Model 17 hammer fitment

[Jcon72]

A while back I picked up a S&W model 17-2. It has a great action (7lb double-action!) but the previous owner had the hammer bobbed which really annoys me. It was not converted to DAO and has a wonderful trigger in both SA and DA mode.
I found a replacement hammer/trigger set for a decent price and decided to hopefully swap just the hammer since the gun came with a full target trigger and the replacement is a semi-target. The "old trigger/new hammer" combo seems to engage just fine, but if I fully tighten the sideplate screws the hammer binds up and won't move. When using calipers to measure the thickness of each hammer (at the hole), the new one is about .0035" thicker than the old one. What is the typical solution for this scenario? I don't want to stone the entire side surfaces of the hammer and lose the coloration of the case-hardening but am not sure if there is any good alternative.

 

[armorer951]

There is a boss (raised area) at the base of the hammer stud, (special cutter needed) and a hammer boss on the sideplate. You may be able to remove enough material on them to accommodate the new part. Use caution and go slowly if you decide to alter them, as they not only provide a camming surface for the hammer between the plate and the frame , but they also dictate where the hammer resides in relation to the frame opening. (hopefully in the center of the space provided)

 

[Protocall_Design]

Usually the hammer and trigger bosses on the side plate are not parallel to the rest of the side plate. They are raised up from the surrounding surface. If you lay a file over both of them, with a few light strokes you can level them out. Doing so would probably solve the hammer problem.

 

[Hondo44]

Good advice. But first, with hammer installed, tighten down the side plate. Now check the space on either side of the hammer in the hammer slot of the frame for being centered. Does one side have a wider spacer than the other? If so concentrate your fitting on the 'boss' on that side of the hammer.

You don't have much to remove - .0035", so go slow. If the boss on the hammer stud is where you need to remove material and you don't want to buy a cutter for just one task, let us know. Hopefully it's the boss on the side plate!

 

[Jcon72]

Thanks, guys; I was considering this procedure but didn't want to "bubba" things and screw up an otherwise great gun. I'm not sure why someone would have bobbed a target-style revolver but it is a re-import from Sweden so who knows what strange things they do over there. After all, normal people don't eat lutefisk, either.

 

[stu1ritter]

Rather than taking a file to the side plate I think it would be a better idea to use some wet/dry paper on a glass plate. I would use 220-400 grit and test often.

Stu

 

[H Richard]

I would use a stone, at least 600 grit, or the wet/dry paper over glass that Stu recommends.

 

[Jcon72]

Thanks, guys, when I get the chance I'll check the side-to-side spacing of the current hammer spacing in the frame and see if by some stroke of luck I can get by with reducing the "boss" on the sideplate. Dunno how I would properly reduce the one on the frame without the proper tool.

 

[Hondo44]

Dunno how I would properly reduce the one on the frame without the proper tool.

Sent you a suggestion in a PM.