You vets might chuckle and shake your heads, but you have to start somewhere, right?

I did as much homework as I could, visited with a couple of local gunsmiths, and put patience ahead of everything else.

I carry a Smith 36 in a SmartCarry holster which means snagging can become a serious issue impeding the ability to draw the gun. I realize a SmartCarry is a deep carry system and there will be no "quick" draw regardless.

But having the hammer snag inside my waistband is more of a possibility with this method of carry (my only current option for reasons I can't discuss here).

I masked off all areas which filings and dust might collect, carefully put the gun in my bench vise with it's nylon, no-mar, inserts and using a small file, marked a starting line on the hammer.

With a fresh cutting wheel in the Dremel,



I slowly began a cut across the hammer from side to side, stopping to inspect (with my flip-down magnifying glasses thanks to flyfishing for years) and let the metal cool.

After cutting patiently off the tab, I chucked up an aluminum oxide wheel

and carefully polished the cut surface until it was smooth and made a gradual transition from the back, uncut surface to the top, back edge of the hammer.

I still have enough surface to safely cock and de-cock the hammer, but until I go to the range this weekend I won't know if the weight removal affects the hammer strike. If it does (I've had trigger/action work done previously) I'll just have my local gunsmith adjust it accordingly.

Aesthetically, I'm really pleased with this first effort. And even more pleased I didn't really screw anything up!

Thanks for everyone's previous posts and advice about this mod. How do you think the noob did here, gentlemen?

Before:


After:

This message has been edited. Last edited by: doc540,

Good job. Hammer spurs are for little old ladies who don't have the strength to shoot DA!

The notion that bobbing the hammer will create ignition problems is TOTAL bullcrap. Although this myth has shown up in gun magazines over the years, it is well-established that reducing the weight of the hammer actually enhances ignition reliability, all other variables remaining equal.

Nice job. I would have taken all of the spur off. Shooting DA it's harder to make a mistake.

Nice start! Now, go back and cut the rest of the spur off. Be sure to leave the little hump at the bottom, though, to limit overtravel if you keep SA capability.

That spur is a pocket-hangin' son of a gun. I cut mine all the way off.

Thanks.

I may take off all of the spur, but I wanted to start cautiously and test my skills.

This way I can take another step forward. Otherwise, I might've gotten stuck without taking a step backward and having to buy another hammer.

It's a learning process, nothing wrong with taking little steps.

quote:

Originally posted by doc540:
Thanks.

I may take off all of the spur, but I wanted to start cautiously and test my skills.

This way I can take another step forward. Otherwise, I might've gotten stuck without taking a step backward and having to buy another hammer.

Good thinking. Wish I could have a few "takebacks" on some jobs on which I took the opposite approach...

Don't be afraid to take it down. I haven't had any failure to fires since I bobbed mine several years ago.

To do a cheesy rip off of another Forum member.
That thing looks like everything you need and nothin' you don't!