S&W revolvers with the pin on the hammer

[Candiru]

I've heard a lot of people opine that they like the older-style S&W revolvers with the firing pin mounted on the hammer. Until recently, I didn't even know such a thing existed. But now I"m curious: Why is the firing pin on the hammer to be preferred? Doesn't it cause the same problem that old single-action revolvers had, where if the hammer was down on a live round a blow to the hammer could fire the round?

 

[rbmcmjr]

In a word, No. The hammer block will prevent the firing pin from moving forward unless the trigger is pulled. In terms of why it's preferred, I would suggest that this is an outgrowth of the "older is better" wistfulness we see all the time.

Rick

 

[Kurac]

The older S&W guns with hammer mounted firing pins are considered better because they are made out of forged parts, newer guns use MIM (metal injection molded) parts and are considered cheaper and less desirable

 

[Old Fuff]

I've heard a lot of people opine that they like the older-style S&W revolvers with the firing pin mounted on the hammer. Until recently, I didn't even know such a thing existed. But now I’m curious: Why is the firing pin on the hammer to be preferred?

It isn’t so much the method of mounting the firing pin. Smith & Wesson used frame-mounted firing pins in many of they’re 19th century top-break revolvers and 20th century hand ejectors with swing-out cylinders that were chambered to fire .22 R.F. ammunition.

But the recent chance to mounting the firing pin in the frame on all center-fire revolvers also involved other changes, such as redesigning the lockwork to use metal injected molded (MIM) parts, which some consider cheapened the guns, and incorporating a locking device that many despise because they believe that it makes the revolvers less reliable, or just on general principals. Thus the hammer-mounted firing pin is used as an identifier to separate the older guns that are preceived to offer better quality from the newer ones.

Doesn't it cause the same problem that old single-action revolvers had, where if the hammer was down on a live round a blow to the hammer could fire the round?

No. Since 1899, and in some cases earlier, S&W revolvers were designed to retract or “rebound” the hammer after the firing pin struck the primer so that the firing pin wouldn’t rest on a primer if the hammer was lowered. After 1945 an additional hammer block was added so that a hard blow on the hammer spur still couldn’t push the hammer far enough to allow the firing pin to touch the primer. This system is still used today with the frame-mounted firing pins.

 

[Candiru]

Cool, thanks for all the answers. This is why I love this forum: It's like a friendly guided encyclopedia to all things firearms. (Admittedly, it gets a lot less friendly if you espouse strong opinions on contentious subjects such as the obvious superiority of the 1911 to the Glock. )

 

[RON in PA]

One additional point about hammer mounted firing pins(hammer nose in S&W terminology) is that trigger pulls seem better on revolvers so equiped. When Smith went to the frame mounted pins they upped the strength of the hammer spring resulting in a heavier trigger.

 

[XavierBreath]

Yet another point in favor of the hammer mounted firing pin: If it breaks, it's a cinch to repair. The frame mounted pins are a PIA.

 

[medic_guns]

I have two revolvers with hammer mounted pins, a 36-7 and a 686. I really like them both. I wish to buy more, much to the chagrin of my wife.

ric