Lightweight hammers?

[Guamsst]

I was looking at custom parts and saw some adds for lightweight high speed hammers. My thought was that a lightweight hammer at a higher speed should have roughly the same force as a standard hammer. What is the benefit, if any, of a lightweight hammer?

I just want one because they look cool. I'm ok with that. But I'd like to know WHY I'm supposed to want one.

[seagoatami]

I dont knoooooooooow ??????????

[Bill H]

Most likely the same reason they make titanium (lightweight) strikers for Mausers, they travel faster, and thereby reduce lock time.

[emmagee1917]

They allow the ex-sperts to hit faster and the rest of us to miss faster.
Chris

[Guamsst]

They allow the ex-sperts to hit faster and the rest of us to miss faster.
Chris

LOL!!! I see.

It makes sense now. Less chance for you to ever so slightly move the weapon while the hammer is inbound. For the prices I've seen, I'm all over it now.

[Johnny P]

Fits right in there with the ambidextrous safety, beavertail grip safety, large button mag release, and beveled mag well.

[Guamsst]

The ambidextrius safety is out.

I considered the beavertail grip safety and since my hands are kinda small, I'm all over the extended mag release.

I think I will just polish my factory trigger and drill my own holes in it. If I screw it up, I won't be out much anyways. I like the mag well, just not sure how it will fit with the RIA 8rd mag. Speaking of which....I'm off to the back room to see if i have a bunch of cheap 7rd mags still. Probably not, after all, I can use them now...LOL

[Guamsst]

Can I assume this is the same reason people "Bob" their hammers? or is that just to cut down on the chances of snagging the hammer on something?

[John Sukey]

Browning did an excellent job when he designed the gun. It has served through several wars without all the add on doo-dads. the addition of target sights are the only improvememt I can think of for target work.

[da gimp]

there have been problems with light/insufficent primer hits with the light hammers. wouldn't put one on a carry gun for this reason..............it'd only take 1 to give you a really, really bad day, if you needed it when something went bad.....same with adj triggers with almost no overtravel.............there have been problems with bounce firing.......

[Ken Hill]

In the sixties John Giles used a lightweight hammer, milled from a standard factory hammer on his Bullseye pistols. They were an advantage especially on the mid range builds, especially when combined with the carbide tipped sear and other gunsmithing refinements that allowed him to lower spring weights and create a crisp trigger that assured a perfect repeatable trigger. These pistols were made for (and won) national match competitions and were never built for self defense. Magazines were all tuned to feed and extract flawlessly when loaded with five rounds. The triggers were not as sturdy as milspec and not up to factory or milspec loads.

One of his great sayings regarding full length guide rods was "that they help in feeding and extraction ... feeding my family and extracting money from you wallet."

[Guamsst]

Thanks for the info guys. I won't be carrying this one until I put a few hundred rounds through it. The great thing about the 1911 is that if it does fail it can still be used as a deadly hammer.