Humpback Hammer Collection

Peter M. Eick · Nov 30, 2013

Thanks to another 38/44 Collector, I was recently able flesh out my humpback hammer collection.

Starting at the top.
Registered Magnum
38/44 Outdoorsman (shooter)
38/44 Heavy Duty 5"
38/44 Outdoorsman (safe queen)
38/44 Heavy duty 4"

I am not sure if there are any 38/44 Heavy Duty 6.5" out there. I will have to search around a while and see what I can come up with.

I like shooting the humpbacks. They are easier to cock for single action with one hand.

Just to show a comparison, they are either grooves or not-grooved. Generally, the grooved are on the higher end guns like the OD's and Registered Magnums.

Fun to collect, fun to shoot, what more can you ask for?

1Aspenhill · Nov 30, 2013

Peter,
Neither of my 6.5 Inch Pre war Heavy Duties has a Humpback Hammer. There are 2ea that were shipped to King that had HBH. I'd like to have one like that also! Good Hunting!
Bill

Oyeboteb · Nov 30, 2013

I like the Humpback Hammer!

When did it come out? And, when was it dis-continued?

05CarbonDRZ · Nov 30, 2013

Nice,I did not know that they made the Humpback's without the grooves on the sides.

Peter M. Eick · Nov 30, 2013

2 6.5"'s went to King? Well, I have a quest! It should not be hard to find 2 heavy duty 6.5" 70 odd years later right? (Just kidding by the way.).

I view it like the "Light lug HD's" They are out there, we just have to pray they are not destroyed in some gun buy back or converted to some other caliber before we find them.

The Humpback was discontinued (as best I can tell) at the start of WWII. I can't recall seeing any on a post war gun. The post war short throw hammer makes them a bit of a fix to a problem that does not now exist.

I will comment that I find them fun to shoot but they are hard to shoot well. They require a fair amount of follow through concentration over a post war short throw hammer.

I should add that please excuse the oil on the guns. I work for an oil company so I tend to use a lot. "Oil is cheap, guns are expensive and we can always find more oil!"

rburg · Nov 30, 2013

The only guns that came with the grooved hammer from the factory were very early 1917s and RMs. I'm guessing maybe a few Outdoorsman slipped out with them on, too. But most of the other guns, 3rd models, Outdoorsman, and HDs came with ungrooved hammers. Some Ks, too. I've got an M&P target with one on it, and a couple of K22s. Its a nice addition to the guns.

There's a rule of thumb. If you see a gun from the late 1930s with an HBH, just save yourself a lot of grief and buy it on the spot. You regret the guns you didn't buy a lot more than the ones you did.

1Aspenhill · Nov 30, 2013

Mr Burg,
I have seen HDs with grooved HBH, mostly 1940 versions that I expect had whatever was on hand put into them.
Bill

j38 · Nov 30, 2013

Thanks for the great post! I love HBH's. They have such a unique look to them and stand out from the rest of the crowd.

Jerry

r3captain · Dec 1, 2013

Here's my K-22 Outdoorsman with HBH, again, shipped November 1939.

Peter M. Eick · Dec 1, 2013

Nice one. My K22 does not have an HBH so I did not include it. They are nice guns to shoot though.

Humpback Hammer Collection

Peter M. Eick

SWCA Member

1Aspenhill

US Veteran, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade

Oyeboteb

Well-known member

05CarbonDRZ

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Peter M. Eick

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rburg

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1Aspenhill

US Veteran, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade

j38

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r3captain

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Peter M. Eick

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