Name this hammer style
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diamonback68
US Veteran
Smith&Wesson in their old literature and catalogs referred to it as the "High Speed" hammer. Collectors lovingly refer to it as the "fishhook" hammer.
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As I have said-
from as far back as the late 60's, I heard the old guys call it the "Sculpted Hammer". Bear in mind that it had only been gone 10-12 years at that time, having been superseded by later type that lacks the grace of these. I fail to see the fishhook in that lovely shape.
from as far back as the late 60's, I heard the old guys call it the "Sculpted Hammer". Bear in mind that it had only been gone 10-12 years at that time, having been superseded by later type that lacks the grace of these. I fail to see the fishhook in that lovely shape.
Actually, that hammer is for the target guns, and has a wider spur. The M&P's of that era have a hammer with the same profile, but the sides are flat- the spur is no wider than the body.
Engine49guy
Member
(Edited) Thanks Handejector
I have never seen a standardized name chart nd there seems to be a lack of censensus of whats called what.
My understanding is that the three at left are:
Standard (S), Semi target (ST .375) and Target hammer (TH .50),
No.4 is a standard long action hammer found on pre-war guns, and on post-war transition guns till 1948.
No. 5 is what people call the "Fishhook"- did not appear till AFTER WW II.
There is no Humpback in the pic.
I have never seen a standardized name chart nd there seems to be a lack of censensus of whats called what.
My understanding is that the three at left are:
Standard (S), Semi target (ST .375) and Target hammer (TH .50),
No.4 is a standard long action hammer found on pre-war guns, and on post-war transition guns till 1948.
No. 5 is what people call the "Fishhook"- did not appear till AFTER WW II.
There is no Humpback in the pic.
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Sorry, but you are incorrect on 4 and 5.
No 4 is the standard long action hammer found on pre-war guns, and on post-war transition guns till 1948.
No. 5 is what people call the "Fishhook"- definitely NOT the Humpback. No. 5 did not appear till AFTER WW II.
There is no Humpback in your pic.
No 4 is the standard long action hammer found on pre-war guns, and on post-war transition guns till 1948.
No. 5 is what people call the "Fishhook"- definitely NOT the Humpback. No. 5 did not appear till AFTER WW II.
There is no Humpback in your pic.
The three at left are Standard (S), Semi target (ST .375) and Target hammer (TH .50), then an older pre 1947 style sometimes called a "Fishhook" and last one on right was a special order after 1930's (like yours) called a "Humpback" Hammer because of its humped appearence between the spur and hammer face .
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I have a M&P from 54-55 c306xxx and it has the flatsided "Fishook"
hammer. I didn't quite know what to think of it. It is different.
hammer. I didn't quite know what to think of it. It is different.
I would love to see a hammer & trigger terminology thread somewhat like the stock thread in the lounge put up by experts. If any experts are kind enough to do this, please include which styles were used on flat face rimfire hammers.
Hello
Here are a couple of examples on my K-22's. The First one is on my Original 1947 K-22 and the second one is on my 4" Model 48 that is a Four screw and I added the Older Up-Swept style hammer to it as I Like the Look and Feel of them..
Here are a couple of examples on my K-22's. The First one is on my Original 1947 K-22 and the second one is on my 4" Model 48 that is a Four screw and I added the Older Up-Swept style hammer to it as I Like the Look and Feel of them..
AirCommando
US Veteran
Like mine? SN C304xxx. I just got it last week and wondered about the hammer myself.
AC
Art Doc
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
I agree that the "Sculpted" or "Hi-Speed" or "Fish Hook" hammers are quite stylish. They have panache, you know?
Humpback Hammer - N Frames
Here is what the Humpback hammer looks like. These are both on 38-44 Heavy Dutys, which of course is an N frame, but regardless here is what those look like.
Here is what the Humpback hammer looks like. These are both on 38-44 Heavy Dutys, which of course is an N frame, but regardless here is what those look like.
Gorgeous HD 230grfmj. All the HD’s I run across look like they gave gallant service for a long time.
When I was a youngster, a proud collector showed me an 8 ¾” RM with grooves on the sides of its humpback that he said were to reduce friction. The grooves were finely spaced curves that formed segments of circles around the hammer’s axis. What is the name of this style of humpback and how scarce are they?
Did center fire long action K’s & N’s use the same hammers and triggers like short action K, L & N frames do? I can only recall seeing humpbacks in N’s. Did the factory ever put humpbacks in K’s?
When I was a youngster, a proud collector showed me an 8 ¾” RM with grooves on the sides of its humpback that he said were to reduce friction. The grooves were finely spaced curves that formed segments of circles around the hammer’s axis. What is the name of this style of humpback and how scarce are they?
Did center fire long action K’s & N’s use the same hammers and triggers like short action K, L & N frames do? I can only recall seeing humpbacks in N’s. Did the factory ever put humpbacks in K’s?
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The grooved Humpback is called.......ya ready??....."The Grooved Humpback"
They were, generally speaking, only shipped in pre-war Mags.
Long action K and N frames use the same trigger usually, in a given era.
Long Action K and N frames do NOT have the same hammer. The N frame hammers are longer (taller).
YES- Humpbacks were made for long action K frames in both rimfire for the K-22 Outdoorsman, and for centerfires.
Hammer
Yeah mine is the same shape { profile } as yours, I just wish
it was the same shape { condition } as yours. Nice gun!
Like mine? SN C304xxx. I just got it last week and wondered about the hammer myself.
AC
Yeah mine is the same shape { profile } as yours, I just wish
it was the same shape { condition } as yours. Nice gun!
Thank you for answering.
Lee,
I doubt I’ll ever see a K-22 outdoorsman with a humpback, but if I do, hopefully it will have had a zillion rounds through it so I can put another zillion through it without lowering its value.
That 8 ¾” RM I was shown in 1975 had a glass mirror built into the front sight base angled to reflect light onto its front sight. The owner believed it was ordered from S & W that way. I think he said the sight was made by King’s Gun Works, but I’m not sure about the brand. I do remember the value he put on his RM, 1,000 1975 dollars!
Gil
Lee,
I doubt I’ll ever see a K-22 outdoorsman with a humpback, but if I do, hopefully it will have had a zillion rounds through it so I can put another zillion through it without lowering its value.
That 8 ¾” RM I was shown in 1975 had a glass mirror built into the front sight base angled to reflect light onto its front sight. The owner believed it was ordered from S & W that way. I think he said the sight was made by King’s Gun Works, but I’m not sure about the brand. I do remember the value he put on his RM, 1,000 1975 dollars!
Gil
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Smithnut, nice package and very interesting. Have you lettered that gun to find out if it left the factory that way? Or did somebody put the pieces together after it was shipped?
I have a 1934 K-22 and a humpback hammer, but I have never put the hammer in because it would be an anachronism for that particular revolver. I'll probably try it eventually just to see what it feels like to shoot it. But I have a bad case of The Authenticities when it comes to guns whose factory configuration can be determined, so I'd never leave it that way.
My K-frame grip adapter is on a different gun right now, but it's available if I wanted to imitate yours.
Does anybody have any idea how many rimfire K-frame humpback hammers were made? Can't be more than a couple of thousand, I would guess, and given the timing of the hammer's introduction, I doubt more than a few hundred would have been installed as original equipment on the late-'30s K-22 First Models.
I have a 1934 K-22 and a humpback hammer, but I have never put the hammer in because it would be an anachronism for that particular revolver. I'll probably try it eventually just to see what it feels like to shoot it. But I have a bad case of The Authenticities when it comes to guns whose factory configuration can be determined, so I'd never leave it that way.
My K-frame grip adapter is on a different gun right now, but it's available if I wanted to imitate yours.
Does anybody have any idea how many rimfire K-frame humpback hammers were made? Can't be more than a couple of thousand, I would guess, and given the timing of the hammer's introduction, I doubt more than a few hundred would have been installed as original equipment on the late-'30s K-22 First Models.
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I think these are the same milled grooves that early 1917 Army revolver hammers have. I recall reading they were put there for oil retention, but I suppose less bearing surface area = less friction too.
The grooves ! 
Currently on a .38/44 Outdoorsman.
Jerry
Currently on a .38/44 Outdoorsman.
Jerry
