HR 622 Hammer spur in the way of sights?

[John in WI]

I just picked up a used HR 622. It seems like a nice, well built revolver. The DA trigger pull is quite heavy, but SA is pretty nice. I got it out last weekend and it runs great. The only issue I have with it is that the hammer spur, in DA mode, is directly in the way of the sights! In order to see the sights, you need to actually start pulling the trigger. When the hammer comes back about 1/3 of the way, the sights come in to view. Please see the attached photos. If you look at the one with the wooden stick (which is in the sight groove cut into the frame) the hammer spur is actually about 2mm taller than the groove. I really don't like that setup at all. Is there something I can do about it? I thought about milling a corresponding groove into the hammer spur, so you could see through it. I considered buying a spare hammer to work on, should it not turn out, but nobody seems to have any in stock.

[nhithaca]

Most of the H&R revolvers with the frame channel rear sight (milled groove in the top strap of the frame) will have the same interference with the sight picture when the hammer is down. Go on Gunbroker and look at different models of the H&Rs for sale and you will see what I am talking about. The models with an actual rear blade sight have a taller front sight and the hammer spur does not interfere.

[John in WI]

Yes, mine is milled into the frame. That seems very strange to me--you can BARELY make out the tip of the front sight with the hammer down. They could have just moved the spur 2mm lower, and it would be a non issue. In SA, the thing drives tacks. But in DA, you have the trigger about 1/3 of the way depressed before you can even get a sight picture. I wish I could find a spare hammer, and I'd mill a slot into it similar to (but a little deeper than) the one milled into the frame. What a strange configuration.

[nhithaca]

Try Gunparts in NY.

[John in WI]

Hmm, no luck with Gunparts, Brownells, or several ma and pa gun parts stores. Nothing on ebay either. I think I'm just going to have to live with it, unless I really wanted to get crafty and try to modify mine. That makes me nervous, for a part I could not replace if I mess it up. I'll try to see if anyone else has come up with a solution. I was thinking it could be heated at the junction between the spur and the rest of the hammer, and then gently pounded a couple degrees further back. Alternatively, it could be cut off completely and TIG welded back together. As I said, I just don't want to screw it up and then find I cannot replace it. I'd much prefer to get a new one and modify it.

[rintinglen]

It is not just the H&R guns that have this malady, S&W made a bunch with the "Hump-backed-Hammer" that had the same issue. Ed McGivern stated his approval in his book, but on the ones I had, it was useless, save in SA.

[rintinglen]

It is not just the H&R guns that have this malady, S&W made a bunch with the "Hump-backed-Hammer" that had the same issue. Ed McGivern stated his approval in his book, but on the K-frame ones I had, it was useless, save in SA.

Gunparts lists as available hammers for late production 622 revolvers, (post ser. no. AJ57489 SERIES & ON). If yours is an older one, well, good hunting.

[John in WI]

Oh, thank you. I will look up the serial and try and figure out when it was built. I know very little about HR revolvers. Until I find a replacement hammer, I'll be sticking with your words and using it in SA. I mean, it's not suited for defensive shooting anyway. Low power, ridiculously slow reloads... But in SA, it is a very accurate piece.

[racepres]

If I was sure I really wanted to use it DA, then It shouldn't be difficult to "bob" or re-contour the hammer. May be Better, as the ones here all seem to have a Long spur, that is kind of a "reach" now that I look at them.. something I may address now...tho I always use SA...on all of my revolvers.. having a more convenient "reach" would be nice!!!

[John in WI]

I was thinking about how one might do that. Maybe build up the under side with TIG, then shape it with the spur a few mm lower than it currently is? Or, I thought, partially cut into spur on top, heat and bend it down, and fill it in with TIG and repolish it to shape. I normally fire my .38s DA, because they are really there for defensive purposes. This .22 was purchased mostly because the price was good and I didn't own a .22 handgun of any variety. Still, it seems like a shame to have a DA revolver that you can't use the sights in DA mode. It just seems like a really glaring design flaw. I googled it to try and see if there is a standard modification that someone has worked out. I also haven't been able to find a forum or anything devoted to them where I could maybe find a spare hammer to work on. All said and done, it would probably be a better idea to find another revolver that didn't have the problem in the first place!