1897 Help

[Lead Ringer]

Hey You 97 shooters and mechanics, I need some help.

 

Problem: Miss Behavin has a 1897 that seems to have an issue with lite strikes on primers. I feel a drag in the hammer fall. As if its getting slowed down by the half-cock/safety notch in the hammer. I'm pretty handy with working on them and have compared the feel of the troubled gun to three others. All the others have a smooth hammer drop.

 

I'm considering removing the safety notch. I'm not concerned about having the safety, because open and empty is safe in our game.

 

Could use some thoughts on the subject.

 

Thanks for the help.

Regards,

Ringer

 

 

[Happy Jack, SASS #20451]

Ringer, try asking over on the WBAS wire. We have some very good '97 guys over there since that is mostly what we run in WB.

 

P.S. You have to sign up separately on the WBAS wire. can use the same alias.

[G W Wade]

No expert but could the overtravel screw be too tight.? GW

[Santa Fe River Stan,36999L]

Haven't ever felt the need to remove the safety notch on the 97. Might want to take a look at "Action Slide Lock"....Pretty sure that the hammer as it falls disengages the slide lock by hitting a protrusion off the tail of the lock. Spring tension on the lock bar? Crude making it harder for the hammer to push the slide lock out of the way?

 

GWW has a good thought as well.....

 

Stan

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

Same guess as the rest above -

Trigger bent back or the trigger stop screw has backed out (unscrewed forward), meaning the trigger when you pull does not go far enough rearward (where tip of your finger is), thus the tip of the trigger is hit by the safety notch. This would tear up the trigger or hammer notch quickly if not corrected.

 

I had an almost new IAC in the 09 series that somehow had a badly shaped trigger and Jim Bowie had to bend the trigger tip forward again to get it to travel far enough to clear the hammer notches. Still works fine today, 5 years later.

 

Good luck, GJ

[Newt Ritter]

Lead Ringer,

 

GW has the suggestion to start with. Back up that overtravel screw in the trigger guard assembly so that your trigger will come back further to get the safety notch out of the way. Also, compare the strength of the hammer fall on this gun with your others. If it is noticeably lighter, tighten it up. It's probably hitting the safety notch, and one of those two things should help.

 

On the other hand, it's a 97 so.....

[CodyMaverick]

Are you certain that the sear is hitting the safety notch? There are other possible sources for the additional friction.

 

Has this gun been working fine and recently developed this problem?

 

Remove the carrier from the gun and work the sear and hammer manually and try to determine wear it is rubbing. Backing off on the mainspring and sear screws will make this easier but not too much as you still want them to work.

 

Push in the slide lock by hand while working the hammer to see if it's binding on it.

 

Remove the sear from the carrier and see if there is still friction.

 

Remove the mainspring and see if the hammer still feels like its rubbing.

 

Save grinding on the hammer as a last move and only if absolutely sure there's no other option.

[Mink Shoals Bandit, #49388]

I would try tightening the mainspring screw first and work from there.......

[Lead Ringer]

Thanks for the tips. I'll start eliminating stated items.

Regards,

Ringer

[Ventura Slim, SASS #35690]

Yea, I would tighten the main spring and drop oil down both sides of the hammer and go to the range

Is her mainspring stock? Sometimes its cut down too much.

Use the booklet on 1897 by Rachey or something like that. Take it down and see what you find.