center the hammer cup

[RhodeHunter]

What can you do to center the hammer cup? My Deerstalker's nipple is on the very edge of the hammer cup. It's just inside the side wall of the cup.

[waksupi]

Take the hammer off, heat it, and give it a bit of a bend. Cold bend may work, but at your own risk.

[stubshaft]

Like Ric said try the cold bend IF you have a spare hammer handy. It doesn't take much to center the hammer though just go slowly and trial fit it often.

[Omnivore]

Bending would be the first choice. However, my Lyman had the hammer floating pretty far out on the tumbler shaft, such that fitting it further onto the shaft would be another solution IF the hammer nose is currently too far out from the center of the rifle. If it's too far in, you might could peen the hammer's shaft hole smaller (IIRC, the tumbler shaft is tapered). It would depend on your partucular lock assembly. Just don't overdo it. Make sure the hammer doesn't rub on the stock when you're done.

Also, it's a long shot, but make sure there's nothing caught under your lockplate, making it sit at some tippy angle. These rifles are very, shall we say, "utilitarian" in their fit and finish, so nothing would surprise me. Mine came with some colored wax to fill in a big gap in the lockplate inletting. It shoots very well, so I won't complain.

[waksupi]

A hammer should be fit nearly flush with the lock plate. If it isn't, make it so. If the hammer hits the wood, take off some wood.

[Boerrancher]

I had a similar problem with my Kentucky pistol. It was so far off center that sometimes it would tear the cap in half and not fire it. I use an adjustable wrench to SLOWLY, I repeat, SLOWLY bend the hammer back where it needed to be. I have no idea what the fella did to it that had it before me, but it was in rough shape when I got it. Now it is a nice shooter.

Best wishes,

Joe