Outlaw75
Member
I was watching hickok45 shoot his Model 65 with a bobbed hammer and I like the look. What are the pros and cons of having a bobbed hammer?
Anyone ever bob their hammer?
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Lighter hammer. You can go with less pressure on the hammer spring meaning the trigger will be lighter.
Reduces snagging.
No longer can fire single action. For SD or action pistol competition not a big deal.
There are spurless hammer kits available so you get new springs to go with it. Or you can grind down your own and play with the springs yourself. Done both.
Reduces snagging.
No longer can fire single action. For SD or action pistol competition not a big deal.
There are spurless hammer kits available so you get new springs to go with it. Or you can grind down your own and play with the springs yourself. Done both.
Reduces the likelihood of snagging, and reduces the risk of liability RE: allegations of unintentional discharge.
I had the hammer bobbed on a Ruger SP-101.
It does not disabled single action. Even with a very deeply bobbed hammer, you can pull the trigger to partially cock it and then grab the hammer with your support hand and pull it back until the single-action sear engages. The way to disable single-action would be to file the sear off. I have no desire to do that, but that's how LAPD did it for example. They did not bob the hammers on their revolvers that had single-action disabled.
Because bobbed hammers can be pulled back for single-action and the method, although somewhat slow, is not impractical for the situations where single action is likely to be appropriate, I find bobbed hammers attractive. I have not bobbed a hammer though, nor do I own a bobbed hammer. If I was building an N-frame, I would consider using one of these: https://www.tkcustom.com/products/s-w-n-frame-speed-hammer-skeletonized
Because bobbed hammers can be pulled back for single-action and the method, although somewhat slow, is not impractical for the situations where single action is likely to be appropriate, I find bobbed hammers attractive. I have not bobbed a hammer though, nor do I own a bobbed hammer. If I was building an N-frame, I would consider using one of these: https://www.tkcustom.com/products/s-w-n-frame-speed-hammer-skeletonized
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chicharrones
needs more ammo
Yep. I bobbed the hammer myself on my Taurus 85UL years ago.
Reason? The spur would hang up the draw out of my pocket (w/ pocket holster). Sure, I did the thumb under the hammer trick for drawing, but I would still flub the draw maybe 15% of the time. So, off came the spur.
Not long after, I took off the single action sear on the hammer as well, because I really didn't shoot that pocket gun single action ever. Plus, decocking was more slippery than before and I couldn't control the hammer down the final 3/8" of travel without that spur. Sure there's a transfer bar, but all being considered, that hammer got a bobbed single action sear to go with that bobbed hammer spur.
BTW, never changed the hammer spring and had no light strikes before or after the mod.
Old pics added. Used a Dremel and emery cloth wrapped around a file.
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Reason? The spur would hang up the draw out of my pocket (w/ pocket holster). Sure, I did the thumb under the hammer trick for drawing, but I would still flub the draw maybe 15% of the time. So, off came the spur.
Not long after, I took off the single action sear on the hammer as well, because I really didn't shoot that pocket gun single action ever. Plus, decocking was more slippery than before and I couldn't control the hammer down the final 3/8" of travel without that spur. Sure there's a transfer bar, but all being considered, that hammer got a bobbed single action sear to go with that bobbed hammer spur.
BTW, never changed the hammer spring and had no light strikes before or after the mod.
Old pics added. Used a Dremel and emery cloth wrapped around a file.
View attachment 941571
View attachment 941572
View attachment 941573
View attachment 941574
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unclenunzie
Contributing Member
I acquired a second hammer for my SP101 and bobbed it myself, grinding then letting it cool, finishing with sandpaper. I removed the single action notch on the hammer as part of the work. Same functionality as a factory DAO hammer.
AK103K
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Ive bobbed the hammer, and trigger on one of my old Model 29 Smiths.
If the hammer is case hardened, youll need a file to break through it before you can cut it with a saw. Otherwise, the saw wont cut and just skips across it.
I took the SA sear off at the same time. Didnt make any sense to leave it.
I cut and shaped the hammer so it was just clean looking eye wise, and didnt look like it was cut down. Never had any issue with light strikes. I left the stock spring in the gun and had the strain screw screwed down tight.
I have a police trade in 64 that was factory bobbed and DAO. They left a little more meat on the back of the hammer than I did. The trigger is buttery smooth too.
Anymore, I just leave them alone, as if I decide to sell them, its a bit easier and usually brings more money. I am a DAO shooter, and prefer that, but it seems most dont these days.
If the hammer is case hardened, youll need a file to break through it before you can cut it with a saw. Otherwise, the saw wont cut and just skips across it.
I took the SA sear off at the same time. Didnt make any sense to leave it.
I cut and shaped the hammer so it was just clean looking eye wise, and didnt look like it was cut down. Never had any issue with light strikes. I left the stock spring in the gun and had the strain screw screwed down tight.
I have a police trade in 64 that was factory bobbed and DAO. They left a little more meat on the back of the hammer than I did. The trigger is buttery smooth too.
Anymore, I just leave them alone, as if I decide to sell them, its a bit easier and usually brings more money. I am a DAO shooter, and prefer that, but it seems most dont these days.
earlthegoat2
Member
I did mine on this model 60. Never a light strike or any problems with it. I figured I would just leave the single action notch on the hammer and did for a time.
Later on I read a post on here by the late Old Fuff. He told a story of when he was a LEO and another officer had a bobbed hammer but still with the single action notch on a backup revolver. Somehow, while on duty, this officer was handling it and (sometimes stuff just happens) found himself with a cocked bobbed hammer on a fully loaded revolver. Apparently Old Fuff was the one tasked with getting it uncocked. Not a huge issue in the grand scheme of things but still necessitates some careful motions.
I used to cock mine all the time while handling it unloaded and then one day I was messing with my model 10 snubby while it was loaded and found myself with a cocked hammer on that gun. That kind of freaked me out. It was like I thought I was handling an unloaded gun and thankfully I realized it was in fact loaded after I had cocked the hammer.
Constantly handling your guns like this and becoming very familiar with them is a good thing but it can lead to negligence even if your intention was to decrease the chances of negligence with a firearm!!!!
Anyway, I got it uncocked easy enough as it had the spur still and I had read Ed Lovette’s great book on snubs, The Snubby Revolver.
After that incident I removed the single action notch on the hammer. Who knows what can happen.
As an aside I am a firm believer in bobbed hammers and/or concealed hammers on carry revolvers. Many folks like to refute my opinion on this and say they will just shroud the hammer with their thumb as they draw. All I have to say is why risk it. As the previous story of Old Fuff’s indicates, wild crazy stuff can happen no matter how unlikely it would seem.
Here is my model 60 I bobbed next to my model 38.
Later on I read a post on here by the late Old Fuff. He told a story of when he was a LEO and another officer had a bobbed hammer but still with the single action notch on a backup revolver. Somehow, while on duty, this officer was handling it and (sometimes stuff just happens) found himself with a cocked bobbed hammer on a fully loaded revolver. Apparently Old Fuff was the one tasked with getting it uncocked. Not a huge issue in the grand scheme of things but still necessitates some careful motions.
I used to cock mine all the time while handling it unloaded and then one day I was messing with my model 10 snubby while it was loaded and found myself with a cocked hammer on that gun. That kind of freaked me out. It was like I thought I was handling an unloaded gun and thankfully I realized it was in fact loaded after I had cocked the hammer.
Constantly handling your guns like this and becoming very familiar with them is a good thing but it can lead to negligence even if your intention was to decrease the chances of negligence with a firearm!!!!
Anyway, I got it uncocked easy enough as it had the spur still and I had read Ed Lovette’s great book on snubs, The Snubby Revolver.
After that incident I removed the single action notch on the hammer. Who knows what can happen.
As an aside I am a firm believer in bobbed hammers and/or concealed hammers on carry revolvers. Many folks like to refute my opinion on this and say they will just shroud the hammer with their thumb as they draw. All I have to say is why risk it. As the previous story of Old Fuff’s indicates, wild crazy stuff can happen no matter how unlikely it would seem.
Here is my model 60 I bobbed next to my model 38.
I bobbed the hammer on my Chief's Special... and immediately regretted it. I finally got a hammer from a Bodyguard and put in it. It's kinda like a J frame humpback hammer! 
It's actually a much less pocket-snagging shape than the original hammer, and if you draw it right, with your thumb on it, it doesn't catch anything anyway.
It's actually a much less pocket-snagging shape than the original hammer, and if you draw it right, with your thumb on it, it doesn't catch anything anyway.
Pat Riot
Contributing Member
I bobbed the hammer on my Chief's Special... and immediately regretted it. I finally got a hammer from a Bodyguard and put in it. It's kinda like a J frame humpback hammer!
Do you have a photo of that gun you could post? I would like to see what that humpback hammer looks like on your model 36. I have 36 as well but I would never Bob it’s hammer. If I pocket carry a snubbie I have a 442
Dan-O
Member
Less snag like others have stated
"Do you have a photo of that gun you could post? I would like to see what that humpback hammer looks like on your model 36. I have 36 as well but I would never Bob it’s hammer. If I pocket carry a snubbie I have a 442
Pat Riot "
It's dinged, it's rusty, but it runs like a champ.
I finally have this thing where I can hit with it ok. It's still pretty small for my big hands, but it's manageable now. I tried to use "boot grips" that I made for it, but it just hurt my hand. Finally found out about the Taurus rubber grips. They fit quite good, though they need to be redrilled for the locator pin, as it is in a different position. These wrap around the backstrap and fill up more at the web of my hand. And they make it OH SO MUCH better to shoot. Like night and day. The rubber is pretty grippy and grabs the pocket pretty bad, but if you have your hand on it well, it's OK.
The sight I had to lower, as I usually do. Eventually, I intend to make a colored insert, but for now, paint will do. I think ALL front sights should be fluorescent orange!
When I ordered the hammer from somebody on ebay, It didn't register in my mind that I was ordering a "pre-Model 49" hammer. Well, they have a different mainspring strut arrangement. I had an older strut from a .22 that I put in it, and I had to clearance the frame inside just a wee bit, because the strut sits farther back on the hammer than on the later model-number versions, but it works just fine. The spur is higher, which is better for my large hands, and it's a less pointy-jabby-snaggy profile than the standard Chief's Special hammer. When cocking, you do have to pull it back more than press it down, so it's a bit different.
Pat Riot "
It's dinged, it's rusty, but it runs like a champ.
I finally have this thing where I can hit with it ok. It's still pretty small for my big hands, but it's manageable now. I tried to use "boot grips" that I made for it, but it just hurt my hand. Finally found out about the Taurus rubber grips. They fit quite good, though they need to be redrilled for the locator pin, as it is in a different position. These wrap around the backstrap and fill up more at the web of my hand. And they make it OH SO MUCH better to shoot. Like night and day. The rubber is pretty grippy and grabs the pocket pretty bad, but if you have your hand on it well, it's OK.
The sight I had to lower, as I usually do. Eventually, I intend to make a colored insert, but for now, paint will do. I think ALL front sights should be fluorescent orange!
When I ordered the hammer from somebody on ebay, It didn't register in my mind that I was ordering a "pre-Model 49" hammer. Well, they have a different mainspring strut arrangement. I had an older strut from a .22 that I put in it, and I had to clearance the frame inside just a wee bit, because the strut sits farther back on the hammer than on the later model-number versions, but it works just fine. The spur is higher, which is better for my large hands, and it's a less pointy-jabby-snaggy profile than the standard Chief's Special hammer. When cocking, you do have to pull it back more than press it down, so it's a bit different.
Driftwood Johnson
Member
Howdy
Nope, I've never bobbed a hammer.
However this Merwin Hulbert 38 had an early and interesting solution.
The hammer spur is hinged.
The spur is usually folded down against the hammer, so drawing from a pocket could be done with a minimum of snagging. Note the patent date of Jan 27, 1885 for the folding hammer spur.
There is just enough of the tip of the spur exposed when the hammer is down that I can reach over with my thumb and pull the hammer spur back. If I keep pulling on the hammer spur I can cock the hammer for a single action shot. The spur is spring loaded and has an over center cam action, so it will stay in either the folded or unfolded position.
A little bit large for what we consider to be a pocket pistol today, this one has a 3 1/2" barrel. It fits quite nicely into the deep pocket of the cargo shorts I am wearing right now. Might not fit so nicely into a jeans pocket. Don't forget that during the 1880s a man was not considered properly dressed unless he was wearing a vest and a jacket or coat. This MH would fit easily into a large coat pocket. Merwin Hulbert made some 32 caliber pocket pistols with the same type of folding hammer. I suspect the 32s would probably have been a little bit smaller than the 38s. Have not had a chance to examine one myself, but that is what I suspect.
Nope, I've never bobbed a hammer.
However this Merwin Hulbert 38 had an early and interesting solution.
The hammer spur is hinged.
The spur is usually folded down against the hammer, so drawing from a pocket could be done with a minimum of snagging. Note the patent date of Jan 27, 1885 for the folding hammer spur.
There is just enough of the tip of the spur exposed when the hammer is down that I can reach over with my thumb and pull the hammer spur back. If I keep pulling on the hammer spur I can cock the hammer for a single action shot. The spur is spring loaded and has an over center cam action, so it will stay in either the folded or unfolded position.
A little bit large for what we consider to be a pocket pistol today, this one has a 3 1/2" barrel. It fits quite nicely into the deep pocket of the cargo shorts I am wearing right now. Might not fit so nicely into a jeans pocket. Don't forget that during the 1880s a man was not considered properly dressed unless he was wearing a vest and a jacket or coat. This MH would fit easily into a large coat pocket. Merwin Hulbert made some 32 caliber pocket pistols with the same type of folding hammer. I suspect the 32s would probably have been a little bit smaller than the 38s. Have not had a chance to examine one myself, but that is what I suspect.
WestKentucky
Member
I bobbed one myself with an angle grinder. Have regretted it ever since... well I was happy with it for a month but after that, nah. It’s a Arminius HW3 22lr that I got for $59 a while back. Too cheap to say no to. It’s a snub though and I liked carrying it in the woods as a backup but didn’t really want to buy a new holster, so I was carrying appendix IWB and the hammer was cutting my belly. After squirrel season I wanted to shoot it single action again but it’s hard to do. The spur used to hit and stop hammer travel in the right spot but now it overtravels and binds up. I actually really like the gun, especially for it being so cheap, and I intend to replace that hammer if I can ever win a Gunbusters auction, or find one I can buy for $100 with the hammer... having both would be preferred.
All that said, I’m seriously thinking about bobbing my beat to hell charter undercover. The gun shoots so nice I can’t get rid of it as I had originally thought I would when I got other 38 snubs, but this gun will be a project for me.
All that said, I’m seriously thinking about bobbing my beat to hell charter undercover. The gun shoots so nice I can’t get rid of it as I had originally thought I would when I got other 38 snubs, but this gun will be a project for me.
WestKentucky
Member
I do not like gold, but every time I see one of those I smile. My old Stratford might just get a facelift when I strip her down to do the hammer swap. Maybe the goldfinger look on both frame and cylinder, but with a tiger stripe camo with black... I’m thinking too hard, and that costs money usually.
rabid wombat
Member
Never did it myself, though I paid to have two done...625 and a 686...DAO...sweet shooters. No problems of light strikes.
stonebuster
Member
I bought an extra hammer to bob for my Ruger Speed Six .357 so I could keep the original intact. Dremel cut, stoned and sandpapered it smooth. Now I can have it either way with a quick switch out.
Pat Riot
Contributing Member
That is very cool. Thank you.
I also have big hands. I put a Hogue Monogrip on my 36. It looks dorky but I like it.
.38 Special
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By God, Merwin Hulbert was ahead of their time in so many ways. I suddenly feel as though my life is incomplete.
.38 Special
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I have two guns with 'bobbed" hammers, sort of.
The first is an early Taurus 85 with the concealed hammer. It is a fine "pocket" gun and used to live in a jacket pocket. A hammer spur would have damaged the pocket almost immediately and would have been a nightmare to get out in a hurry. That gun is so hard to shoot that it has been retired, with prejudice.
The second is my primary carry gun. It is a Smith Model 19 which came to me with a target hammer. I asked Alan Tanaka to bob it, and he told me that he had a spurless factory hammer in a drawer somewhere. He popped it in and smoothed things up, and it is an exceptionally shootable gun - I have won competitions with it. Mostly, though, I appreciate the lack of a hammer spur digging into my beer gut, and the simplicity of DAO operation under stress. This particular hammer has no provision for single action cocking, which doesn't bother me at all.
The first is an early Taurus 85 with the concealed hammer. It is a fine "pocket" gun and used to live in a jacket pocket. A hammer spur would have damaged the pocket almost immediately and would have been a nightmare to get out in a hurry. That gun is so hard to shoot that it has been retired, with prejudice.
The second is my primary carry gun. It is a Smith Model 19 which came to me with a target hammer. I asked Alan Tanaka to bob it, and he told me that he had a spurless factory hammer in a drawer somewhere. He popped it in and smoothed things up, and it is an exceptionally shootable gun - I have won competitions with it. Mostly, though, I appreciate the lack of a hammer spur digging into my beer gut, and the simplicity of DAO operation under stress. This particular hammer has no provision for single action cocking, which doesn't bother me at all.
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Dudemeister
Member
My son's Model 10 (a Bill Davis PPC custom) has a bobbed hammer. Pretty easy to reach and pull back the hammer if you need to shoot it in SA
True it doesn't disable the single action, but without the spur to give you purchase it's a risky thing to grab the hammer mid-way through the double action pull. Also, once cocked it is more difficult to de-cock.
Okay. Okay. Yes I've done it. But don't recommend it.
AK103K
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If youre going to leave that SA notch intact, with the intention of using it, it might be a smart idea to file some serrations into the top of the hammer then. 
Personally, I think once you learn to shoot DAO, you wont bother trying to thumb cock it.
Personally, I think once you learn to shoot DAO, you wont bother trying to thumb cock it.
RKRCPA
Member
I prefer a bobbed hammer on a carry gun
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