Got the new hammer block from S&W, here are the results

Cool_Hand · June 16, 2010, 11:31 AM

I posted a thread last week about a couple problems with the hammer block in my J frame. A couple of you wanted to know how it turned out so here it is.

The new hammer block they sent me is now the correct one and fits fine, and the good news is they are no longer making them by MIM like the one that originally came with the gun. It appears to be of the same material and craftsmanship of the older style only it does not have the twist in it. Also as you can see in the photo where as before the hammer block at the top was U shaped, it is now a slight bend.

Conclusion. Older J frames have the original strait hammer block with the twist pictured on the far right, newer J frames have the hammer block pictured on the far left with a bend in it. The side plate is cut differently for each to fit the particular hammer block. I Put 50 rounds through the gun today with no problems and dry fired it a couple hundred times to see if the hammer block would hold up and so far it is. I recommend that if you have a MIM hammer block to call smith and wesson and ask for a new one seeing as mine was faulty.

spacecoast · June 16, 2010, 11:59 AM

Glad to hear that was straightened out (no pun intended). My lovable little 60-7 is from 1991 and has the "old" style block. I guess the clue as to which part is MIM and which isn't is the little divot at the bottom on the broken part.

James K · June 16, 2010, 03:21 PM

The concern I had was that the sideplate appeared to hold the curved hammer block back away from the frame. The hammer block should be flat against the frame and completely out of the way of the hammer, both vertically and horizontally, at all times.

The new one is really the same as the old, it just is made differently. I question if the middle one is even S&W; it has a sort of "home made" or after market look about it.

Jim

Cool_Hand · June 16, 2010, 03:50 PM

Jim I agree that there is a good possibility that the hammer block that snapped is not S&W. I remember the first time opening the gun up thinking that the hammer block really looked like it did not belong. It was a much lighter metal than the rest of the internals and was polished stainless compared to the dull look of the rest of the parts. I did buy the gun used and the guy I bought the gun off of originally bought the gun off his brother in law. So somewhere along the line it could have ended up in their.

Sgt127 · June 17, 2010, 12:07 AM

Quote:

I guess the clue as to which part is MIM and which isn't is the little divot at the bottom on the broken part.

I think the biggest clue is seeing which one became a two part hammer block....

DPris · June 17, 2010, 12:40 AM

Hence the reason why some of us prefer non-MIMs.

Several makers "experimented" with MIM in various small parts, many found fairly quickly that MIM can work reasonably well in certain applications, but not others, and went back to previous methods & materials.

Had no idea anybody was using a MIM hammer block.

Denis

Elvishead · June 17, 2010, 01:51 AM

I'm glad you got the right part in a timely fashion. I'm also glad you didn't make to big of a stink about it, stuff happen's. Glad I buy S&W's.

June 16, 2010, 11:31 AM	#1
Cool_Hand Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2010 Posts: 373	Got the new hammer block from S&W, here are the results I posted a thread last week about a couple problems with the hammer block in my J frame. A couple of you wanted to know how it turned out so here it is. The new hammer block they sent me is now the correct one and fits fine, and the good news is they are no longer making them by MIM like the one that originally came with the gun. It appears to be of the same material and craftsmanship of the older style only it does not have the twist in it. Also as you can see in the photo where as before the hammer block at the top was U shaped, it is now a slight bend. Conclusion. Older J frames have the original strait hammer block with the twist pictured on the far right, newer J frames have the hammer block pictured on the far left with a bend in it. The side plate is cut differently for each to fit the particular hammer block. I Put 50 rounds through the gun today with no problems and dry fired it a couple hundred times to see if the hammer block would hold up and so far it is. I recommend that if you have a MIM hammer block to call smith and wesson and ask for a new one seeing as mine was faulty.

June 16, 2010, 03:50 PM	#4
Cool_Hand Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2010 Posts: 373	Jim I agree that there is a good possibility that the hammer block that snapped is not S&W. I remember the first time opening the gun up thinking that the hammer block really looked like it did not belong. It was a much lighter metal than the rest of the internals and was polished stainless compared to the dull look of the rest of the parts. I did buy the gun used and the guy I bought the gun off of originally bought the gun off his brother in law. So somewhere along the line it could have ended up in their. Last edited by Cool_Hand; June 16, 2010 at 03:55 PM.

June 16, 2010, 11:59 AM	#2
spacecoast Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 2009 Location: Sunshine and Keystone States Posts: 4,461	Glad to hear that was straightened out (no pun intended). My lovable little 60-7 is from 1991 and has the "old" style block. I guess the clue as to which part is MIM and which isn't is the little divot at the bottom on the broken part.

June 16, 2010, 03:21 PM	#3
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	The concern I had was that the sideplate appeared to hold the curved hammer block back away from the frame. The hammer block should be flat against the frame and completely out of the way of the hammer, both vertically and horizontally, at all times. The new one is really the same as the old, it just is made differently. I question if the middle one is even S&W; it has a sort of "home made" or after market look about it. Jim

June 17, 2010, 12:40 AM	#6
DPris Member Emeritus Join Date: August 19, 2004 Posts: 7,133	Hence the reason why some of us prefer non-MIMs. Several makers "experimented" with MIM in various small parts, many found fairly quickly that MIM can work reasonably well in certain applications, but not others, and went back to previous methods & materials. Had no idea anybody was using a MIM hammer block. Denis

June 17, 2010, 01:51 AM	#7
Elvishead Junior member Join Date: August 8, 2007 Location: Las vegas, NV Posts: 3,397	I'm glad you got the right part in a timely fashion. I'm also glad you didn't make to big of a stink about it, stuff happen's. Glad I buy S&W's.