1860 Colt Hammer Redo

[Curtis Lee]

I have searched thoroughly and haven't found the topic I am interested in. My question , has anyone modded their hammer on a cap and ball revolver to mimic an 1873 SAA with a safety notch? There must be a valid reason for not doing so.
If the is in the improper place please remove and advise. Yes I am new to this forum.

 

[45D]

I have searched thoroughly and haven't found the topic I am interested in. My question , has anyone modded their hammer on a cap and ball revolver to mimic an 1873 SAA with a safety notch? There must be a valid reason for not doing so.
If the is in the improper place please remove and advise. Yes I am new to this forum.

Well, the safety notch in the '73 hammer may seem a good design but has proven to be a weak setup over time . . . which is why the "safety" is to load 5. Apparently the safety notch is a good way to break the trigger sear, notch or both.
The cap guns have a good design with a pin between the chambers and a notch in the hammer face to trap. It works well enough that it is mirrored in the Kirst conversion cyls which has the hammer resting on the firing pin which protrudes into a hole between chambers . . . this allows a fully loaded cyl to be safely carried.

Mike

 

[Rich44]

I have searched thoroughly and haven't found the topic I am interested in. My question , has anyone modded their hammer on a cap and ball revolver to mimic an 1873 SAA with a safety notch? There must be a valid reason for not doing so.
If the is in the improper place please remove and advise. Yes I am new to this forum.

I guess this thread was not finished by me. This hammer modification was only to the hammer face to help with firing a cap. the hammer face was enlarged and lastly the slot for the safety pin reinstalled on the face. Hammer can now rest on the safety pins. The slot is now smaller, and the hammer can be re cocked fine because the bolt is resetting correctly. Before and after picture.

 

[William P Sepessy]

Interesting how the wider hammer face(at the bottom) still works. I've often wondered why the hammer face is so radiused there, as that is where most of the contact takes place. I assumed it was to fit the nipple well in the cylinder. Especially on the ones I use a conversion cylinder, that hammer face takes a beating.

 

[Smokerr]

Slixshot cones for the Pietta NMA were the shorter type per Slixshot recomend, the caps would not fire.

So I sorted where the hammer came to rest on the frame and worked that area of the hammer down until I got caps firing.

I would go with the longer cones for a Pietta, no idea of course on a Uberti but that short combo is metric thread and Uberti is not.

 

[shootemup58]

Rich44
Can I ask what brand of spin indexer you have. I've been wanting to get one just don't know if the import ones are any good.

 

[Rich44]

Rich44
Can I ask what brand of spin indexer you have. I've been wanting to get one just don't know if the import ones are any good.

I am lucky enough to have 2 spin fixtures. The one in this posting is a Penn Tool 5C collet index and is about 35 years old. The imported ones are very nice. My other indexer shown below is a Brown and Sharpe and has a small 4 jaw chuck, and is old. I would not want to chose which one to keep as they are both much used.

 

[M. De Land]

I am lucky enough to have 2 spin fixtures. The one in this posting is a Penn Tool 5C collet index and is about 35 years old. The imported ones are very nice. My other indexer shown below is a Brown and Sharpe and has a small 4 jaw chuck, and is old. I would not want to chose which one to keep as they are both much used.

View attachment 294250

Perhaps I've been using the wrong term as I have always called these fixtures dividing heads. I have a universal head but it is pretty large and so almost never use it in gun work.
If I were going to make many reamers I sure would get her out and dust off the ole girl. I usually make quick half reamers when needed for a chamber or loading die although I have made a couple four fluted chamber reamers.
Reamer flutes need to be staggered a few degrees from each other to discourage chatter.

 

[Rich44]

Perhaps I've been using the wrong term as I have always called these fixtures dividing heads. I have a universal head but it is pretty large and so almost never use it in gun work.

Don't make much difference what you call them, just so you know how to use them. Making your own reamers qualifies your position.

 

[M. De Land]

Interesting how the wider hammer face(at the bottom) still works. I've often wondered why the hammer face is so radiused there, as that is where most of the contact takes place. I assumed it was to fit the nipple well in the cylinder. Especially on the ones I use a conversion cylinder, that hammer face takes a beating.

It's far easier to mill cut a radius in the nipple well of a cylinder to match a radius-ed hammer nose than to broach/chisel a blind ended square nipple well. It also leaves more material in the cylinder around the chamber base.