Many have asked for a lower hammer so the scope can be mounted lower, here's one way...
A hammer extension off an 1894 Winchester levergun can be added to a Handi which will result in being able to mount the scope much lower.
http://www.midwestgunworks.com/page/mgwi/PROD/winchester-model-94-accessories/U347900297http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=732435The hammer needs to be out of the frame, so the best time to do this is when you do a trigger job. The hammer is hardened, so I placed the hammer in a vice with just the spur exposed, turned it dull red with a propane torch then let it cool on its own. The vice provides a heat sink so the hardened part of the engagement surface doesn't get annealed.
While it was cooling, I honed the trigger sear and pins, by the time they were done, the hammer was cold and I honed it. I had to buy a #42 cobalt drill bit and a 4-48 taper tap to do the work.
Placed the hammer in the drill press, drilled the hole, removed the drill bit from the press, then inserted the tap in the drill chuck, centered it in the hole and held pressure on the press lever to start the threads straight, made about half a dozen turns of the chuck by hand, then backed it out, removed the hammer from the vise on the press, then finished the tapping by hand with a t-handle.
Then I cleaned it up and installed it in the frame and checked how it worked. Installed on the right side, it barely clears the barrel release, no problems on the other side if the ocular bell isn't to big, otherwise it's a little awkward to be used right-handed on the left side. It works great on the right side, but attention will be needed to how low it is mounted to clear the barrel release.
Another concern is in the heat of battle, it would be bad to hit the barrel release instead of the hammer spur!!
Then I cut the hammer spur off right at the second groove which might be just a little too short, but time will tell, it's a little closer to the hole than I like. As it came out, the top of the hammer is now just about even with the top of the scope rail.
Mac conceived this idea and I did the foot work, so it's a team effort.
The spur extension is listed at Brownells for about $8, but I need to confirm it's the same one since Mac bought it direct from a local dealer near him, there's no pic at Brownell's. Discontinued by Winchester in 2008. :'(
Scope is a Leupold VX1 4-12x40 mounted in low QRW rings.
Tim