On a S&W J frame with a hammer. Is this something a novice can / should do on his own?
On a S&W J frame with a hammer. Is this something a novice can / should do on his own?
Depends. How handy are you generally? Do you have tools, and know how to use them? Can you finish a project involving power tools with as many fingers as you started out with?
I did a hammer bob on an old Model 36 years ago, after the hammer spur broke off. I mainly used a bench grinder to rough it in, then a file to clean it up.
There may be concerns if it's a MIM hammer, and you'd probably want to just get an Apex or other conversion hammer.
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I've Dremeled a couple off over the years. Though if I were doing it today, I'd remove the hammer, mount it in a vise, and hit it with a 3" cut off wheel. I'd cut the spur fairly short and then use sanding wheels/grinding stones to get it where I wanted in terms of the hump, but I'd try to leave a considerable amount of the hump in place, so it did not affect ignition.
If you're running a late model J, the aforementioned Apex hammer is probably an easier solution. If it's an earlier Model 36/37 then you'll have to chop it up.
I do not believe Apex makes a J-frame hammer (I bought theirs for my 686).
But S&W does, you can swap in the hammer from a 642, and they are cheap (currently OOS):
https://www.midwestgunworks.com/page...prod/229690000
There is a thread here, I believe Cory did his.
ETA: Found the link to the thread
ETA: Am finding these out there, but none for the ~$18 I paid for mine...
Last edited by mmc45414; 10-25-2022 at 12:33 PM.
That looks like a better option. Thank you!Originally Posted by mmc45414
I do not believe Apex makes a J-frame hammer (I bought theirs for my 686).
But S&W does, you can swap in the hammer from a 642, and they are cheap (currently OOS):
https://www.midwestgunworks.com/page...prod/229690000
There is a thread here, I believe Cory did his.
ETA: Found the link to the thread
ETA: Am finding these out there, but none for the ~$18 I paid for mine...
Dremel followed by bench grinder with 120 grit aluminum oxide wheel does it for me.
YMMV.
BTW, if you’ve never disassembled a Smith, I highly recommend the video below, or check out Midway’s channel. There’s several where they take Smith’s apart correctly.
The vast majority of YouBoob experts will demonstrate how to fuck up your gun.
https://youtu.be/4ujyLn3lHBc
Should be fine. I haven't bobbed a MIM hammer but I don't recall anything causing problems for those that have beyond the parts being harder than expected.
Yup, makes no difference.
I remove the hammer assembly and cover as much as possible with painters tape.
When done I blast it out with carb cleaner of let it soak overnight in kerosene to get the swarf out.
Last one I did I didn't even remove it from the gun. I taped it off and took a grinder to it
The riveted-firing-pin-era Model 36 hammer (cracked spur case-hardened variant off of eBay, $22, and mic'd to ensure fitment) took a Dremel cut off wheel and two grades of file, followed by 400/600/800/1200 sandpaper and paste blue. I removed it from the revolver and chucked it up in a jeweler's vise.
I did leave a bit of meat on the hump to ensure it had some weight for ignition, and it came out reliable and aesthetically pleasing. I do fine hand work for a good part of my living, though.
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