Hammer evolution

[Josey]

OK. How did we go from wide and flat target hammers to bobbed and even DAO? I was thinking as I was looking at my DAO revolver and my Colt Trooper MKIII with target hammer and trigger. What type of hammer do you prefer? I like the wide and flat target hammers myself. A single action shot is nice to have as an option. Kings used to even make offset wide and flat target hammers.

 

[4v50 Gary]

There use to be a cottage industry that sold hammer shrouds to help conceal the hammers on revolvers. Early hidden spur guns include some S&W Chief Specials (ask Tamara for the model #). The idea was to have pocket gun that wouldn't snag. S&W went one step further and introduced a hammerless models where the entire hammer was enshrouded by the frame.

I'm inclined to believe that the DAO hammers are evolved from that line of thought and not so much from the desire to have double action only revolvers.

 

[Josey]

Yes and no. Back in the day, I used to work for a LE agency with Ruger SS 4" revolvers. Before everybody HAD to have semi-autos, the city manager and lawyer got their heads together. They decided to have the SS hammers ground and the result was DAO duty weapons. Most of the field officers left the agency. I found one that issued Colt Troopers and liked working there. I can see the Dick Tracy side of it. He did carry a S&W Bodyguard 38. I remember he even advised rookies to buy one. I really like the classic target trigger and target hammer revolvers. The newer revolvers seem to DAO or concealed hammer. I wonder where the demand came from?

 

[BluesBear]

On my N-frames I prefer the .500 target hammers and the .400 or .500 grooved target triggers.

I even like the wide grooved triggers on J-frames.

I do, however, have a fondness for the S&W 40 & 48 as pocket or ankle guns, especially when fitted with wide triggers. But for everything else I want a real hammer.