[Texpatriate]

Forgive my ignorance. Why is a brass hammer recommended for gunsmithing applications? What advantage(s) does a brass hammer have over a steel hammer or rubber mallet?

I'm planning to drive the taper pins out of the front sight base on one of my AR's with a punch and hammer, and I'm wondering if I need to invest in a brass hammer or not. Looks like they're not too expensive. That said, I've done a lot of work on my own AR's over the last couple of years with good punches and just a plain ol' hammer like you'd use to drive a nail. Am I missing something here, or risking damage to my rifles and not realizing it? I did a search and I didn't come up with anything. Thanks.

[Walkalong]

The punch will be touching the pin. The hammer doesn't matter. Brass hammers are for hitting parts directly, but they will mark up the part as well as damage it if it is soft steel. Nylon hammers are better IMHO.

I am no gunsmith though. Take it for what it is worth.

[rcmodel]

Because if you miss the punch, it won't dent or mark the gun.
Brass is much softer then steel.

When you miss with a steel hammer it takes a divot out of even a steel gun part.

If you haven't missed yet, you will eventually.
It's only a matter of time.

Murphys law says:
The more expensive the gun, the more likely you are to accidently hit it with a hammer.

rc

[YaNi]

Brass is softer than steel, so it won't dent/deform steel like a steel hammer would. The rubber is even softer, so you can really pound on something and not destroy the finish. This only applies when brass/rubber contact steel. It really makes no difference if you are using a steel punch.

[Walkalong]

Listen to rc. Of the two of us, he is the smart one. :)

[Texpatriate]

So, it seems that the main concern for using a brass hammer when hitting a punch rather than the gun itself is the possibility that you might hit the gun itself on accident. So in other words its okay to use a steel hammer with the punch, but you darn well better not miss!

I get that brass is softer than steel, therefore won't dent a barrel or other steel part. The main thing I didn't get was why you'd use a brass hammer if the hammer was never going to hit the gun (intentionally). That makes sense. So now the only question is, why are all of my punches steel, rather than brass?:confused:

[7X57chilmau]

Because a mushroomed brass punch head wedged in a pin-hole sucks.....

Brass punches have their place, but if you really need to punch something out (which wouldn't be every day on a firearm) a steel punch is stronger.

J

[rcmodel]

A good gun-bench will have an assortment of very small to large steel hammers, brass hammers, and a soft & hard face plastic hammer.

Mine even includes a heavy dead-blow hammer for popping tight rifle barrels loose.

The most used hammer of the bunch is a tiny little 2 oz. ball-pein with the face polished mirror smooth.

A fast blow from a light hammer is better for loosening tight pins & screws then a big smashing blow from a heavy hammer.

It is also used for repairing damaged screw slots, tightening loose sight dovetails, and other places where you need to move metal around without marring the surface finish.

rc

[Brass Coyote]

Do rawhide mallets have any use in gunsmithing?

[rcmodel]

Well, I would never say never, but I don't use one for gunsmithing.

I have one, and I use it for leather stamping tools, and knocking the sprue plate on bullet molds.

Can't recall ever using it on a gun for anything though.

rc

[The Gunman]

The brass is used for the reasons stated above. I believe it is also used to help with one other issue. After a punch has been struck over and over, the end of the punch will mushroom and small pieces can fly off.

I use a small ball peen hammer (4oz.) on my punches, I just pretty much tap them. I have a copper mallet if I really have to drive something hard.

[dfariswheel]

Brass hammers don't damage the end of the punch.

Brass hammers have less bounce than steel and direct more force to the punch or part being hammered.

Rawhide hammers have a number of uses in gunsmithing.
As example in my case, a rawhide hammer was used to seat new Colt hands after fitting by smacking the top of the frame.

They have use in areas where a probable miss can damage something. As example, driving a sight or muzzle attachment off a barrel with a wood block. Miss or ricochet off with steel or even brass and the barrel gets a nice dent.

[Onmilo]

Like the other posters have stated, I also use a number of hammers for gunsmithing work.

I ue brass hammers for applications such as fitting cresent buttplates, driving taper pins, direct tapping frozen screws and choke tubes to help free them up, and the like.
Brass will leave marks that can be cleaned off and will not nick or mar good quality steel.

I use rawhide hammers for a number of direct impact applications in gun work and generally favor steel cross pane hammers for driving pins and pin punches as they deliver a very precise blow that will not mushroom a soft part or punch.HTH

[navyretired 1]

clean brass smears on steel with any bore cleaner for copper.

[Drail]

Cold blue on a rag will also take off brass marks.

[navyretired 1]

Drail, the reason cold blue covers brass smears is because cold blue works by chemically bonding a copper coating on steel then blackening the copper. If you rub blued brass with steelwool the blackening will come off leaving origanal brass smear.
Bore cleaner actually attacks copper and removes it or allows it to removed by rubbing. Brass is just copper tin alloy, gilding metal that jacketed bullets are made from are copper nickle alloy and thats why bore cleaner works better.

[LongRifles, Inc.]

Nylon is fine so long as all it's used for is clean, serviceable parts. One has to develop the discipline to not use it for other stuff around a bench, particularly in a machine shop because if a chip ever becomes embedded into the hammer face its going to raise all sorts of cain with whatever it's whackin on.

[rmfnla]

Do rawhide mallets have any use in gunsmithing?
I use one to rap revolver frames to loosen sideplates.

[Spector]

I think brass hammers work harden the more they are used just like cartridge brass. So annealing from time to time may be in order......Mike