J-Frame S&W Hammer Question

Horse Plains Drifter

I have a model 36 that I want to put a bobbed hammer in. Can I buy a bobbed hammer somewhere, or do I need to buy a full hammer and bob it? Also, can I get away with replacing just the hammer, or should I replace the trigger assembly too so they are somewhat matched?

Thanks in advance for any help.

beantownshootah

You can sometimes find pre-bobbed hammers for sale, eg here:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=222567263#PIC

I don't think there is any reason to mess with the trigger assembly.

IIWY, I'd just bob the one in there already and be done with it. That way you KNOW the action won't change from a new part.

Edit:
Make sure that if you are getting a spare hammer, that it actually fits your gun. Smith hammer design has changed slightly over the years, and there are several designs out there (eg hammer nose, vs no nose, vs MIM, etc).

In terms of affecting reliability, the typical bobbing job just cuts off part or all of the hammer spur. From the OUTSIDE it looks like you're taking off a lot of metal, but if you consider the true mass of the entire hammer, its not as much as you might think. See here:

X-frame hammer (but you get the idea):


Its true that the mass of the hammer spur is disproportionately useful because its far from the hammer pivot and offers good rotational inertia, but whatever mass you remove from the hammer also makes it swing faster, both decreasing locktime, and partially offsetting the loss of mass.

I think most of the stories of gun unreliability after bobbing the hammer come from the simultaneous lightening of springs that many shooters do at the same time to improve the DA-only trigger pull.

I've seen/tried several guns with *just* bobbed hammers and they've all run 100%. The one like this I actually own has a professionally done "semi" bobbed hammer with rounded edges that retains just enough spur to cock manually, but is shortened and smoothed enough to make it relatively snag resistant.

But the gun I carry retains a full hammer, and I like it that way. Apart from letting me cock the gun manually, the "snagging" helps keep the gun from falling out of my pocket by mistake! To draw a hammered gun from the pocket or other snag-prone location, you just put your thumb over the hammer during the draw. Simple, and it becomes second nature with a bit of practice.

yoshmyster

If it were me (and not wanting to buy a S&W 638/649) I'd buy just the hammer to chop. I'd save the original just in case I want to go back. I'd match the hammer and do nothing to the action (again this will make going back easy).

Also I recall reading somewhere too light of a hammer would not make the primer go pop. Then again a stronger hammer spring should fix that.

nmyers

If it were me, I'd leave it alone. There may be times when I need to make an accurate shot; I can do that with a J-frame on single action, but not double action.

If you just have to do it, you should consider making it as good a DA-only gun as possible by also:
1) having a gunsmith do an action job
2) installing Wolff springs
3) installing a wide smooth trigger

Neal

dfletcher

Fit the new hammer to the gun & trigger, don't fit the gun & trigger to the new hammer. You should be able to do that or have it done without buying a new trigger. That way, if you return to the original hammer the gun will function properly.

If you purchase a hammer ensure it has the firing pin, DA sear and spring installed.

In general, most I've seen don't look too good - it's fairly obvious a hammer has been lopped off. Fitting the hammer for function takes a bit of talent, I think the real challenge is making the exposed and cut hammer look good.

Horse Plains Drifter

Thanks for the opinions guys! I want to find an extra hammer to do this, so I can swap the original parts back in if I want.