Inquisitive *****

[Bad Karma]

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

Some local machine shops will weld and then machine the cup if you go that direction.

 

[longcruise]

Lock disassembly is not that difficult. A mainspring vice is a good thing to have but I'll admit to using vice grips with leather padded jaws quite a few times with no problems.

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/taking-apart-a-side-hammer-lock.116647/

 

[Appowner]

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

While I am a great advocate of JB and use it a lot in my RC Airplane Hobbby, I wouldn't use it in this case. JB Weld simply is not up to repeated shocks like what a hammer of any kind goes through. It would no doubt hold for one or two times and maybe even more. But eventually it will fail and no doubt at the worse possible time (excuse me Mr Bear while I fix my hammer, Again!)

 

[GREENSWLDE]

As you say Vise grips make good spring vises so do tool makers clamps. If you can't lift the hammer off easily with a couple of screw drivers, Take the spring off and the bridle.Unscrew the hammer screw about a turn and a half. Lay the lock down on an open vice with the hammer on top and give the hammer screw a tap. With it's taper the hammer will normally come off easily. If you can't find a direct replacement. Soften the hammer, drill out the old hole a fair bit over size. Make a sleeve to fit tight. Drill and recut the hammer square in the sleeve and set it in the right place and silver solder it in place.Hardly worth trying to re-harden the hammer as it will no doubt not be fully annealed.

 

[sturmkatze]

.....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.

lol. There’s this new invention called “interchangeable parts”, I guess you’ve not heard of. Usually you DON’T have to do anything to the pats for a production gun. Certainly, not dumb things like epoxy or soldering the nose of the have hammer.

 

[sturmkatze]

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!!

There are dealers here. JB Weld… pretty hoopdie

 

[Century to late]

As you say Vise grips make good spring vises so do tool makers clamps. If you can't lift the hammer off easily with a couple of screw drivers, Take the spring off and the bridle.Unscrew the hammer screw about a turn and a half. Lay the lock down on an open vice with the hammer on top and give the hammer screw a tap. With it's taper the hammer will normally come off easily. If you can't find a direct replacement. Soften the hammer, drill out the old hole a fair bit over size. Make a sleeve to fit tight. Drill and recut the hammer square in the sleeve and set it in the right place and silver solder it in place.Hardly worth trying to re-harden the hammer as it will no doubt not be fully annealed.

I've used vice grips for many years I like the smaller models. Only ever broke one spring and it was my fault by letting the jaws fly open.

 

[BlackRock52]

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.

I thought this would be the most expedient tho NOT the cheapest. And since it was made in '07 thought there was a good chance the hammers would look same or at least similar...unfortunately, no. So I am going to try the JB route and if no joy then road trip to a gunsmith with welding and machining skills. Plan "C" would be to find a percussion friendly gunsmith and send the gun to them for repair. If anyone knows of such a person I am definitely open to suggestions.
Thank you all for your advice and experience...great place this forum....learn something every time I visit.

 

[appalichian hunter]

I think your on the right track with the repair.

 

[IanH]

lol. There’s this new invention called “interchangeable parts”, I guess you’ve not heard of. Usually you DON’T have to do anything to the pats for a production gun. Certainly, not dumb things like epoxy or soldering the nose of the have hammer.

You're right, I'm a total dumba$$, never heard of Eli Whitney, and never bought or fitted any "interchangeable" parts to guns because they came un-machined and un-finished, and never worked on a gun in my life.

 

[sturmkatze]

You're right, I'm a total dumba$$, never heard of Eli Whitney, and never bought or fitted any "interchangeable" parts to guns because they came un-machined and un-finished, and never worked on a gun in my life.

I was guessing. Now that you know, you can just buy a pedersoli hammer and bolt it on. See how neat the internet is that you just learned something today.

 

[azmntman]

Eli invented the cotton gin. He's dead now so wont be of any help with the hammer issue your experiencing.

 

[Sam squanch]

I talked to Eli the other day. At a seance. He’s good.

 

[BlackRock52]

I was guessing. Now that you know, you can just buy a pedersoli hammer and bolt it on. See how neat the internet is that you just learned something today.

Except the current hammer looks nothing like the hammers on the gun...

 

[IanH]

Eli invented the cotton gin. He's dead now so wont be of any help with the hammer issue your experiencing.

He also helped bring the concept of interchangeable parts to reality. I was hoping someone would catch on to that, as well as my sarcastic comment about myself being a noob, which I am not. One of the reasons I have built up a full machine shop at home is so I can make gun parts, or make replacement gun parts fit properly. A "drop in" replacement part is somewhat of a unicorn in the gun world.

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

edit--deleted--I should/will remain silent.

 

[azmntman]

I wish I had a better equipped shop. I need a dove tail in my 1851 and the local gun shop informed me the guy that did it for them quit and started his own shop and they wont give me his info (cant blame em). I will have to send it off. Its an excellent shooter and if I had a blade on top would be way better. LOVE BP, my only vice.

 

[IanH]

I think everyone knew what you were talking about. You've been thumping your chest since the day you arrived here. With respect, no one is near as special as they think they are. Bleed some of those PSI's out of your cranial vault.

A person tends to get defensive when they get crapped on from the very first day. I'm sorry so many of you feel threatened by a man who has a lot of experience with a lot of different things and is willing to share what he knows to help a fellow out.

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

A person tends to get defensive when they get crapped on from the very first day. I'm sorry so many of you feel threatened by a man who has a lot of experience with a lot of different things and is willing to share what he knows to help a fellow out.

Trust me bud, not a one of us feels threatened by you. Glad you've joined the party, and humility never hurt a soul.

 

[sturmkatze]

A person tends to get defensive when they get crapped on from the very first day. I'm sorry so many of you feel threatened by a man who has a lot of experience with a lot of different things and is willing to share what he knows to help a fellow out.

You kind of started your own firestorms in posts, didn’t you?