle in safe direction, maintain control of hammer till it's down.
Denis
You worry about coordinating the release of the trigger while lowering the hammer, you add complexity to a very simple process.
Same with appendages between hammer & frame.
Anytime you add complexity, you multiply the chances of something going wrong.
Practice empty, get the basic motor skills down, muzzle in safe direction, maintain control of hammer till it's down.
Denis
Cold Steel
New member
Years ago, two detectives in Florida, I think, answered a disturbance call because two uniforms couldn't be diverted. Turned out it was a cat. Trouble is, the two guys that were sent out had both cocked their revolvers and had no idea how to lower the hammers. One went into the woman's bathroom and for some reason thought it would be okay if he discharged the gun while it was pointed at the toilet bowl.
Of course the bullet blew it to pieces.
The smarter of the two asked the woman for some dental floss and he literally used it to tie the hammer back to the frame. When regular police responded a short time later, the detective handed his gun to one of the officers with the hammer tied back neatly, but securely with the floss. Moments later the cop was led to the bathroom and was told the story about the first detective. The detective never lived it down.
Of course the bullet blew it to pieces.
The smarter of the two asked the woman for some dental floss and he literally used it to tie the hammer back to the frame. When regular police responded a short time later, the detective handed his gun to one of the officers with the hammer tied back neatly, but securely with the floss. Moments later the cop was led to the bathroom and was told the story about the first detective. The detective never lived it down.
Wrong. Should the hammer slip, the "appendage" will prevent an AD. It's that simple. And, like I said, a pinched pinkie and a little swearing is a lot less aggravation than a hole through the wall or into your neighbors apartment and into his sleeping daughter.
It's hardly complex. Or at least I don't find it so.
At some point the appendage (or pencil, or pen, or whatever you want to stick in there) has to come out of that gap.
Trying to coordinate that with lowering the hammer & releasing the trigger & holding your mouth just right turns a very simple process into one more complicated than it has to be.
Use the appendage, pen or pencil, if it makes you feel more comfortable.
For 45 years I've just lowered the hammer & moved on.
Very simple.
As DJ says- some tend to overthink the thing.
Denis
Trying to coordinate that with lowering the hammer & releasing the trigger & holding your mouth just right turns a very simple process into one more complicated than it has to be.
Use the appendage, pen or pencil, if it makes you feel more comfortable.
For 45 years I've just lowered the hammer & moved on.
Very simple.
As DJ says- some tend to overthink the thing.
Denis