Handi-rifle hammer bobbing

[jimone]

I am considering cutting off the "thumbprint" part of my hammer, drilling and taping for a hammer extension, to allow for lower scope mounting. Has anyone tried this? How hard is the steel, will a M42 cobalt drill touch it? I should drill first, I guess.

[Lon371]

Shoot member Dinny a note. He has a fellar that does his. Becareful as to the position of your extension. You put it in the wrong place and you can not cock the hammer.

 As far as the hammer read here.
http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,201783.0.html

The FAQ in this section also covers Hammer Mods. Scroll about half way down the page.
http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,26264.0.html


Lonny

[cwlongshot]

I have been thinking of doing this for sometime. I don't "need" to so its been "back burnered". so to speak... I have ground the tip off a couple just to gain a couple thousandth clearance.

 Tim has drilled some for the newer Winchester hammer extensions that mount in a hole in the side of the hammer spur. So it can be done, but your correct, the hammer is hard, but is doable.

CW

[Dinny]

I have one shortened hammer, so far, that was used as a prototype. I had it drilled and tapped to take the Win.94 hammer extension. It is the perfect height as it allows cocking and lower scope mounting. I will post a full detailed note once I get the others back with custom extensions.

Thanks, Dinny

[quickdtoo]

Here are my reports on low profile hammer mods from the FAQs, the Win 94 hammer extension was discontinued by Winchester, so you may have a real hard time finding any, there has been some discussion about using the Traditions extensions, but no one has reported on that yet.

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,86991.msg525441.html#msg525441

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,117435.msg1098382159.html#msg1098382159

[rickt300]

I took a angle head die grinder with a sanding disc and smoothed off the end of the hammer and the top of the hammer extension while it was installed. I can now use even a Bushnell Banner on my rifle now.

[PHATINJUN]

Iv'e done the same as RickT300 and had all the clearance I needed. Kurt

[quickdtoo]

One note on the Traditions extension for anyone interested in trying it, if it's like the CVA's which is left hand threaded so it won't tend to loosen with use, I dunno how hard it is to find a metric left hand tap, but I bet it ain't easy! 

Tim

[jimone]

I was thinking of drilling and taping 6-32 and using an NAS1352-06-10P allen head screw and an NAS43HT3-12 spacer (yes I'm an aircraft nut too) but if I need to disassemble I will probably TIG weld a bit of 4130 into a slot ground into the hammer, while clamped up in a copper heat-sink to save the temper where it's needed.

[quickdtoo]

Sorta like the highlighted option. 

Tim

Ok, Fred's idea is definitely the easiest and least expensive way of  shortening the hammer. A little grinding and testing for fit, then little touch up bluing and you're done. I went from .420" high Burris to .270" medium on my .405 Win with the Whitetail Expedition scope.

I thought I had a better close up pic, but I found out I didn't after the fact, so this one will have to do....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v386/quickdtoo/405WinClose.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v386/quickdtoo/Hammer%20Mods/Before5.jpg

After..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v386/quickdtoo/Hammer%20Mods/After6.jpg

Here's the hammer before I touched it, the small extension top right would be a alternative if you wanted a light weight extension and are willing to anneal, drill and tap the hammer, and cut knurling in the extention with a file. It consists of a 8x32x1" socket head machine screw and an 8/32x1/4"x3/4" threaded aluminum sleeve from True Value, it weighs 60grs compared to the factory extension at 125gr. The Winchester extension weighs just 30grs.

Here's the hammer after I thinned the mounting location and shortened the spur. It didn't take long on a green wheel. In fact, I made it just a little shorter than I should have, but since the factory extension can be mounted where ever you need it as long as the set screw can be secured, I just moved it up the spur a tad and tightened it, otherwise it touched the barrel release.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v386/quickdtoo/Hammer%20Mods/After0.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v386/quickdtoo/Hammer%20Mods/After1.jpg

This pic shows approx how much I took off the spur.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v386/quickdtoo/Hammer%20Mods/After2.jpg

Tim

[workin man]

I used a small file to modify the standard H&R (Uncle Mikes ) hammer extension to sit lower on the existing hammer, allowing me to cut over 1/8" off the end of the hammer. Any lower and it wouldn't clear the release lever without modifying it as well. No need to remove the hammer from the gun and if you screw up with the file your only out an easily replacable $10 hammer extension.

Jim

[quickdtoo]

That's mentioned in the low profile hammer mods by Fred, you can lower the extension more by trimming the back edge of the barrel release button, the extension which is made by Uncle Mike's can be purchased for $7 online or locally, it's the same as used on the Ruger Blackhawk.

Tim

Tim.
How much weight reduction would this system achieve compared to the H&R extension. The way I did both my Handi's I reversed the extension to the bottom of the hammer and opened the forward edges of the extension goove so the extension can slide foreward about a 1/4" and then trim the top of the hammer off by 1/4".

Neither of my two rifles have suffered from this modification and allows the use of low rings with some scopes with 40mm objective lenses and retains good function of the extension either left and right handed. It also reduces the radius length of tyhe hammer and increases hammer speed.

No pieces to buy and no drilling and tapping.

The 6x48 screw I think would in time shear off from inertia. Your idea of a #8 screw is a better one.

[spikehorn]

I just checked my muzzle loader and the traditions hammer spurs are right hand thread.

[workin man]

That's mentioned in the low profile hammer mods by Fred, you can lower the extension more by trimming the back edge of the barrel release button, the extension which is made by Uncle Mike's can be purchased for $7 online or locally, it's the same as used on the Ruger Blackhawk.

Tim


Yes, but  everything in the FAQ's is about modifying the hammer, not the hammer extension. You can get just as low with a small file, modifying the extension as you can with modifying the hammer itself (other than trimming off the end of the hammer), before you need to touch the release lever.

Jim

Jim

Tim.
How much weight reduction would this system achieve compared to the H&R extension. The way I did both my Handi's I reversed the extension to the bottom of the hammer and opened the forward edges of the extension goove so the extension can slide foreward about a 1/4" and then trim the top of the hammer off by 1/4".

Neither of my two rifles have suffered from this modification and allows the use of low rings with some scopes with 40mm objective lenses and retains good function of the extension either left and right handed. It also reduces the radius length of tyhe hammer and increases hammer speed.

No pieces to buy and no drilling and tapping.

The 6x48 screw I think would in time shear off from inertia. Your idea of a #8 screw is a better one.

BTW, I'm in Canada, I paid $10 locally for the extension, few if any US sources would ship it to Canada. This includes H&R

[quickdtoo]

We have many Canadian members, there are several US sources that ship to Canada, Brownell's for one has lots of H&R parts, Optics Planet is another that ships worldwide including Canada, if you ever need any help getting something up there, just ask, I've shipped lots of stuff to international members including Canada, Australia and New Zealand. 

Tim

http://www.opticsplanet.net/free-shipping.html

http://www.opticsplanet.net/uncle-mike-s-hammer-extensions-for-a-better-grip.html

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/general/international_sales.aspx

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/mid=102/schematics/H_R_

[workin man]

Thanks Tim, but by the time I paid $7US for that part, plus shipping, plus exchange rate, plus brokerage fees, plus taxes at the border, it would have cost a lot more than the $10 CDN at the local gunshop. If there is something  I can't find up here though, I'll take you up on that offer. I can try to get some pics of my hammer extension mods if your interested.

Jim

[quickdtoo]

Jim,

I recollect you were asking about hammer mods once before and I don't remember if I ever got back to you, but Numrich also ships many parts to Canada, but as you mentioned, shipping can kill the practicality of buying parts from the US, but they do have the old style non-transfer bar hammers which have a very small hammer spur which I think is what you asked about in the previous discussion. 

I'd be glad to help if I can.

Tim

http://gunpartscorp.com/Foreign.aspx

[workin man]

Thanks Tim for your help.

Jim