At the show today I found a 4” pre-war Heavy Duty. It’s a mess, having been nickel plated (including the hammer and trigger, of course and why do people do that?) but for the asking price I figured it was a decent shooter.

If I am not mistaken the hammer on this revolver is not correct for this model. It appears to be the “hump-back hammer” seen on some RMs. Is this in fact what this hammer is? It looks like it may have been bobbed just a bit (why not butcher it up some more?) but it has the rings on the side and the “RegUSPatOff” stamped on it.

I have the letter for the gun (shipped Aug.8, 1940 to a hardware store to fill an order by the Fort Smith, AR Police Department) but no mention is made of the hammer. Could this hammer be original to the gun or is it definitely a replacement?

Too bad it’s been bobbed. Anyone with an RM missing its original HBH, you may be looking at it.

Saxon,

Congratulations on finding a pretty uncommon gun. I agree that it looks like someone just bobbed the tip off of a humpback hammer. It's hard to imagine just what advantage they thought it might give them since it reduces the surface for thumb cocking and doesn't remove enough of the spur to make it snag-free. One thought might be that somehow the tip got damaged (perhaps by dropping) and the owner just removed the "dinged" up tip.

From the closeup picture it looks almost like the case colors have faded rather than the hammer being plated.

Perhaps Bill P. can tell you if any of the late HD's originally shipped with the HB hammer. (I've got a non-Reg. Mag with a humpback that shipped to the Dallas PD within a couple of months of your HD's shipping date.)

Maybe Tony P can also give you some insight on what the Ft. Smith Dept was using/doing at that time also.

Bob

SP,

A very nice find indeed. Congratulations!

This 4" Pre War Heavy Duty shipped in 1940 as well, and it shipped (and letters as such) with a Humpback Hammer, and it does not have the machined grooves like the hammer you showed pictures of which is like those we see on Registered Magnums.






More photos & details about the gun are available via this link.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5401039...201088512#4201088512

Bob- It is definitely plated. Looks bluish in the photo but it's been plated.

230- Interesting. Apparently they could have come with the HBH although I am curious as to why the two guns have different HBHs? More examples needed? Of course, my letter makes no mention of the hammer option. My letters never mention number in shipment or hammer and trigger options, I think Roy doesn't like me. Well, in this case a previous owner lettered it but I bet Roy saw the AR address and figured that I would wind up with it...

BTW- I saw Tony at the show and he saw the gun. He thinks it may have had departmental markings on the backstrap that have been buffed off. Too bad the gun is so screwed up. I paid shooter's price for it but it's still a shame that a fairly uncommon piece isn't in better shape.

SP:
I know a guy who bought an RM which didn't have the correct hammer and has been complaining ever since. I'll give him a holler and see if he might be interested. He also lives directly over the center of the earth. And given that the gun is plated, messed up hammer and wrong stocks, I hope you didn't give more than $200 for that shooter.
Regards,
Ed

Actually, I bought it thinking that I could have the hammer restored and swap it on my RM with the wrong striking piece. It wasn't until after I made the deal that I calmed down, took a closer look, and realized the hammer had been modified and wouldn't do.

Saxon Pig-
Email sent.
KN

All in all still a cool looking piece. These ole' work horses have some great lines on them.

MOONDAWG

I'm trying to recall, but didn't we have some discussion about Outdoorsmen with RM hammers a while back? I forget whether the conclusion was they were just swapped in, or whether they were used on postwar transitionals...

Nice find, Saxon!

Mr. SP,
Good catch! Humpback hammers were not scarce on HDs. I have one that was one of 16 shipped to Sandusky, OH PD with 4" barrel and Humpback hammer. Mine has a regular HBH but I wouldn't be surprised if S&W didn't use what was available. Roy is generally pretty good in putting in the hammer if it had a HBH when it left the factory. Thanks again for posting it!
Bill

As noted, nothing said in the letter I have with this gun.

BTW- Has a 1958 rework mark. I am guessing it was reblued at that time and then later was cheaply plated.

Email sent. Here are a couple of 4" HBHs:
Enjoy,
Bill

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 1Aspenhill,