Finally obtained my CCW. Bobbed hammer or leave it stock? Model 65-3, 3 inch.

[rockquarry]

I too suggest leaving the hammer alone. If you want a hammer less pocket wheel gun the J's are fine. For anything other than pocket a regular hammer has always worked just fine for me. Even my pocket wheelgun is a 38 series with the shrouded, but still usable hammer.

Good advice, but the fast draw guys think an unmolested hammer will slow them down or snag on something. Very unlikely. Or maybe a bobbed hammer is indicative of the inexperienced concealed carry hobbyist? Thoughts on that-

 

[45Smashemflat]

I wanted to try a bobbed hammer on my Model 36 for ease of draw but I was not willing to give up the single action capability. I found a used hammer in good condition, bobbed the hammer and filed grooves along the top of the hammer with a diamond file.
I am able to cock the hammer by using the old technique of pulling the trigger slightly and then hooking my thumb over the top of the hammer. Skeeter Skelton described this technique. You can decock in the normal manner.

This technique is not for everyone, obviously. Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. I would never attempt this maneuver in an emergency or in a hurry. It allows you to make a precision shot when you have the time. I understand if some members would never consider doing this and hope that this thread won't veer off on that track too far.

I replicated the case coloring with the "WD-40 method." Apply a thin wash of cold blue then heat the hammer with a heat gun and, when it is good and hot, spray WD-40 on the hammer.

I did something similar to my 337. It is primarily a pockets carried J frame, and I did find that the hammer spur would snag occasionally while drawing from a pocket.

For S&W "factory" bobbed hammers, may I assume that they are also DAO, since they would most likely not want the liability of trying to operate them in single action?

 

[Law-dog]

My cop experience says leave it stock.

You plan on IWB but eventually you will find with revolvers the OWB is a better choice. Also I go with a thumb snap for retention.

Four law enforcement agencies including long term undercover and I now leave all of mine stock. The only real advantage of the internal hammer is being able to fire from inside a jacket pocket. You cannot do that with a semi auto or a bobbed hammer. The 442 style works well for that.

The CCW role is nearly always a one handed issue, it happens at night, in a parking lot, gas station or maybe your driveway. You have a cell phone or light or something else in the other hand, so you need one hand fire. It works fine with 6 foot attack. But if you need an accurate follow up, or if you carry hiking where animals are attacking or any accuracy is required, cocking the hammer and firing with one hand is the very best method.

For IWB or OWB or cross draw and shoulder holster carry the bobbed hammer really provides no value. The reason is your hand must have room to grab the gun, that space prevents clothing from getting onto the trigger.

Practice it, or change it out and you will see. I changes some and changed them all back over the years, they are in my parts box now.

 

[CW3RDL]

I carried a Model 13/3" as a plainclothes police officer. You can learn to draw quickly from under a jacket or vest if you train sufficiently. For the reasons mentioned above I would leave it "stock." And for the simple fact that a Model 65/3" in very good condition will bring $1100 + on GB.com with tax and shipping, I wouldn't want to diminish the resale value. There are parts "out there" on GB.com and elsewhere what would allow you to have a second hammer if you choose to have a bobbed hammer "installed."

 

[Butzbach]

I will not own a DA only revolver for obvious reasons. I do understand the hammer spur snagging clothes argument. The above type with the shrouded hammer is a sensible way to have SA/DA in a concealed revolver. I own a Taurus Clone in .357. For personal C.C. I prefer my Russian Makarov, or smaller Polish P-64 (both tweaked) - Over the Heavier Chunky Revolvers. I would not carry a semi-auto pistol that was not 100% reliable, & am confident with my choices.

Isn't 9X18 like a female paratrooper? Works great but can't really do much when it gets there? Carry enough gun.

 

[Butzbach]

I carried a Model 13/3" as a plainclothes police officer. You can learn to draw quickly from under a jacket or vest if you train sufficiently. For the reasons mentioned above I would leave it "stock." And for the simple fact that a Model 65/3" in very good condition will bring $1100 + on GB.com with tax and shipping, I wouldn't want to diminish the resale value. There are parts "out there" on GB.com and elsewhere what would allow you to have a second hammer if you choose to have a bobbed hammer "installed."

Thanks for your feedback. You have a different relationship to your fixed site k-frame than I do. Resale? If they are looking for mine after I'm gone they should check my coffin.

 

[crasig]

Isn't 9X18 like a female paratrooper? Works great but can't really do much when it gets there? Carry enough gun.

I rarely carry, & live in the country. I smile a lot, & have good manners. Consider this - I carry when I'm in strange territory - or ATLANTA. In my 78 years I've never had to draw a gun - SO COMFORT IS IMPORTANT & PRACTICAL.
HOWEVER; I do not feel under-armed - my Fiesty DEPENDABLE MAKS, they feed hollow points, are accurate, & more deadly at close range.
IT seemed a good place to compare my 8 round, slim, compact choice - in the discussion of 5 shot, heavy, chunky, snaggy, carry revolvers. I have BIG Guns, & Small revolvers, & leave them all home. Recommend walking away from any fight - & if they follow - wait til they get real close....

 

[Smoke]

Maybe buy a bob hammer and install it and carry it that way and see which way you prefer

 

[EEResQ]

A lot of varying and well justified opinions expressed here. Just remember, everyone's KSEs (knowledge, skills and experiences) are different. As such, except for not carrying at all, no one carry method is significantly better than any other. Back in the dark ages, we were trained, and required, to shoot double action only (DAO). So, when a local deputy U.S. Marshal offered to sell his personally owned factory bobbed S&W Model 64-2 DAO, wearing Bianchi 'Lightning' Bodyguard style grips, I grabbed it. That was forty-four years ago. Yes, there are certainly better options today. But, that Model 64 snubby goes bang every time I pull the trigger. Plus, with practice, even shots at distance can be made DAO. So, here's two revolvers wearing Bianchi 'Lightning' grips.

1st pic left: 1979 S&W Model 64-2, factory bobbed DAO, 2" barrel.
1st pic right: 1987 S&W Model 65-3, DA/SA, 3" barrel.
2nd pic left: 1987 S&W Model 65-3, DA/SA, 3" barrel.
2nd pic right: 1979 S&W Model 64-2, factory bobbed DAO, 2" barrel.

 

[chief38]

Personally I like the standard full spur hammer and never cared for bobbing - but that is just me. I learned a long time ago to simply put my thumb over the hammer spur when drawing it to avoid snagging on clothes. I like having an option of double action or single action firing without having to try and grab a bobbed hammer half way pulled back.

I also agree with you that if you do decide to go with a bobbed hammer, get another one to bob. I'd keep the original as is just incase you decide to go back.

 

[stansdds]

The 3-inch barreled K-frame revolver is not exactly pocket sized, so I'd leave the hammer spur as-is. If you absolutely must have a bobbed hammer, buy a hammer and cut it or buy one that has already had the spur cut off and save the original hammer.

 

[BB57]

Excuse me for not reading the last three pages, but its probably nothing new. There will be two camps:

- the "bob it" camp who seem to feel a hammer spur is not needed and or is a snag hazard; and
- the leave it alone camp who have never encountered any issues with a hammer snagging (even in pocket carry), and who recognize the value of having a hammer.

I'm in the latter camp.

In 39 years of concealed carry and with extensive revolver carry, I have never had an issue with a hammer snagging. Not one. Ever.

I also shoot DA about 95 percent of the time, but a hammer can be handy for that last 5 percent. I can shoot a clean score on a slightly modified version of the current FBI Q course (adding a reload at the 25 yard line to shoot 4 standing and 4 kneeling) using a revolver with moon clips and usually drop a point on a stage using speed loaders, and all of that is done DA.

But there are times when you have a need for more accuracy and unless the DA trigger is exceptionally light and smooth having a hammer and being able to shoot SA is an advantage. 50 yards is a toss up unless the target is small, but at 75 yards or 100 yards, SA is the way to go.

Similarly, while revolvers are very reliable, you can still encounter some malfunctions that will jam the cylinder. For example if you have lead build up or fragment of lead in the forcing cone that prevents the cylinder from rotating past it with DA trigger pressure, you can usually pull it past the obstruction with the DA trigger and its the quickest, cleanest way to clear it.

The same can be true with a soft nosed lead bullet that is a bit deformed a bit and or has backed slightly out of the case. There are limits of course but within those limits a hammer can get that bullet past the forcing cone and in position to fire with minimum fuss.

There are also cases where a small grain of partially burned powder might get under the ejector star - not enough to prevent the crane from going back into the frame, but enough to bind slightly more than the DA trigger can accommodate for the first shot (and recoil from that first shot usually creates some clearance). This is avoidable by avoiding spherical ball powders, but it's still nice to have the hammer.

---

In other words, bobbing the hammer serves no real or useful purpose, but does remove some capability from the revolver. Consequently, the juice isn't worth the squeeze. Don't make mods that reduce capability or effectiveness.

That said, I do carry a couple revolvers with bobbed hammers, but it's because its unavoidable. For example, I prefer a 3" .357 mag to a 2.125". I have both lengths in the Kimber K6S, but carry the DAO version as it has a 3" barrel. Similarly, I have a Taurus 856 Executive and it also comes with a bobbed hammer. But in both cases the DA triggers are light and extremely smooth - close to what I have on my S&W Performance Center 625 (which still has a hammer). If Kimber had made a 3" DASA at the time I would have bought it instead. Same with the Taurus Executive.

But marketers are gonna market and whether it makes any sense or not, bobbed hammers are popular with some folks.

But you do you. My advice if you go that route is keep the original hammer and install a bobbed hammer or bob the replacement hammer to preserve the value of a good 3" Model 65. It is not a pocket pistol and many (most) potential future buyers won't appreciate the bobbed hammer, especially if it is an early Model 65.

 

[rockquarry]

Looks like a large faction of hammer bobbers are among the hardcore gunfighting dreamers and less experienced handgunners who have a "need" to modify just about any gun, maybe in a variety of ways. Most of the modifications are likely of dubious worth. A hammer is a good thing to have on a revolver. Why change that just for the sake of change ?