de-cocking a bodyguard 649

[Obelix]

Hi folks,

S&W did not answer this one so I am hoping for help here.

If I want to de-cock the shrouded hammer I secure it with my thumb, pull the trigger, move the hammer forward a little and go of the trigger.

What happens if the hammer now slips of my thumb (with no finger on the trigger)? Will it fire or will any safety catch the hammer before it hits the firing pin?

 

[Obelix]

Hi folks,

S&W did not answer this one so I am hoping for help here.

If I want to de-cock the shrouded hammer I secure it with my thumb, pull the trigger, move the hammer forward a little and go of the trigger.

What happens if the hammer now slips of my thumb (with no finger on the trigger)? Will it fire or will any safety catch the hammer before it hits the firing pin?

 

[pace40]

Welcome to the forum...

I'll answer that for you but before I do, are you currently in a situation where your revolver is loaded with the hammer cocked?

 

[rburg]

Well, thats an easy one. You open the cylinder as you would reloading it. That renders the gun safe because the cylinder is out. Then you take your cylinder release and hold it to the far rear against spring pressure. Then you can do a one handed release or just dry fire it (that makes some folks real nervous.) With a little practice and coordination, you can lower it with the thumb on the trigger finger hand.

See, that was simple, wasn't it?

 

[pace40]

Originally posted by rburg:
Well, thats an easy one. You open the cylinder as you would reloading it.

??? With the hammer already cocked?

 

[pace40]

Guys...Obelix has 2 posts, I don't know about you, but I'd sure like to know if he's a newbee sitting there with a loaded revolver in full cock before talking him through anything.

 

[Pistol Toter]

You mightbe right Pace. Do you think I should delete my post?????

 

[pace40]

Originally posted by Pistol Toter:
You mightbe right Pace. Do you think I should delete my post?????

Your call PT but I had a 2 paragraph explaination already typed in for him and then noticed his post count and changed it to the one I first posted.

 

[Pistol Toter]

DELETED MY POST. I'm a tad nervy about this one too. I wish I was close enough to get to him.

 

[Carmoney]

Originally posted by rburg:
Well, thats an easy one. You open the cylinder as you would reloading it.

Nope, as long as the gun is cocked, the cylinder release will be internally blocked and the gun cannot be opened.

 

[Carmoney]

Originally posted by Obelix:
Hi folks,

S&W did not answer this one so I am hoping for help here.

If I want to de-cock the shrouded hammer I secure it with my thumb, pull the trigger, move the hammer forward a little and go of the trigger.

What happens if the hammer now slips of my thumb (with no finger on the trigger)? Will it fire or will any safety catch the hammer before it hits the firing pin?

Since nobody else wants to answer your question, I will be happy to do so:

As long as the interface between the rebound slide and the hammer have not been radically altered, and the hammer block is installed, there are two separate safety systems that will prevent the gun from firing under the circumstances you've described. Try it with an unloaded gun and you'll see what I mean.

 

[Pistol Toter]

Carmoney, Pace had an answer typed and I had the steps for decocking posted. But we are afraid theis guy is totally unfamiliar and he himself a "cock gun". He needs some help, no doubt, but that help needs to come from someone taking the gun and in a controled environment decocking and if something goes radically wrong the bullet goes into a safe direction and into something that will absorb the energy, not a couch, chair or wall, God forbid a person. The libility is too high in trying to talk this guy through what for most of us here is a second nature skill. He requires some basic handgun / firearms training before he is allowed to handle a gun.

 

[RonJon]

My son carries a 49 "bodyguard" as his CW.

I have always felt that it should normally be treated as though it is a DAO revolver (unless he's at the range and is VERY sure he can fire it after hand cocking it!)

This is why, in my opinion, it is better to carry a 642, which truly is a DAO.

The reason is that the hammer access on a 49 or 649 is very minimal and the purchase that can be obtained on it while going through the decocking procedure is, to me, problematic since a slip of the hammer at the wrong time would be all too easy. The hammer block should catch it without it firing, but only if he was successful in getting his finger off the trigger before the hammer slipped.

So if the OP is not sitting there with a cocked 649, I'd advise against SA cocking it at any time unless he is at a place that he can SAFELY complete the action of actually firing it.

JMHO

Ron

 

[Obelix]

Well thanks guys for your kind replies!!

I ve been in full sweat for hours sitting here with that loaded and cocked damn thing in my living room. I am alone with my 2 children and do not know what to do...

No - I am not

Everything thing is sound and safe. The gun is unloaded and locked up well. But true: I am a novice in this business but I d consider myself very careful - the reason why I am asking.

My usuall procedure of decocking is to block the hammer with my left hand thumb, other thumb on the hammer, pull the trigger, guide the hammer onto my left hand thumb while taking my trigger-finger of the trigger. When the trigger-finger is of the trigger I remove my left-hand thumb to let go the hammer all the way to its rest.

Now with the bodyguard this is a little more difficult, cause I have to "squeeze" a left-hand finger into the narrow "channel" to keep the hammer from hitting the firing pin in case I am not quick enough of the trigger. This is just my extra safety procedure and it can be done with the bodyguard too.

Now for the bodyguard: I know about the hammer block on the odd (newer) revolver but wonder weather S&W incorporated that into the J-frame too. It is very tight in there and may be there was no way to fit this in. So I was hoping someone would know the bodyguard by heart.

@PT, pace and others:
please send your thoughts. I promise I will try and practise only with dead amo.

And if someone likes to try in a safe environment I d be happy to learn from him if nobody is sure how to answer this question by knowing the internal safety-construction of a bodyguard. Cause a safe environment is a little far for me to try myself

@ronjon:
Now the reason for me buying the bodyguard was this one: if I happen to only wound an animal while out hunting and I find it suffering I d like to finish it with SA from close distance. For someone else this might be an easy task DA. But to me I d like to make sure the very next one shot will finish it.

Thanks again guys for caring! This I did not expect!
Obelix

 

[Pistol Toter]

If you live out n the county where you can fire the shot and not have a problem with Law Enforcement or a neighbor, that wouild be the easiest thing to do. I have never owned or manipulated a bodyguard. All my guns have exposed hammers except for one Glock, different kind of animal. But you have the basic idea. I believe that all Smith's even those with the frame mounted firing pins use the hammer block. All my S&W's are of the hammer mounted firing pins. I have seen Hammer Blocks removed and even bought a gun once without the device, but at the same time I orderd the little part and installed it. I don't know if you can hold onto that hammer or not and for Gods sake BE CAREFUL!! If you can hold onto the hammer, then the trigger can be pulled. If you can't hold onto and maintain control, I don't know what to tell you. Then just as you allow the hammer to start to fall (and again I repeat; YOU GOT TO BE IN CONTROL OF THAT HAMMER) then release the trigger, this allows the the Hammer Block to rise and stop the hammer before it comes in contact with the firing pin. Then ease the hammer on down. This is the same process that would be used if the gun was not shrouded. Even if I lived in the city and I had a grassy area, I'd do this outside. That would be better than putting a hole in the couch, chair, wall or God forbide a person / child. It takes some manual dexterity to accomplish this move, one I have done countless times but never with a shrouded gun, which is why I don't own one. IF YOU GET THROUGH THIS WITH OUT A CATASTROPHY, DON'T EVER COCK THAT GUN AGAIN!! Oh! now you can go change your underware, you probably need to.
Pistol Toter

 

[pace40]

Glad to hear you're in a safe situation.

The short answer to your question is there is a hammer block safety on the 649 not unlike other S&W's you mention, however, there is never any reason to test it with live ammo. I can think of no time to bring the hammer to full cock on a loaded revolver unless it is aimed at a target you intend to shoot.

If you open the cylinder and MAKE SURE THE WEAPON IS NOT LOADED, you can test the safety operation visually by 1)pushing and holding the cylinder release toward the rear, 2)cock the hammer, hold the hammer with your thumb and 3)pull the trigger to release the hammer, 4)release the trigger and 5)slowly lower the hammer while looking at the hole in the firing pin bushing(where the firing pin comes thru the recoil shield to contact the primer). If your finger is off the trigger and the hammer is lowered all the way, you should not see the firing pin protrude thru the bushing. Same excercise while holding the trigger depressed while slowly lowering the hammer, the firing pin will visibly come thru the bushing. If it doesn't work like this, it is not safe and needs repair.

 

[RonJon]

Originally posted by Pistol Toter:
I believe that all Smith's even those with the frame mounted firing pins use the hammer block.

I thought so too - Until I opened up the side plate on my 642 - No hammer block!

But upon reflection on this, I decided that with no exposed hammer on a DAO, there is no use for a hammer block - Is there?

Ron

 

[Obelix]

Made my day!

@pace:
What a great answer man! It works exactly as you described. Thus no test with life amo needed in the backyard nonetheless a good feeling. Can t think of a good answer like yours to a questions of mine for a long time. Thanks for the lesson learned!

@RonJon:
IMHO a SA option is a good thing to have. And one can control the hammer quite OK - though sure not as perfect as the standard hammer. But it is a good thing to have the hammer block!

And I will additionally stick my finger in the vault between the hammer and the firing pin just in case Murphy strikes and the hammer slips while my finger is still on the trigger. It may ouch a little on that squeezed finger but not bang.

Thanks folks - I d say this can be closed successfully.

All the best to you guys - and stay safe!

regards from Bavaria
Obelix

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I develop different loads for my J frame so having the ability to fire SA when testing the ammo is a good thing to have. The same revolver is my carry so I think I get the best of both worlds. Besides, I like the look of a humpback revolver.... I own a M638 and am now looking for a M38, I just love the Bodyguard frame...

 

[Spotteddog]

And do so, while pointing it down towards the ground (outdoors), or up against the trunk of at least a 6 inch diameter tree. The mechanical safeties built into it will work just fine. The serving suggestions listed above, are just for those who believe in wearing a belt and suspenders.
(Like I do believe in)