Author Topic: Changing firing pin selector on older hammer (Read 1204 times)

Yosemite Sam · « **on:** July 22, 2009, 04:12:07 PM »

I have one of the older framed Contenders, without the little switch on top of the hammer. It was my understanding that the screw under the hammer spur is what's used to select which firing pin to strike. Indeed, this screw seems to go right into the rotating piece in the hammer face (let's call this the "striker plate" for lack of a better term; it's the thing that actually makes contact with one firing pin or the other).

Turning the screw does not rotate the striker plate. I can only loosen the screw, which doesn't seem to do much but give me a loose screw.

Do I have to disassemble it to rotate the striker plate? It can't be that difficult, can it? Doing that with the hammer under tension is going to be a pain.

This isn't just a theoretical discussion: I just got my .223 barrel today and had a .22 LR on there before...

-- Sam

Yosemite Sam · « **Reply #1 on:** July 22, 2009, 07:05:02 PM »

Ah! I figured it out.

I just had to apply a little more clockwise force on the screw under the hammer spur than I'd been willing to use. Loosening the screw indeed just removes it. It exposed a spring that gave away the fact that something was supposed to be moving, so I replaced the screw, tightened it, continued with a few more inch/ounces, and sure enough, I have a centerfire Contender.

Thought I'd update this in case anyone else runs into the problem.

-- Sam

RonF · « **Reply #2 on:** July 23, 2009, 01:31:33 AM »

I believe you're supposed to apply a screwdriver to the FRONT of the hammer. Break open the action, cock the hammer, and rotate the "striker plate" as you call it, 180 degrees by using a screwdriver on its front. It's a much more substantial slot than the retaining screw on the back.

RonF

Incitatus · « **Reply #3 on:** July 23, 2009, 03:26:15 AM »

and, errrr...., make sure it is unloaded ...

Yosemite Sam · « **Reply #4 on:** July 23, 2009, 08:46:54 AM »

Quote from: RonF on July 23, 2009, 01:31:33 AM

I believe you're supposed to apply a screwdriver to the FRONT of the hammer. Break open the action, cock the hammer, and rotate the "striker plate" as you call it, 180 degrees by using a screwdriver on its front. It's a much more substantial slot than the retaining screw on the back.

RonF

That wouldn't work. There's nothing on the striker plate to catch the screwdriver blade. I was trying to do it this way before I figured it out. The screw under the spur appears to be the correct method.

Unloaded. Always.

-- Sam

Colonel Daddy · « **Reply #5 on:** July 23, 2009, 04:19:13 PM »

You did it the right way Sam. Don't come across those real early frames very often!

mbk · « **Reply #6 on:** July 25, 2009, 02:45:25 PM »

If the selector turns very hard, you may want to consider taking it apart and cleaning it. The screw is pretty small in diameter and will snap off fairly easily. Over time solvents, crud, etc. can work into the mechanism and gum things up. There is a spring and detent in there to lock everything in place. As a friendly suggestion, the first time you take one apart - disassemble it in a open top box big enough to move your hands around the frame freely in. The only thing difficult about the operation is the "geeze" spring.

As in "GEEZE! where in the heck did that take off to!"

I think I spent close to an hour on my hands and knees looking for the blasted spring the first time I took one apart.

FWIW, Mike

irold · « **Reply #7 on:** July 27, 2009, 04:15:03 PM »

Another suggestion.........send the frame to T/C and they will upgrade the hammer and springs for you. Yours must be a real early frame, perhaps with collector interest........if thats the case leave it as is. T/C upgraded my hammer and springs for around 60 bucks.....thats been a few years ago though. Give them a call , they'll give ya the straight skinny !

regards

Incitatus · « **Reply #8 on:** July 27, 2009, 05:07:21 PM »

Quote from: irold on July 27, 2009, 04:15:03 PM

Another suggestion.........send the frame to T/C and they will upgrade the hammer and springs for you. Yours must be a real early frame, perhaps with collector interest........if thats the case leave it as is. T/C upgraded my hammer and springs for around 60 bucks.....thats been a few years ago though. Give them a call , they'll give ya the straight skinny !

regards

The frame that I recently bought is like this. I find it pretty easy to use the firing pin selector since going from rim fire to center fire is generally not a time sensitive operation. I think that there is some value in not mucking about with the older frames any more than is necessary just from a collectors standpoint but if "preservation" got in the way of using the thing I wouldn't think twice about modifying it.

RonF · « **Reply #9 on:** July 28, 2009, 06:43:20 AM »

Maybe I'm losing my mind, but I can't figure out why anyone would use that little screw on the back of the hammer to rotate the hammer nose. I have two 4-digit Contenders, one made in the first year, and both of them have a clearly visible screw slot in the hammer nose between the segments which are different heights, only one of which will strike a firing pin. It is a MUCH more substantial screw slot than that little thing on the back of the hammer, and the manual, which I still have, clearly states that is what is supposed to be used to rotate the hammer. Cock the hammer and look carefully. I have never seen a Contender with this type of hammer that didn't have a slot on the front of the hammer nose. In fact, the first model did not have that screw on the back; there was a tiny lock ring that held the hammer nose, the detent spring and the detent balls in. It was prone to popping off, and when mine did I ordered some detent balls, springs and lock rings (free, of course) and they sent me a new hammer assembly (also free) like the one we are talking about here. I managed to reassemble the original and still have it, but the newer version they sent is the one on the gun.

RonF

Incitatus · « **Reply #10 on:** July 29, 2009, 04:38:44 PM »

Any chance of getting that old manual scanned?

RonF · « **Reply #11 on:** July 30, 2009, 04:56:47 AM »

I will need to dig it out, and I don't have a scanner. Maybe I can get someone to scan it for me, or I could copy it and snail mail it to you. Email me at drfannin@fidnet.com with contact info.

RonF

Yosemite Sam · « **Reply #12 on:** July 30, 2009, 01:11:28 PM »

Interesting. I'd like to get a copy of that manual.

I swear there's no slot between the steps on the "striker plate" in the hammer nose to get a bite with a screwdriver blade, at least in mine. The little screw on the back wasn't that tough to turn, it was just hard enough that I thought it was tightened down all the way. Just a little more pressure made it turn. Nowhere near enough to strip the head.

Based on what I've read of Contenders I probably would not have mine modified by T/C. If not having the little switch bothered me that much I'd just sell this frame and buy another. But I kinda like my frame with it's deep etching and nice trigger.

-- Sam

Yosemite Sam · « **Reply #13 on:** July 30, 2009, 07:09:27 PM »

I humbly stand corrected.

I took another look at the hammer nose just now, and in the light of reason, rather than the blind panic of, "How do I make this work? NOW!!!", I can see that there is enough of a slot in the stiker plate to fit a screwdriver head. And you get a better mechanical advantage that way than using the small screw under the spur.

Thanks for the diligence, RonF! Sometimes it takes a while with me, but the lessons eventually sink in.

FWIW, my Contender has a 6 digit serial #, starting with 2224xx. It does have a crossbar safety on the hammer, just no switch. It appears to have the "easy open" feature, in that I don't have to open it all the way to cock it.

-- Sam

Curtis · « **Reply #14 on:** August 01, 2009, 08:53:47 AM »

Heh, that's funny! I bought my first Contender in '89 and always used the small screw in the rear of the hammer.

I would have sworn like Y. Sam that the front didn't have a slot, but I looked at all three of my frames just now and lo and behold there it is!! Just goes to show you're never too old to learn something new.

Curtis

RonF · « **Reply #15 on:** August 01, 2009, 09:48:48 AM »

Thanks for the feedback, guys. I thought I was losing my mind!

RonF

Incitatus · « **Reply #16 on:** August 05, 2009, 10:26:36 AM »

Quote from: RonF on July 30, 2009, 04:56:47 AM

I will need to dig it out, and I don't have a scanner. Maybe I can get someone to scan it for me, or I could copy it and snail mail it to you. Email me at drfannin@fidnet.com with contact info.

RonF

Got it and scanned it and uploaded it ... where did that fit of energy come from?

Check here

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,179647.new.html#new

Thanks Ron!!