Help Identify Pre War N Frame Hammer

[quinn]

My son was set to replace the hammer and trigger on my ca 1910 Triple Lock. The NOS parts don't fit. Can anyone tell me what the hammer and trigger fit. Here's my son's thread:

Thread 'New Old Stock hammer and trigger for Triple Lock, or is it?'

May 30, 2025

I bought this hammer and trigger set from another SWCA member a few years back and held onto it for a special project.

Well that project came about and I went to install the set in an early Triple Lock but they don't fit like I think that they should.

The hammer and sear engagement surfaces don't match and the firing pin doesn't protrude through the hole at all.

I have attached side-by-side photos of the original parts with the NOS parts. Thoughts?

• SAFireman
• Replies: 2
• Forum: S&W-Smithing

• 

Thanks.

 

[HeloMt]

My guess would be a second or perhaps a third model or newer. Definitely prewar, the set might fit an Outdoorsman or a heavy duty. The triple lock is kinda a creature all to itself. There isn't a lot of parts interchangability with it and other models. There is significant differences in the foot of the hammer which is, no doubt, affecting the engagement. Tracking down the right hammer and trigger will be challenging.

 

[cgt4570]

My guess would be a second or perhaps a third model or newer. Definitely prewar, the set might fit an Outdoorsman or a heavy duty. The triple lock is kinda a creature all to itself. There isn't a lot of parts interchangability with it and other models. There is significant differences in the foot of the hammer which is, no doubt, affecting the engagement. Tracking down the right hammer and trigger will be challenging.

Nope. That has the early chafing bushings. The were removed circa 1915 in the K frame. I've never owned a British WW1 .455 TL so I can't say for sure when that feature went away. By the time the 1917 came out, it was gone. My 1st year 1910 7.5" TL target has the bushings.

And to Quinn, looks like your original hammer base has been HEAVILY modified. Also, your NOS parts would have been hand fitted by the factory. Getting a set of NOS to drop in and work is just about impossible. You need a gunsmith that knows what he's doing to fit those parts.
My best guess is that someone dropped the gun on a cocked hammer, resulting in a broken single action notch (would explain the missing hammer spur?), and a gunsmith re-cut the hammer and trigger geometry to restore single action functionality.

 

[LLOYD17]

My son was set to replace the hammer and trigger on my ca 1910 Triple Lock. The NOS parts don't fit. Can anyone tell me what the hammer and trigger fit. Here's my son's thread:

Thread 'New Old Stock hammer and trigger for Triple Lock, or is it?'

May 30, 2025

I bought this hammer and trigger set from another SWCA member a few years back and held onto it for a special project.

Well that project came about and I went to install the set in an early Triple Lock but they don't fit like I think that they should.

The hammer and sear engagement surfaces don't match and the firing pin doesn't protrude through the hole at all.

I have attached side-by-side photos of the original parts with the NOS parts. Thoughts?

• SAFireman
• Replies: 2
• Forum: S&W-Smithing

• 

Thanks.

Take a look at the hammer foot on the original vs the replacement. The replacement is likely from a later 455 TL.

Here’s a thread with more details,

Post in thread 'Triple Lock Hammer'

Aug 24, 2018

That would be it.
The N frame hammers and triggers with chafing bushings are all the same.
They were used in-
The Triple Locks
The 455-2nd Models
Only the very earliest 44-2nd Models.


Shortly after WW I, the hammer and trigger were changed to form what we call the "Long Action" and the chafing bushings were dropped at that time.

Here's a picture of my 455 with the sideplate off. Looks like the TL trigger but the hammer is starting to take the shape of the follow-on long action hammers. Were they experimenting perhaps?

I guess this also means I need to find a project TL in...

• LLOYD17

• 

Post with comparison picture,

Post in thread 'Triple Lock Hammer'
https://smith-wessonforum.com/threads/triple-lock-hammer.567600/post-140142296

 

[cgt4570]

I checked my stash. I have a couple pre-war N hammers, and a post war transitional (with safety cut), but no spares with the chafing bushing.
A GOOD gunsmith shood be able to make your hammer and trigger work as intended. Also, I assume the hammer and trigger pivot pins are in the same place as later pre-war N frames? If so, you could swap the hammer and rebound slide for Model 1917 and later style parts. The gun wouldn't know the difference. I should have new or as new hammer, trigger and rebound slide.
Based on the wear to the hammer and trigger, and the fact that someone polished the heads of the chafing bushings off, I assume your TL isn't a pristine example, and most likely has been refinished. Getting it to work properly, even with later parts will only increase its value and enjoyability.
Lemme know if I can help with parts.

 

[LLOYD17]

Here’s a shot of an early TL. The hammer/trigger/slide interface on these early TL’s is unique and changed shortly after the first TL’s came out.

 

[quinn]

Well, thanks for the wonderful insight provided by these posts. It appears that these NOS parts--hammer and trigger--are for a later TL. I think I have decided not to have them ground to fit my gun, I will stash them away for a rainy day.