Inquisitive Idiot

[French Colonial]

You guys really think JB weld is going to stand up to the impacts of a hammer fall?

As Grenadier said silver solder may not stand up to it but that's a lot harder than fancy epoxy.

But.... give it a try it is not going to hurt anything.

 

[Grenadier1758]

An acquaintance suggested steel reinforced JB Weld and a dremel to shape after curing...don't know if he was serious or not
If that fails then replace

The high heat from firing will break the epoxy hold in the lock. This may be okay for a short term fix, but don't expect that to last.

 

[sturmkatze]

Pedersoli built in 2007
Smoothbore - 20 Ga SxS
Both hammer cups discovered to be badly pitted when I cleaned out the fouling. Left > right

Just buy a new hammer from them. Or their company VTI. Haven’t you ever heard of interchangeable parts?

 

[BlackRock52]

Use a drill bit kinda like a mill bit and mill it out. It might not be too deep to be functional especially if you can find a long necked nipple.

My dentist is a "Hunt the World" guy...maybe he could help with the reshaping...

 

[IanH]

You guys really think JB weld is going to stand up to the impacts of a hammer fall?

As Grenadier said silver solder may not stand up to it but that's a lot harder than fancy epoxy.

But.... give it a try it is not going to hurt anything.

It's not the hammer fall or the heat that concerns me and kept me from suggesting it before, it's the shock of the priming compound stinging the hammer face. I doubt the epoxy has enough compressive strength to support the cap face during the explosion.

 

[appalichian hunter]

What's up with the JB weld worshippers, either fit new hammers or have the old ones welded and cups ground to fit and be done with it. If like me when hunting with a mickey mouse fix on a gun (which I would never do) and the animal of a lifetime walks into your sights the gun will fail. Fix it right the first time and be done with it.

 

[Gtrubicon]

Since it’s a production gun, I’d find replacement parts.

 

[rmefbowhunter]

And note where each screw was removed from, most times the sear screw is different than the bridle screw. Put them each back in the same place it was removed from.

Great advice! This is where that camera built into a mobile phone is so handy. Lots of 'before' photos during disassembly great aid some of us when it comes time to put things back together. As always, don't ask why I know. And why I have to re-learn this over and over again...

 

[deerstalkert]

Great advice! This is where that camera built into a mobile phone is so handy. Lots of 'before' photos during disassembly great aid some of us when it comes time to put things back together. As always, don't ask why I know. And why I have to re-learn this over and over again...

I am not trying to be snide or insulting to anyone, but unless one reads all post in a thread, they will miss a huge amount of information.

 

[IanH]

What's up with the JB weld worshippers, either fit new hammers or have the old ones welded and cups ground to fit and be done with it. If like me when hunting with a mickey mouse fix on a gun (which I would never do) and the animal of a lifetime walks into your sights the gun will fail. Fix it right the first time and be done with it.

That's why I didn't mention it at first. However, not everyone has a full machine and welding shop at their disposal like some of us and we're just spitballing ideas.

Epoxy, polyacrlylate esters of various sorts, anti-seize compounds, all part of the arsenal at my place.

 

[sturmkatze]

That's why I didn't mention it at first. However, not everyone has a full machine and welding shop at their disposal like some of us and we're just spitballing ideas.

Epoxy, polyacrlylate esters of various sorts, anti-seize compounds, all part of the arsenal at my place.

Why? It’s a production gun. He can easily buy a replacement.

 

[BlackRock52]

Why? It’s a production gun. He can easily buy a replacement.

True but at some point the cost of replacement parts does not warrant their expense -- the juice to squeeze ratio just ain't there -- because it is a production gun and not something 'special'

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

If it pops a cap, I would keep shooting it.

Keep an eye on the nipple though.

If it starts deforming the nipple, I would remove the hammers, thoroughly clean out the cups with brake cleaner. Hold hammers inverted in vice where the cup is level. Apply enough JB weld to fill the pit even with the 'floor' of the cup.

If the surface is prepared correctly, and the JB is mixed in the right proportions, that repair should last a long time.

I repaired a pit in a cylinder wall using regular strength JB weld. I scraped the excess off with a section of piston ring, let cure, and dressed with a hone. That repair is still holding, the engine is still in service.

Folks screaming "just buy the part" must not have ever had to do what you could with what you had. Those hammers are 50 bucks a piece from VTI.

 

[IanH]

Why? It’s a production gun. He can easily buy a replacement.

.....which will likely need filing and bending to work. He will need a vise and some tools to make a punch to remove the old hammer, and a mainspring vise. If he doesn't have the tools or skills, he's back to square one and out some money. I didn't mean to start an argument here over the epoxy vs welding vs replacing but ultimately it's not OUR decision on what to do.

 

[kaotikross]

Sometimes it's best to just take it to a gunsmith.

 

[BlackRock52]

If it pops a cap, I would keep shooting it.

Keep an eye on the nipple though.

If it starts deforming the nipple, I would remove the hammers, thoroughly clean out the cups with brake cleaner. Hold hammers inverted in vice where the cup is level. Apply enough JB weld to fill the pit even with the 'floor' of the cup.

If the surface is prepared correctly, and the JB is mixed in the right proportions, that repair should last a long time.

I repaired a pit in a cylinder wall using regular strength JB weld. I scraped the excess off with a section of piston ring, let cure, and dressed with a hone. That repair is still holding, the engine is still in service.

Folks screaming "just buy the part" must not have ever had to do what you could with what you had. Those hammers are 50 bucks a piece from VTI.

From Pedersoli - case hardened and hopefully engraved the same, they are ~$35 each plus $45+ shipping plus tax (6% here) so I could buy a LOT of JB for that!!

 

[BlackRock52]

Sometimes it's best to just take it to a gunsmith.

Tried that actually...the only full service gunsmith for the UP and eastern northern Wisconsin is 90 miles away and he closed his gunsmith book in March and it will stay closed until further notice...He is so far backed up he felt this was the only to get caught up and not have new projects wait an unfair amount of time

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

Tried that actually...the only full service gunsmith for the UP and eastern northern Wisconsin is 90 miles away and he closed his gunsmith book in March and it will stay closed until further notice...He is so far backed up he felt this was the only to get caught up and not have new projects wait an unfair amount of time

You can do it. GET A MAINSPRING VISE. Use well fitting driver bits. Watch lots of vids on the YouTube. They are dead simple.

I took some rifles many miles to a well advertised ‘muzzleloading gunsmith’. I should have saved my money and done it myself.

 

[BlackRock52]

.....which will likely need filing and bending to work. He will need a vise and some tools to make a punch to remove the old hammer, and a mainspring vise. If he doesn't have the tools or skills, he's back to square one and out some money. I didn't mean to start an argument here over the epoxy vs welding vs replacing but ultimately it's not OUR decision on what to do.

Definitely do not have the skills, experience, nor the tools....for the tune up that seems to be required. Willing to take on the swap tho---

 

[Bad Karma]

.....which will likely need filing and bending to work. He will need a vise and some tools to make a punch to remove the old hammer, and a mainspring vise. If he doesn't have the tools or skills, he's back to square one and out some money. I didn't mean to start an argument here over the epoxy vs welding vs replacing but ultimately it's not OUR decision on what to do.

Oh good lord! none of this is anywhere near as difficult as everyone is pretending it is… buy a replacement hammer. Remove the old one, (I’ve done this dozens of times without pulling the lock from the stock let alone tearing down the entire lock) replace it with the new one, load, cap and fire.