Help with Winchester 1886

[TCLouis]

I need to remove the hammer from an 86 (original made in 92) to do a repair to a long ago break.

Two things:
Can I remove JUST the hammer, of do I have to remove more to get the hammer out?

What steel to weld on to rebuild the hammer spur to original length?

[MtGun44]

I have an 1886 and it takes a good bit of dissassembly to get the
hammer out. Start with the buttstock, and you can access the mainspring.

I'd recommend that you get one of the dissassembly books if you
aren't really very handy as the mainspring needs proper treatment
with a pin to unload it before removing the hammer. OTOH, if you
are handy, you can probably figure it out once you get the buttstock
off and look at the hole in the hammer strut for the pin. I think
you need to pull the entire lower tang/trigger block out of the
frame, too, but it has been too long to be certain.

You can use ordinary mild steel (like 1020 or similar) for something like
the hammer spur. Be careful with the heat, the hammer notch may
be hardened.

Bill

[John Taylor]

The hammer should come out the top without taking the lower tang off. You will need to take the butt stock off and the main spring. The screw that hold the hammer also holds the lower tang and carrier. The carrier spring will be pushing down on the carrier and may cause the screw to come out hard and be a little hard going back in. I don't think the heat from welding the spur will cause any problems with the case hardness of the sear notch unless you heat the whole hammer up.
Main spring is a little fun to get back in. Install the hammer and screw first. Back out the main spring tension screw ( should have been done first) place the spring in position ( note, the hammer down link should be in the up position so the barrel should be pointing down to keep it there ) With the spring in position use padded channel lock pliers and compress the spring enough to get the hammer link over the end ( a small bent wire will help pull the link over the end or if you are real lucky you could point the barrel up at this point and hope the link will fall into place)

[Mayor]

Is this an original Winchester or a Miroku? mtgun44's reply would apply to a coil spring in a Browing or Miroku but not an original. You can find a breakdown online just do a search. Hammer can be re spot hardened with Casenit which is available from Brownells.

Go slow, be careful!