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Vaquero hammer pull


Jess Money

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I've been worrying about something needlessly. I've worked my Vaqueros to a point that I have nothing left to polish and the hammer springs are as light as primer actuation allows. I'm certainly not a professional gunsmith but I've done a decent job. They're smooth and they go 'bang' every time. But, always looking for a better way, I figured there must be a a trick to make the hammer pull lighter. The main springs are, I believe, as light as I can make them without ruining them.

 

It finally dawned on me that there will always be the weight of the cylinder to contend with. When the pawl, engages the rachet to turn the cylinder, that action adds to the weight of the hammer pull. Even more so when the cylinder is loaded. That is a constant that will never change. Without the cylinder in the frame, the hammer pull is just a whisper of when the cylinder is in the frame.

 

So, as I say, I've been worrying too much about making the hammer pull lighter. So, I won't worry any more; I'll just keep thinking how to make the hammer pull lighter and still go bang.

 

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Well, Deuce Stevens set the world pistol speed record with some of the heaviest cylinders out there. Vaqueros in .357. Not New Vaqueros. Me thinks cylinder weight isn't too much of an issue. Just go dry fire them about 100,000 times and then the hammer pull won't feel so much.

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LOL! Deuce would probably set a World Speed Record if his pistols were chambered for .45-70! At my tender, youthful age I won't live long enough to dry fire 100,000 times. My post was simply meant to make those who may not have considered the extra weight of the cylinder when trying to achieve a lighter hammer pull. As I said, I'm not going to worry about it but I'm still pondering the situation. And thanks for your post, I enjoyed it, BD.

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LOL! Deuce would probably set a World Speed Record if his pistols were chambered for .45-70! At my tender, youthful age I won't live long enough to dry fire 100,000 times. My post was simply meant to make those who may not have considered the extra weight of the cylinder when trying to achieve a lighter hammer pull. As I said, I'm not going to worry about it but I'm still pondering the situation. And thanks for your post, I enjoyed it, BD.

Glad I made you laugh!

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I sent my 45 Bisley vaqueros to Wes flowers for his magic, never had a problem with them since and that was late 2005 early 2006, in 07/08 I went to the sass convention and bought a set of USFA SAAs from long hunter and had him do his best, I never had a problem with them until this past weekend where I had a screw that holds the ejector rod assembly in place back out. I pulled the gun out at the ult and the assembly hits the table.we put the screw back in and I'm going to lock tight both screws in this week. My latest Bisley vaqueros in 38 went to Lassiter for his magic great work from what I've seen I've not used the guns in a match yet as they are not legal in my category also sent him a set of S&W no2 by UBERTI to smooth out and he did. My point is if you send your guns to guys that know what they are doing except for cleaning you'll never have problems for years.

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Never read anything about mass of the cylinder in books/talks on improving trigger pull on DA revolvers. NEVER.

And better guns (accurate competition) of ALL kinds have MORE MASS not less for recoil management (guns stays on target better for follow up shots).

Want light? Go shoot one of the tiny revolvers - SW airweight or ruger LCR and tell me how light weight is a benefit. LOL

I agree about the friction statement, Blackey. However, from a cylinder in a static position, when cocking the gun weight is a valid concern until friction is overcome.

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Lighten the hand spring. My three screws will spin about 6-8 turns when spun by hand.

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JM if I read you right you want to do it yourself. The lighter the hammer is the faster it moves. How can you measure it, too expensive, but you can do it any way,

that tiny bit you remove is a BIT. Grind down the tops until its smooth, try, see how much you did, now if you want make it a bit rough.

The edges of the long shaft, smooth them down makes the spring quicker, the round top, fits into the hammer, remove edges, smooth, remove the pawl,inside the frame, shove in a medium india stone smooth the inside both sides, then repeat using a fine india stone. Look around might be more, are you good enough

to feel the difference, doesn't matter or are you, every single piece makes the gun quicker but you can't measure it, have fun doing it, the firing pin spring on every gun, does it have to be so long,so hard,if you remove one coil of the FPS how much faster will it go? Is there an end. YEP!

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SlicLee, I enjoyed your response and it appears you've been there, done that yourself. Good on you! I think we all should learn to do what we feel we're capable of doing on our own. It never hurts to ask for advice from knowledgeable sources and there are many folks out there who fit that description. We're aware that many of our pards prefer to have their gun work done by professionals which is absolutely fine. I just prefer doing it myself, if for no other reason than to be able to disassemble/reassemble and learn how the gun works. I'm not exactly a stranger to the mechanics of my revolvers because I've been through them enough to be comfortable taking them apart whenever I feel the need to. And yep, you can only remove so much metal on a mainspring. Don't ask how I Know. LOL!

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You can lighten firing pin return spring.....main spring/hammer won't have to overcome that opposing force and can then be lighter. I must warn you, you have to to remove the firing pin retaining pin which passes through recoil shield material from gate pocket to LH rounded outer surface of recoil shield This might be tough to see since it is polished/brushed/blued after installed. There is a chance that the appearance of the gun could be "roughened" if you don't have the proper experience/tools to do that job.

 

That is where I draw the line actually. I believe that if I'm not going to perform the practice it takes to get to the top level (little to no time for that in my life), the ultra light hammer pull isn't going to help me. There are many things that can be done/practiced to bring a shooter much closer than the equipment modified to the nth degree.

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