Have gun-will travel
Member
I have 3 model 39-2 pistols. One was made in early 1972 and it has a pin hole in the hammer .The other 2 do not . Why was the pin hole put in the hammer? What is the purpose for it?
Why is there a pin hole in early model 39-2 hammer
- Thread starter Have gun-will travel
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LOL !!!!!!!
Bozz10mm
US Veteran
Can you post a pic?
See quote...as far as I know all 39-2 hammers should be identical.
Bozz10mm
US Veteran
Mine doesn't have a pin hole in it. I just wanted to see one with a pin hole in it.
The hole in the hammer was a feature of the Model 39 and I think it carried over to the early production of the Model 39-2, likely S&W using their existing supply of Model 39 hammers. What was the reason for the hole? Looked to be a bit small for a lanyard and there was already a lanyard loop on the bottom of the mainspring housing.
elpac3
Member
I was once told the hole was for a lanyard that could be used for cocking the hammer for dry fire practice. The idea was the lanyard went around your neck the to cock the hammer you extended the gun just a little farther allowing the lanyard to pull the hammer back to the cocked position
kwill1911
Member
I think this is correct. There was another training method back in the day where the instructor would use a string through that hole to cock the pistol for you when dry firing so that you didn't have to move your grip.
Sounds plausible.
It's a peep sight
The hole is .09" in dia. Will Army boot laces even fit?
JohnHL
Member
I, too have heard the story that the hole was for teaching purposes.
The way I heard it was that upon the sound of the hammer falling on the unloaded pistol, the instructor would yank the lanyard, cocking the hammer, but also mimicking recoil.
A more realistic approach to dry-firing, I suppose.
Whether it is true or not, I don't know.
John
The way I heard it was that upon the sound of the hammer falling on the unloaded pistol, the instructor would yank the lanyard, cocking the hammer, but also mimicking recoil.
A more realistic approach to dry-firing, I suppose.
Whether it is true or not, I don't know.
John
Why didnt the person learning to shoot just grab a box of ammo and just shoot? A guy behind you wanking on a string? Somewhere in the annals
of the factory there is an engineering directive on the hole in the hammer.
Why on the early guns, but not on the later guns?
of the factory there is an engineering directive on the hole in the hammer.
Why on the early guns, but not on the later guns?
kwill1911
Member
I no longer have all the old books I used too but I know there was one by a notable target shooter of the late 19th and early 20th century (Winans, perhaps) that had a picture of him using an interesting technique. His single action revolver had a lanyard through the hammer, held in his teeth so that he could cock the gun after every shot without altering his stance or grip or sight picture. It seems kind of silly but what the heck do we know? I think JC is right that many of the early autos had "ring" hammers and S&W just copied the style. They probably decided later that it saved a step to element the hole.
If I went to the range and saw a guy with a string thru the hammer and
the end in his mouth, I would duck and leave. When you shoot, you have all ready lost your sight picture and your grip has changed.
the end in his mouth, I would duck and leave. When you shoot, you have all ready lost your sight picture and your grip has changed.
My Seabee dad once told me about an old chief on the Navy pistol team who tied a string to his 1911 hammer. He'd extend his arm to the "proper" shooting stance and -- pull the trigger, pull the string; pull the trigger, pull the string -- until he had his desired amount of dry fire practice done.
