Postwar Transitional 1917?

[jebstuart]

Hammer and trigger are both nickel; apparently whoever did the re-finish had plenty of nickel handy.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

I would (and have) polish up a lanyard ring best I could with a few different grits of compound and a Dremel w/pointed felt bobs then nickel it.

Other option (done this too) remove the nickel from the hammer & trigger with reverse electrolysis & you can do a pretty good imitation of case color with cold blue and a Q-Tip on small parts.

If you've never done reverse electrolysis, all you need is a 5-gal. (properly wired) pail, water, soda wash & a battery charger. YouTube it. I have de-rusted several Commission 1888 Carbines & an 1894 Spanish Carbine (Teddy Roosevelt's Cuban booty) that way, bores too, and it removes hundred year old rust, lead fouling, gunk, etc. right down to clean metal with no work or scrubbing.

For nickel, just replace water & soda wash with sulfuric acid in a smaller container. Midway USA (Larry Potterfield) has a great YouTube on it. Both processes is a piece of cake.

 

[SRT]

U. S. ARMY 45 MODEL, S210364, NIB, w/bill of sale, indicating 1950 purchase. It shipped in November 1947 to Warshal's Sporting Goods in Seattle. The gentleman I purchased it from many moons ago, an avid S&W collector and member of the S&WCA who is now deceased, told me "... it was kind of vanilla." Lucky for me, I like vanilla. Of the original 991 produced, there can't be too many around in this condition w/all.

 

[iskra]

Thanks for images!

Inside postwar 1917 210120 no "S" prefix

Thanks Toyman, For the couple of images that are quite instructive for me concerning my own Transition 1917!
iskra

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Sounds like I'm going to need two N frame transitional hammers! Groan! Ah well, good to know!

Anybody know a reason why John couldn't get a couple of pre-war hammers and cut the hammer block notch in them?

 

[Hondo44]

Nope, except he'll lose the case coloring in the notch cut, but that's hard to see. A little cold blue and oil on a Q-tip will cover the shiny metal in a light blotchy blue resembling CCH.

Pre war hammers may be just almost as hard to find.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Yes but as many 1917 hammers that are out there, it widens his opportunities. I should say N frame rather than 1917.

Guy

 

[Hondo44]

Yes but as many 1917 hammers that are out there, it widens his opportunities. I should say N frame rather than 1917.

Guy

You're right, the volume of 1917 hammers produced will far outnumber all the other pre war N frame hammers.

Lee has said at one time that 1917 hammers are slightly different than other pre war N frames. However, I suppose that would include transitional 1917s.

 

[iskra]

If I hand a hammer...

Thanks Gents!
Interesting idea! Even assuming '17 hammers are plentiful, here machinist labor costs likely significant and small jobs sometimes disproportionately so! Thanks for the suggestion! Gun below, not really 'collectible'. Just nice shooter. Absent a 'drop-in cure, perhaps next owner to inherit the problem!
Thanks for the thoughts/discussions/help!
John

 

[Hondo44]

iskra,

Now that I know the reason for replacement hammers, the simplest solution to that bobbed hammer is to tig weld or have tig welded, a new spur to the bobbed hammer, since it's not collectible. The 1950 and newer spur style is a vast improvement to the skimpy pre war style. Either the .375" standard spur or the .500" target spur is better.

This is similar to how King Gunworks made custom "cockeyed" target hammer spurs on pre war guns. This is what they look like, and also what the rare pre war target hammer option S&W offered for $1 looks like:

Letter confirming factory pre war target hammer at the bottom of letter: