Safely Carrying with Safety Off - New Hammer Install

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kramynot2000
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Joined: April 29th, 2018, 7:47 am

Safely Carrying with Safety Off - New Hammer Install

Post by kramynot2000 »

Hi all,

I've learned alot from this forum so I thought I'd share my latest garage-gunsmithing with the P64. I've read about the concerns regarding an accidental discharge when carrying with the safety off, from the hammer being pulled back slightly and then striking the firing pin. This puzzled me because my understanding was that the P64 hammer had a safety knotch on the hammer to prevent this. I decided to check my P64 with the pencil test and sure enough, when I pulled back the hammer partially and let it go, it sent a pencil that had been inserted in the barrel flying across the room. So I took off the grips and noticed that there was enough play, when the hammer was at rest, between the hammer safety knotch and the sear that allowed the hammer to move forward and hit the firing pin. I remembered that in the past I purchased a NOS spare hammer so I decided to compare the spare hammer and the hammer installed in my P64. I noticed that the safety knotch on the hammer originally installed in my P64 was cut significantly higher than the safety knotch of the NOS spare hammer that I purchased. Original hammer installed in my P64 is on the right in the pictures.
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This explained why there was so much play and the possibility of an accidental discharge. My guess was that when these parts were hand fitted, whoever did my P64, and others, just filed back the safety knotch too much.

So, I installed the new hammer without modifications and found that the safety knotch needed to be filed back before it would engage the sear. I proceeded to file a bit, then reinstall, and test fire both DA and SA. Lather, rinse, repeat... I wanted the sear to very positively engage the safety knotch to prevent the hammer from striking the firing pin. After much repetition, in the end, I finally got it so after firing and the hammer rebounding, the sear would engage the safety knotch and very positively prevent the hammer from striking the firing pin. I did the pencil test again and clearly there was no contact between the hammer and firing pin when pulling the hammer back slightly and letting it go.

For those who attempt this, I made sure that there is positive engagement (as opposed to neutral or negative engagement) between the sear and the hammer safety knotch to prevent the hammer from slipping. I now feel very confident carrying with the safety off.

I have the Wolff 18lb hammer spring installed and noticed no difference in the trigger pull in either DA or SA.
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Curly1
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Joined: September 20th, 2011, 11:35 pm
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Re: Safely Carrying with Safety Off - New Hammer Install

Post by Curly1 »

Thanx for posting nice work.
Laugh Hard and Often.

Gary
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