Making hammers for a percussion gun

[tom in nc]

I recently bought my first endoscope that works great with my phone camera. I have checked most of my guns (and found that a couple needed a little cleaning and oiling). The barrels for my 12 ga double looked surprisingly good though. Now I want to cut, grind, and file out a pair of hammers for it. I have a lathe with milling attachment if I need it.
Will someone that knows walk me thru what exactly I should do once the hammers are shaped like I want? Heat & treat the entire hammer, or just the striking surface? Thanks.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Hammers should be made of low carbon steel like 8620 or 1117 alloy then for durability case harden them.
IMG_0473 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[ZUG]

I have made a few and I made them out of 1018 low carbon steel. I did not case harden them and one gun with the one hammer is over 35 years old and still going strong. I did have to replace the nipple many times though in that number of years. I now am shooting flint rifles more. The rifle below was made in 1968 and the lock was all made by me with hand tools.

 

[tom in nc]

Looks good. Thanks.

 

[Sam squanch]

You may have an easier time finding new cast hammers to fit, or even adapting an old set of hammers. Making from scratch is a hard job, and you may not be happy with the end result. I only make hammers as a last resort!

 

[Sam squanch]

There was a post on a English gun site that showed a guy making a hammer for a shotgun, I can’t remember where, but he did a good job of it.

 

[ZUG]

I will buy my cast hammer if I need them now. It is a LOT of work to make one.

 

[Sam squanch]

You may want to find someone to rough forge one to a wood pattern you make, then finish it up. I would think forging one would be easier than cutting grinding and filing one out.

 

[Clark Badgett]

RH McCrory covers this in this book. It really is worth having in a library.
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/303/2/book-lsb

 

[Gordoncourtney]

There was a post on a English gun site that showed a guy making a hammer for a shotgun, I can’t remember where, but he did a good job of it.

I made a hammer too, took ages with an angie grinder , not that happy with it. I ordered one in uk. The guy kepy “saying yes it in a box on the shelf “. Total ???? He’s well know too .

 

[Rich44]

Making hammers is definitely a test of your skills. In trying to understand your desire, If hammers for this gun were not available to purchase I also would want to make the replacement hammers also. Having made so many items out of tool steel O-1 that is what I would use probably. I offer this video as to how this man made a replacement hammer for his son's gun. Even if I did not have a milling machine I probably would not have drilled that many holes as shown and used more filing. Would probably make a template first to get the feel and measurements that would be needed. At least the guy had a one hammer to go by. Good luck with your project, your best tool to have is determination.
PS That book offered above for for $9 would be a great buy no matter what.