Saw a S&W model 18 in a local gun shop. It looked in nice shape, but when you cock it, and push on the hammer from the back, the hammer falls, even if the trigger is not pulled. This seems unsafe. What is the likely cause/remedy? Thanks in advance for any insights!

If you go to the gunsmithing section of the forum there is a FAQ sticky by 500 MagNut. Read the part about pushoff and it explains it and how to correct it.

The gun has had the trigger worked on by someone who went to far in reducing the sear notch on the hammer, or the sear tip on the trigger. Regardless, older forged hammers and triggers were case hardened to approx. .006" deep, and usually when you run into the condition you have (pushoff) whoever worked on it went through the case hardened surface to the less harder metal below. While 500 Magnum Nut's fix will work, the edge will not usually hold up for that many firings before feeling either mushy or gritty, since the engagement surfaces are now into the softer under metal.

If you would like to simply replace the hammer with a "new old stock" hammer, get ahold of this guy. He and his partner bought all of the original old forged parts that S&W
were going to dispose of when they switched to mim parts.

He is an honest and standup guy, and extremely helpful and polite.

Jerry Rodgers
(352) 394-7412

[email protected]