T/C carbine hammer strike

[hivel37]

Recently I bought a 21" barrel carbine in 7mm TCU.  An aggravation has risen.  Light hammer strikes.  After fireforming I have not touched the shoulder.  Is this caused by anything other than a weak hammer spring?  Thanks in advance, guys.

[skb2706]

G2 or original Contender ?  Does the gun have a hammer spur on it ? 

[hivel37]

This is a pre-G2 model w/switch on top.  Yes, it does have a hammer spur on it.  You think that slows it down enough to be the cause?

[skb2706]

Could be a combination of both. The obvious answer would be to remove the hammer spur and try it. But you can also get a replacement spring from TC, usually just for the asking. New spring may solve the problem. I quit using a hammer spur back when someone suggest that may be a problem of mine. It was and I did.

[hivel37]

Thanks for the info.

The extender makes it a little more convenient, but I can live without it, too.

[rural17]

You could try an aluminum hammer spur. The lighter weight of the aluminum  might be enough so you can have the best of both worlds. 
Jeff

[neald]

Hello,
 If your extender is steel check to make sure that the hammer is not bent. it only takes a little tweak of the hammer to make it drag on the sides and make a lite strike. T/C wont repair one of these ( i found out the hard way). i have heard of the alum. doing this but never seen it myself.
Neal

[hivel37]

The hammer doesn't seem to be bent.

Before I take it out this week, I'll take the extender off and if that's it -- fine. 

If not I'll order hammer springs -- been intending to do that anyway.

And I'll keep an eye out for the alum. thing.

Thanks, guys.  This is the best place to get straight answers!

[KN]

If it worked before fire forming and not after, it sounds like an ammo problem. If you are not bumping the shoulder when you reload then your rounds become tight in the chamber, often causing a lock-up problem. Try snapping the action closed harder and see if the problem quits. If so you need to bump the shoulder a little. I have seen this problem fairly frequently.    KN

[skb2706]

If you decide to replace the hammer spring there is a nifty trick to doing it on an original 'tender.

[hivel37]

SKB,  some time ago a friend gave me a pin to use to push out the hammer pin and hold things together while the spring is changed,  -- I haven't had to figure it out yet.

If you have suggestions, they're very welcome!

KN, I think your suggestion is applicable for cases that headspace on the rim.  This oddball is rimless and headspaces on a very small  shoulder, and if it is set back, a condition is created in which the case could be driven forward by the hammer strike, possible not detonating the primer.

Does that make sense?  Maybe I have the wrong idea about it.

[KN]

If it is head spacing on a shoulder, and it is too tight the action will often not close sufficiently to allow the locking lugs to fully engage the frame and push the safety back. Then you have a light or no primer strike. I have had it happen several times when I was neck sizing only for my TC's. Thats why often a harder closing of the action will allow it to work. I personally don't like snapping my action closed real hard but it will tell you if it is a tight re-load condition or not.  If it head spaced on a rim it wouldn't care about length unless it still had a shoulder. In which case it could still be a shoulder length problem.    KN

[hivel37]

Yesterday I took the carbine out again.  Removing the hammer extension solved the light-strike problem.

Using Sierra 120 gr it puts 5 into 1 1/2".  With 140 gr bullets and some load developement , I think it'll  be a shooter.

Thanks again for the help.