Cooling hammer

[Bison Horn]

I need to twist one of the hammers on my 12ga SxS so it hits the nipple square and was wondering how best to cool it after heating and twisting. BH

[prairie dog]

Alan,

I had to twist the hammer on my derringer for the same reason.  Wright or wrong, I just stuck it under the water faucet.

[gunmaker]

Lay it on a brick or something that won't burn & let it just air cool.  Water can make it very brittle.

[Loyalist Dave]

On the other hand if it air cools, that's the method to soften steel, so it might bend after several impacts on the nipple?  This all depends on how hot you get it in the first place, but you might want to heat it to bright red, bend it, allow it to cool until the color is no longer visible, then quench it in water, or perhaps better yet, 110 degree canola oil.

LD

[Bison Horn]

Thanks for the replies.    BH

[Captchee]

it depends on the design of the hammer .
 some take heat to move , others dont .

 i would agree that  you should let it air cool . quenching will harden it  and frankly most hammers are not as hard as one would think

 it also depends on how you need to bend the hammer . if your bending it side to side , then it should not return to it original position as there is not lateral pressure  that would force it back which would happen if you where bending the hammer  vertically. IE closer to the nipple or farther away from the nipple .

[Bison Horn]

Capt it's the left barrel hammer needs slight adj to the right. Seems it takes one hammer throw to set the cap and on the second it will fire. It is an old CVA ( 70s maybe early 80s when I got it) like one I think you did a tune up on awhile back.

[Captchee]

if its a CVA , you dont need to heat the hammer . just take it off the lock  set the  bottom in a padded vice and carfuly give it a slow twist

[MedicineSoldier]

Bison Horn,

Is this something you have had trouble with since you got the SxS?  If not and it is now taking two tries to get the cap to go off I would suggest looking at the nipple to see if it has mushroomed.  If the nipple has flared out over the years it may not allow the cap to seat properly until it is struck the first time.  I am only speculating from past experience.  Since you can see if the hammer is out of alignment I may be way off the mark.  

Good luck with whatever you may need to do.

Medicine Soldier

[Bison Horn]

Bison Horn,

Is this something you have had trouble with since you got the SxS?  If not and it is now taking two tries to get the cap to go off I would suggest looking at the nipple to see if it has mushroomed.  If the nipple has flared out over the years it may not allow the cap to seat properly until it is struck the first time.  I am only speculating from past experience.  Since you can see if the hammer is out of alignment I may be way off the mark.  

Good luck with whatever you may need to do.

Medicine Soldier

Thanks Medicine Soldier.  Believe it or not I've had this for all these years and never had done any shooting with it.

Thanks Capt I'll give it a try.

[huntinguy]

I know there will be lots of cringing here... I have a CVA that I put together a few snows back (I was in jr high). The hammer didn't line up worth elkduds. It was too short and not in line.
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I cut it off and welded it where I wanted it. Seems to work. I haven't fired it in years... lots... of years but it did work. (reminds me, I need to unload it  :rotf )

[Bison Horn]

huntinguy I sure wouldn't try that. Did like Capt said and it worked. Didn't need much of a twist.     BH