Hammer strike point

[UpstateNY]

Hey everyone. After a good cleaning last night, I managed to find a few minutes today to sneak away from the wife and newborn to fire the first shots out of my new 15-22.

Well I got through my first mag (10 rd. here in NY) and decided to crack open the upper to make sure everything was functioning well. I was a little uneasy with my gun being a DTU and reading all the horror stories.

While I was inspecting the upper, I noticed that the backside of the firing pin had some deep grooves in it. There is also a gouge in the bolt itself. It's as if the hammer isn't striking in the right position. Other than this, the gun fired well. Granted it was only 10 rounds so far. Any thoughts?

 

[john16443]

I just put 500 rounds through my new 15-22 this week as well. My breakdown doesn't show this marking and metal damage, I'd send that picture to S&W for their response.

John

 

[chuck s]

Here's my DTM-series bolt and firing pin. Just normal wear after close to 2000 rounds.

Did you swap out hammers for some reason? Standard AR15/M&P15 hammer shows above the Accuracy Speaks single stage trigger in my "duty" M4 receiver. But I can't imagine either hammer damaging the M&P15 bolt or firing pin.

-- Chuck

 

[UpstateNY]

Thanks for the feedback guys. This is a completely stock gun with only 10 rounds through it so far. After inspecting the hammer more closely, there is some minor wear on the top edge of the strike plateau as well. It looks like it would line up with the bottom of the firing pin. That would place the bottom of the strike plateau right At the gouge in the bolt. It's as if the whole hammer is riding a 1/4" or so too low. Could this be an improperly machined hammer?

Chuck, it looks like your hammer doesn't have a strike plateau. Can you confirm that the stock hammer should even have one? If you have no idea what I'm referring to, then I suspect not. Which could be part of my problem. I'll try to take a couple more pictures a little later.

I scoured the forum and haven't seen any other reports of this. You guys recall seeing anyone else with this issue?

 

[UpstateNY]

Ok. I managed to take another picture of the hammer. Does everyone's hammer have this plateau? Is mine just striking in the wrong position?

 

[grimreaper21]

heres mine for comparison

 

[UpstateNY]

Thanks grim. At least that answers my question about having the plateau (is there an official name for it?). I guess I'll give S&W a call tomorrow to get it shipped back for servicing.

Now where's that poll about who's had success with their guns.

 

[grimreaper21]

i'd probably send it back too, plus you'll get all the other little upgrades like the blue springs and stuff. and a free mag for your troubles.

 

[Scuds03]

My bolt and hammer dont have any of the wear or chips missing like yours does, I think there is something wrong. I'd send it in. The rounded bottom side of the bold just below the firing pin looks polished, not chunked or gouged, and the firing pin is nice and round.

I got other problems though haha. My bolt is etching lines into my bullets.

 

[DownRange&Upwind]

Thanks grim. At least that answers my question about having the plateau (is there an official name for it?). I guess I'll give S&W a call tomorrow to get it shipped back for servicing.

Now where's that poll about who's had success with their guns.

Not quite answers it. This is my stock hammer from my DUU03XX, blue springs model( long gone is the color/paint on the springs after all the cleanings lol). Notice my hammer is TOTALLY flat, no rasied areas at all. When I saw your pics, I was like HUH? As I knew mine wasnt that way. I just took this picture for comparison now at 11:56pm.. after a LONGGG day of shooting lol. Any way check out my hammer, its totally different. Also im at slightly over 3k rounds now, and my bolt is fine, as you can see on my hammer its hitting the firing pin as it should.

 

[UpstateNY]

Thanks again guys. It looks like they have replaced my hammer build in the newer guns. For good reason too I'm sure. Hopefully I'll get the updated one and a new bolt when I send it back. An extra clip would be nice too, but I won't count on it. (gotcha!...mag)

Good luck with the bullet etching, Scuds. Unfortunately, I can't be of any assistance as I'm only a novice to this platform.

 

[john16443]

Confirming what U-R-D-W showed in his pics on page 1, my DUU2XXX 15-22 doesn't have the plateau.

 

[grimreaper21]

interesting, my DUR is pretty recent in the production run i wonder why they changed it again

 

[cwesh]

Hi all!

I have had my rifle for 2 months and 500 rounds and thought I would toss in that on mine, S# DUA2XXX looks the same as DownRange&UpWind's, smooth hammer and no dents on the bolt.

Later!

Chuck...

 

[DownRange&Upwind]

interesting, my DUR is pretty recent in the production run i wonder why they changed it again

Hi all!

I have had my rifle for 2 months and 500 rounds and thought I would toss in that on mine, S# DUA2XXX looks the same as DownRange&UpWind's, smooth hammer and no dents on the bolt.

Later!

Chuck...

What I find to be strange is the fact that cwesh's rifle is a DUA serial and has no raised ridge, while Grim's rifle is a DUR(newer model) and it DOES have it, ad my DUU( newest model) is flat, the same as the DUA model. Wonder if its just purely random as what trigger goes in the rifles?

 

[whoppo]

What I find to be strange is the fact that cwesh's rifle is a DUA serial and has no raised ridge, while Grim's rifle is a DUR(newer model) and it DOES have it, ad my DUU( newest model) is flat, the same as the DUA model. Wonder if its just purely random as what trigger goes in the rifles?

Mine's a DTX and I'm pretty sure mine's flat.
Perhaps S&W has multiple vendors for the FCG's and we're just seeing the results of that?

 

[Bullseye Smith]

I would say it is moving from one mold to the next, I have seen both hammers in ar-15's.

 

[UpstateNY]

OK, S&W is sending a pickup label to me. I forget to ask the support rep., but how should I be packaging my gun for sending back for service? Is the stock cardboard box with some tape on the seams sufficient? Should I put all that into another box? Sorry, not sure what the proper method is for sending a gun out in the mail.

 

[chuck s]

S&W is sending you a label, not a shipping container.

I'd not ship it back in the S&W logo box unless it was inside something else.

I shipped mine back in two pieces in a much smaller container than a long-gun box. It'll come back in a stock box inside another box.

-- Chuck

 

[UpstateNY]

Thanks Chuck. I vaguely recall reading something about shipping a security lock with the gun. Is this necessary or can I simply just box up the gun and send it out?