GET OFF MY LAWN!

[Professor Frink]

So not too long ago, I bought this Model 33-1 off a lesser known auction site, it was quite inexpensive. It's in pretty nice shape, shows no sign of ever having been fired outside of the factory (the reason why will be obvious).

My guess is it rattled around in the local curmudgeons night stand, sock drawer, or desk drawer. It has some signs of neglect, some areas of the finish being challenged, some speckling, had a little rust on the butt, and the cylinder has some wear to a couple places where I assume it slid around in the bottom of a drawer. I make several assumptions due to the hammer nose being ground down to the point that it would never fire.
I think this is the familiar story of someone wanting a pistol who, perhaps due to age or other issues, others ideas prevailed and the pistol was rendered useless (mostly).

Whatever the case may be, I'd like to shoot it. Is the repair as simple as:

1. Disassembling the pistol
2. Driving out the pin with a punch
3. Obtaining and installing a new hammer nose (and perhaps a pin)
4. Driving in the pin and putting everything back together?

Any knowledge or insight would be appreciated.

Thanks all, I hope to shoot this sometime in the future.

 

[sza]

You'll need to stake the pin so it doesn't fall out, but otherwise your plan sounds correct. I just use a traditional metal punch to flare the ends of the pin.

Edit: I guess I should add you'll definitely need a new pin.

 

[pantannojack]

Beautiful score. Maybe it was used in Hollywood.

 

[Green Frog]

It may be simpler to find a used hammer from a similar vintage J- frame revolver (center fire, of course.) There are lots of them available from the various parts dealers and auction sites. Since you will need to take the hammer out anyway to fix the nose, this is probably what I would do. There are a lot of hammers for Chiefs Specials out there!

Froggie

 

[Muley Gil]

You drill out the old hollow rivet, install the new hammer nose and rivet and then flare the ends. I also use a center punch to do the flaring. I place my hammer on the flat anvil part of my vise.

 

[Hondo44]

Get a helper, then taking the hammer out of the gun is not truly necessary.

I use the method where you clamp one center punch perfectly vertical, point up in a vice, cock the hammer and wedge it in cocked position with eraser, clumped cloth, etc. Helper holds the gun with hammer pin on the point of the clamped punch, and use a second center punch and light hammer to flare the rivet; both sides at the same time. When done, the rivet MUST BE FLUSH with both sides of the hammer to keep from contacting/SCRATCHING the sides of the hammer channel.

 

[federali]

Correct Terminology

First, I think you're the first person I've encountered in the forum that correctly identified this part as a hammer nose rather than a firing pin. As I recall, when I took the S&W armorers' course, we were provided with hammers in which the hammer nose was already installed. I'd be inclined to install a new hammer as the hammer nose usually must be drilled out and a new one fitted to the existing hammer.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

You don't need to drill the rivet. It can and will spin in the hole in the hammer. You can use a small flat ended punch to drive the rivet out. It will swage itself down and come out easily. Replace the hammer nose and you can use the old rivet if you want to. Push/drive it back in from the unflared side and re-flare with a center punch.........Been there. Done that.