heavy hammer pull

[brubincam]

-----have a Uberti revolver with a very heavy hammer---how can it be lightened-----THANKS-----

 

[paulvallandigham]

You would be better served asking this under the Pistol topic heading on the index.

However, in general, trigger pulls on single action revolvers have any number of reasons why they are Hard, or have to much tension on the trigger. I disassemble the revolver, and then go over all the parts to remove burrs, and file or hone down the sides of parts that are obviously rubbing against part of the frame. Then oil the moving parts and pivots with a good, fine oil. I then reassemble the gun and see what effect deburring and oiling has on the problem. Often that is all that is needed.

If it has a flat mainspring, like in the original colts, its probably a stamping and has sharp straight edges. Round them with files or good stones, like the India stones available from suppliers. A round edge can bend easier than a square edge. Its has to do with mechanics and physics.

The trigger has a sear nose that fits into the full cock notch on the bottom of the hammer. The two surfaces have to marry, and fit together like two glass rods, if you are going to have a decent trigger pull, regardless of what weight the pull is set for. The bearing surface on both the notch and the sear have to be very smooth, so they slide against each other.

There are other parts that are moved by the action as the hammer is cocked, and then the hammer falls. They also contribute in some small part to the trigger pull. Also, the trigger return spring has an obvious effect on felt trigger pull. Sometimes these springs are monsters, and need a bit of taming.

Until you can tell us a bit more detailed information on what your particular revolver's problem is, or provide very good, clear pictures of the parts, its a bit difficult to diagnose the problems, and suggest a course of action. A competent pistolsmith can take the gun apart, and analyze the problem so fast you will find your mouth hanging open.

There are videos out on tuning revolvers and pistols and it would be worth your while to get them, and watch them, several times, while you take the gun apart. You can learn a lot from the videos, and you can teach yourself to fix these revolvers so they shoot the way you want them to. Thankfully, parts for these guns are available, and are fairly cheap to buy. Before the CAS craze, it was not always the case. So, don't worry about ruing a part. You can buy another and start over to fit it to your gun. DON't File down the sear notches.

I am not a fan of " hair triggers", in any gun, but particularly in a single action revolver. Once that hammer is cocked, you have no more safety than your own brain and training to leave your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot. Google the American Pistolsmith Guild to find a competent pistolsmith near you, and seek his help before trying to do much more than oil your gun and get rid of burrs. If you are trained or experienced in using hand tools, and think you can file a surface flat, go ahead and do your own polishing work. In most cases, that will be all that is needed.

 

[William Joy]

Put a leather washer between the frame and spring (were the screw holds the spring)

 

[CoyoteJoe]

The leather washer trick will do doubt help. We can't know exactly what you mean by "very heavy", so I will mention that a percussion revolver requires a much heavier hammer fall than does a cartridge gun. With a centerfire the hammer impact is concentrated on the very small area of the firing pin tip. With a percussion, that impact is spread over the much greater area of the nipple top and therefore it requires a greater impact for reliable firing. Best thing about the leather washer is that it can easily be undone if it proves unsatisfactory.

 

[paulvallandigham]

If you have a stiff mainspring in a revolver, just putting a piece of leather between the spring and the frame is usually not going to help very much. You are much better off removing burrs from the edges of the flat spring, and rounding those corners(edges).

You can also grind a taper( to the sides) in the last 1/2 inch of the mainspring, below the hook, to give the hammer a bit of " whip " just before it strikes the cap or primer. The whip will often compensate for what appears to be a weak mainspring, when that is the problem.

 

[bioprof]

Another alternative is that there are companies that sell after-market mainsprings that are designed to give you a lighter pull. If you do a google search, you should be able to find them. I'd try Paul's advice and the leather washer first, that would be easiest.