[Redfern]

Hello, I have a Hi-Standard Sentinel .22 revolver from 1973.

When I dropped the hammer, without pulling the trigger, the round goes off. This implies that the hammer can snag, cock back and then drop, setting off the round. I guess that due to the vintage of this gun, I must be aware of this situation.

So, I have to regard this revolver like a single action 19th century revolver, and avoid keeping a round under the hammer?

[Jim March]

That's exactly correct, at the moment.

Several points:

High Standards were pretty good guns loosely patterned after the S&W action. So I'm betting it originally had a "hammer block safety" versus a transfer bar. Hammer blocks are retracted out of the way when the trigger is pulled. If they break, it leaves the gun in the state you describe. If a transfer bar breaks, the gun fails to fire. S&Ws of that era used hammer blocks; at that time, the transfer bar was barely invented and is now the more dominant type.

You should take it to a gunsmith. He'll be able to determine what's up here. It MAY not have had a safety at all but, honestly, based just on HS's rep I find that unlikely, although I don't know for sure.

Oh ya, one more detail: if I'm right, and it's a hammer block broken off, it could be down inside the lockwork somewhere ready to tie the gun up. Don't rely on it for anything serious, although with a 22LR that may be an unnecessary warning.

[Albert Shear]

Originally posted by Redfern, "Hello, I have a Hi-Standard Sentinel .22 revolver from 1973.

So, I have to regard this revolver like a single action 19th century revolver, and avoid keeping a round under the hammer?"



If you are worried that the hammer can snag, pull back, then release and fire how would not having a round under the hammer help. When the hammer travels rearward the cylinder will turn to align the next charge hole. Maybe I am missing something?
Al

[Jim March]

Well, the MAIN thing to worry about is the hammer being hit from behind somehow, or the gun is dropped. If the gun is carried in even a decent holster, the trigger is covered. That leaves the "hammer snag" issue, but with the cylinder in the holster, it resists rotation pretty well.

Hammer-on-empty works fairly well as a carry method on a no-safety wheelgun. Granted, cock it and then drop it and all bets are off :(. And reloading demands caution :eek:.