Smith & Wesson hammer question...

[oasis618]

I have a K frame that originally came with a spring loaded hammer nose and the only replacement I can find is a non spring loaded hammer. Are they interchangeable? I would imagine so otherwise I would have heard about different versions of frames.

Anybody know for sure?

 

[Remllez]

I'm not 100% sure but I think Smith and Wesson parts store sells the noses and rivets direct to the consumer still. It's sure worth a call for grins to be sure.....

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

I have several N frame Smiths with spring loaded firing pins, but have never heard of a K frame that had one. Are you saying your revolver came with a spring loaded firing pin but no longer has one? I have bunches of K frames and have never seen one with a spring loaded firing pin.

Specifically, what model do you have? There are several different types of S&W hammers and they are not all interchangeable.

The spring loaded feature of the firing pin is actually pretty useless. Whether spring loaded, or free to flop around, the firing pin will still 'find its way' through the frame hole to the firing pin.

 

[oasis618]

It's a 65-5 and it came with and still has a spring loaded firing pin type hammer. The checkered portion where your thumb would depress it has a gouge in one side of it so I'm looking to replace the whole hammer but I'm wondering if I can use a hammer that has a free floating firing pin.

 

[rcmodel]

I have a K-Frame 66-1 with a spring, and a K-Frame 19-4 without.

It does matter, depending on which hammer type you have.

Your best bet is to contact S&W customer service, send your hammer to them, and have them replace it with the correct parts.

You probably don't have a S&W hollow rivet staking tool in the junk drawer to do it right anyway.

rc.

 

[oasis618]

No, but I do have a complete hammer with a free floating firing pin. I guess I could just install it and see if it works.

 

[DPris]

I'd be surprised if you can get those parts from S&W.
They no longer service the older hammers. It's my understanding they have no firing pins & no rivets for them.
Denis

 

[rcmodel]

An old friends son just got one fixed by S&W last fall for his 66-? something at my recommendation.

Took tree days turn-around time and he was out a gun about a weeks total when I put it back together for him..

rc

 

[DPris]

Good to hear, other sources have tried to get the older hammers, firing pins and rivets from S&W and have been told they no longer have them.
Denis

 

[Old Fuff]

All other things being equal (and they may not be) you can substitute a hammer that doesn't have the spring-style hammer nose for one that does.

But be sure that when the hammer falls it impacts the frame on it and not the hammer nose. Otherwise sometime in the future the nose may break.

 

[dfariswheel]

To which I'll add, that if you decide to install a different hammer, install the double action strut from the old hammer into the new hammer.
This hopefully will be all that's needed and no further fitting will be required.