Spring on hammer mounted firing pin?

BugEater · Jan 7, 2012

I'm new to collecting and have a dumb question that I'm sure many of you will know the answer to.

I have a M66 with a spring on the hammer mounted firing pin. I have several other J & K frames that lack the spring on the hammer mounted pin. Do different models lack this feature or are the springs broken and I just don't know any better?

If there is a model difference, is this a newer feature or one that was later dropped?

Much obliged!

Kelly Green · Jan 7, 2012

I own a 66-2 that does not have a spring in the hammer firing pin. As for the others, I can’t say. I have heard that some had springs and some didn’t.

H Richard · Jan 7, 2012

You are correct, some do and some don't. If it is hammer mounted it should have a little wiggle up and down.

chief38 · Jan 9, 2012

And the question you asked in NOT dumb!

kwselke · Jan 9, 2012

In fact I'm glad the question was asked. It solved a 20 year old mystery for me.

In 1991 I bought two OHB over-stamped CHP surplus M-67s at a gun show. They were $169 each or $160 each if you bought two. Of course, I bought two.

One, S/N 13K9XXX, had a spring loaded hammer mounted firing pin. The other S/N 8K89XXX had a firing pin that appeared to be missing the firing pin hammer spring. They both functioned perfectly, but during a divorce in 1992 I kept the one with a spring loaded firing pin like was on my M-629. My ex-wife got the 8K89XXX gun. Now I know that's just the way some were made.

Drail · Jan 9, 2012

The ones with the spring are the DeLuxe Model.

Alk8944 · Jan 9, 2012

Generally the N-Frame guns have the loaded hammer nose, as do the .357 Magnum K-Frame guns. Since the only difference whether a particular gun has the spring loaded hammer nose or not is the spring itself and a slot for the spring in the hammer nose. Not only are standard K-frame guns found with the spring, sometimes a hammer nose with the slot but no spring is also seen.

stantheman86 · Jan 10, 2012

Yes, this is a question I had too.

Both my early 80's production 581 no-dash guns have spring loaded firing pins. My 64-3 and a 10-10 that I sold also had them, as well as all of my 28-2's. The vast majority of my Smiths do not have it.

I prefer the spring loaded pin, I don't know why I just think it's a
"cleaner" add on.

Spring on hammer mounted firing pin?

BugEater

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Kelly Green

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H Richard

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chief38

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kwselke

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Drail

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Alk8944

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stantheman86

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