How to size an OM hammer?

[twriggen]

I have had this hammer floating around the gun room for long enough I don't remember what it goes to. Sometime back someone had posted an image of the heights of the different models and I couldn't find it. Can someone let me know what it's for so I can label it and hopefully not need to ask again in the future.

Thanks in advance,

 

[cellar701]

I don't have the dimensions- sorry - but I've used this photo (credit G2***) from many years ago to study and understand the difference in hammers:

Hawkeye, Super Blackhawk, LG Blackhawk, MD Blackhawk Single Six, Super S/S, Bearcat.

It looks like a single six to me? But someone may have the dimensions for you to verify.

***Edit: credit goes to WMG!

 

[twriggen]

I found a small box of loose hammers in another drawer.

The first one above looks like a single six hammer but hard to tell on these two. Both are the same dimensions.

And then these OM conversion or NM hammers (not sure which they are). They are all the same dimensions.

 

[weaselmeatgravy]

I don't have the dimensions- sorry - but I've used this photo (credit G2) from many years ago to study and understand the difference in hammers:

Hawkeye, Super Blackhawk, LG Blackhawk, MD Blackhawk Single Six, Super S/S, Bearcat.

It looks like a single six to me? But someone may have the dimensions for you to verify.

That's funny since I took that pic!

I added the reference lines after this prior pic didn't really tell the story of height differences:

 

[cellar701]

Well I’ll edit that to credit WMG - must be a great reference photo to be passed around so much! I’m pretty sure I copied it from a G2 post but perhaps my memory fails.

You don’t happen to have the dimensions of the reference lines?

 

[G2]

You most likely did copy from me,,,
I try to always give credit that the Photo is STOLEN from WMG !

These measurements are hammers I have in my parts drawer.
Super Single Six- 2.035
Single Six - 2.050
Medium frame Blackhawk/ Flattop- 2.208
Large Blackhawk- 2.???
Super Blackhawk- 2.233

This picture is also STOLEN from no idea whoitis…

I would call your first hammer 2.055, a Single Six.
Going out on a limb and call the 2.242's LG Frame Blackhawk, 30C, 41, 45.

Conversion Hammers, my mother taught me if I didn’t have something nice or good to say, SHUT YO MOUTH!

 

[weaselmeatgravy]

You don't happen to have the dimensions of the reference lines?

No, my pics are dated Jan 2003, which was before I moved into this house. I'm sure that background paper is long gone. I recall I measured a few of them but not sure if the notes were on that paper.

There may be individual machining differences in height between examples of the same hammers, but all the large frame Blackhawk hammers would have been intended to be the same. Only the .357 was built on the small Blackhawk frame, so it has a shorter hammer.

And the Super Single Six hammer is shorter than the fixed sight Single Six hammer to clear the rear sight.

The only revolver of the OM vintage that is missing from my pics is the Old Army. Funny story there is that I bought two Hawkeye hammers at a gun show where the seller had them marked as Old Army and priced accordingly. That was the source of the loose Hawkeye hammer in the pics.

 

[cellar701]

Thanks and great info! Looks like we've got most of the "stolen" photos and good reference dimensions in this thread.

Might be a good ask to get the OP to edit the title to something like: "Old Model hammer dimensions"
or something similar so it's easily searched for future reference?

I've updated the notes and photos in my files with this great info.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Could it be made into a "sticky" in the Ruger-Smithing subforum?

 

[twriggen]

I was today years old when I learned how to bookmark a conversation on this forum. I modified the title to hopefully something that would be helpful for future searches.

I'm surprised no one commented on the fact this is an unfinished hammer. It must have left in someone's lunch box somewhere along the way.

 

[weaselmeatgravy]

This picture is also STOLEN from no idea whoitis…
View attachment 65307

Very coincidentally, I just stumbled onto the original display of hammers that pic was cropped out of. It was done by Tim H. in Texas. I have a folder named "OPS" which stands for Other People's Stuff and I saved his hammer display in there under the filename "timz-hammerz":

I don't remember whether I sold Tim his Hawkeye hammer for that display, but I do recollect having two and selling one to someone.

The file date on that pic is 2005. I went to Tim's house in 2004 when I had an extra weekend during a business trip to Ft. Worth, but I don't remember seeing that display then, so it must be a pic he sent me later.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

I'm surprised no one commented on the fact this is an unfinished hammer. It must have left in someone's lunch box somewhere along the way.

^^^ Yeah! ^^^

 

[BoggusDeal]

And then these OM conversion or NM hammers (not sure which they are). They are all the same dimensions.

View attachment 65289

Those are all OM conversion hammers.

 

[Randyzzz]

Well, if you happen to turn up a Super Single Six OM hammer…I would be interested.

 

[cellar701]

Regarding the super single six, smaller hammer. Does anyone know if the conversion hammers were different size: single six vs super single six?

I have a well used super single six with conversion parts. I prefer to keep it converted for my current use which is plinking fun and teaching guns to kids, grandkids, friends.

The conversion hammer is a bit too tall. I’m going to file it down for clearance but got me thinking about this thread and the different OM hammer sizes. A couple of pics: