Making a Custom Hammer Spur

After adding a low-mounted scope to this single-shot gun, there remained one problem. The scope tube cleared the hammer by scarcely 1/4 inch. Further compounding the problem, the underside of the arched hammer, when cocked, cleared the receiver by only 3/16 inch. Looking through recent catalog listings of available hammer spurs showed none that would fit my needs. This led me directly to the shop to make a custom part, and resulted in a perfect part.

The few pennies the new hammer spur cost is hardly worth mentioning. A cutoff tool is used to shape the aluminum spur. The hole is drilled at this stage, but left untapped. Cocking the hammer on this old, single-shot required considerable pull, and the hammer’s inertial force with the added weight of a steel spur would have produced excessive impact on the primer. For this reason, I chose cast aluminum as the ideal material for the part.

I chucked apiece of 1/2-inch aluminum stock in the lathe, and completed all but the hammer slot without removing the part. To make a hammer spur like the one shown here, start with the aluminum stock in the lathe, and turn the piece to the desired diameter. Then drill a #29 hole in the part, hold it with alive center in the tail stock, and knurl a 3/4-inch section. After knurling, tap the hole into the part for the set screw that is used to attach the spur to the hammer.

I used an 8-32 socket-head screw for this purpose. The threads could also be tapped later, after the hammer slot

This type of hammer spur encircles the entire end of the hammer, providing a positive attachment. is cut into the piece and the final shaping is completed. With the hole drilled and tapped, remove the piece from the lathe. I then milled flat spots opposite the knurled end of the spur, in preparation for making a square throughhole in the part. This square hole should match the outside dimensions of the hammer. This is easier to perform before cutting the part from the stock shaft.

A small end mill can be used to hog out most of the material in the American Gunsmithing Association News Take a moment to review the benefits of membership in the American Gunsmithing Association. For openers, you automatically receive American Gunsmith, the Association’s monthly magazine, featuring specific, detailed information on maintaining, servicing, and repairing your—and your clients’—firearms.

Back issues and binders are also readily available. • The Member’s Store: a catalog shop filled with items including shop aprons, caps, shirts, and more that highlight your affiliation with the craft of gunsmithing. • Access to the Association’s Technical Assistance Hotline with gunsmithing tips and answers to hard-to-solve problems and everyday gunsmithing questions. hole, followed by a cleanup and squaring with a small, square file. Take the time to make the hole corners nice and square where they fit the hammer.

The finished part is then returned to the lathe and cut off to the proper length. A lathe cutoff tool serves this purpose.

A shallow detent in the side of the hammer for the set screw (along with some thread locker) will help to prevent loosening • Access to a number of vendors including Numrich Gun Parts, Brownells, Lyman Products Corp., Passport Holsters, and many more offering discounts and services to AGA members. • Book and video discounts from DBI and AGI. • Member savings on car rentals, hotels, motels, and air travel, from some of the biggest names in the travel industry. • Liability Insurance: As an AGA member, you can get $1,000,000 in annual coverage for just $1,000 per year.

For membership information, contact the American Gunsmithing Association Membership Services, Norwalk CT 06854-1631; or call of the hammer spur during firing. This simple project produced apart that I was unable to purchase. The attachment end of the spur en circles the hammer, adding strength to the part. Cocking and releasing the hammer then becomes an easier and safer operation. ■ AGA Corner