View Full Version : Polishing Hammer Face
Any data (or personal experience) on how much the face of an AR hammer can be smoothed and polished? I have been searching but cannot find verifiable info as to the hardness of the hammer and if this proceedure would be an issue.
Thanks
Stop and ask yourself: "why?"
I see nothing gained doing this...
Stop and ask yourself: "why?"
Then, on the other hand, one could ask - why not?
bleaman225
10-04-13, 22:56
Then, on the other hand, one could ask - why not?
I would ask for you to really think what you're going to gain by polishing the face of the rifle's trigger. Could you name three advantageous reasons to do such a thing? I cannot.
I've messed around doing it before just for fun, and I cannot find a single benefit.
I would ask for you to really think what you're going to gain by polishing the face of the rifle's trigger. Could you name three advantageous reasons to do such a thing? I cannot.
It gives you practice with stoning, it kinda looks cool, and you might get .001 % less friction as the bolt passes over it. Does that count? :D
Trigger components are surface hardened. Grinding, polishing or sanding them is usually a bad idea because without the hardened surface they will fail.
And as the other members have said, you will gain nothing by doing so.
Gee, in a world where it is common practice to improve function in semi autos by polishing hammers, bolts, slides etc. my original question seems reasonable - to me anyway. I was hoping for (expecting) something other than rhetorical questions in response. Oh well.
Trigger components are surface hardened. Grinding, polishing or sanding them is usually a bad idea because without the hardened surface they will fail.
And as the other members have said, you will gain nothing by doing so.
If the trigger group parts are not to be touched because of the hardened surfaces then why is the sear surface of the trigger ground sharp in two areas?
Guns-up.50
10-05-13, 01:02
Any data (or personal experience) on how much the face of an AR hammer can be smoothed and polished? I have been searching but cannot find verifiable info as to the hardness of the hammer and if this proceedure would be an issue.
Thanks
Honestly man, I have polished triggers ... not.much is really gained. Not to change the thread but if you want a better trigger get an ALG if you want a really good one get a ssa. Don't dick around with this shit .. risk is not worth the gain. Not for 65$ anyways...
Polishing the face of the hammer and cocking ramp on the bolt carrier will smooth the action out. It's a recreational mod you will see on race guns. JP has been polishing hammers for years with no ill affects. The case hardening is deeper than the small amount of material removed during polishing. The only drawback is the potential for rust with the Parkerizing removed.
Bruce in WV
10-05-13, 09:39
Polishing the face of the hammer and cocking ramp on the bolt carrier will smooth the action out. It's a recreational mod you will see on race guns. JP has been polishing hammers for years with no ill affects. The case hardening is deeper than the small amount of material removed during polishing. The only drawback is the potential for rust with the Parkerizing removed.
Match guns for Distinguished Masters sometimes get this treatment when they want to squeeze out every possible X. You need to be pretty good to see the difference, but at that level it may be worth it.
You also get the prize for reading comprehension for actually addressing the original question!
Gee, in a world where it is common practice to improve function in semi autos by polishing hammers, bolts, slides etc. my original question seems reasonable - to me anyway. I was hoping for (expecting) something other than rhetorical questions in response. Oh well.
You are talking to mostly spray and pray enthusiasts. Judicious polishing of various high load parts like the hammer/carrier changes a mass produced hay bailer into a smooth riding Cadillac. Tool marks on bearing surfaces robs cycling power the same way excessive dirt or low powered ammo does. So ignore those that pooh pooh such efforts that cost nothing, the benefits will extend the life and reduce malfunctions....O.L.
Failure2Stop
10-05-13, 10:38
You are talking to mostly spray and pray enthusiasts. Judicious polishing of various high load parts like the hammer/carrier changes a mass produced hay bailer into a smooth riding Cadillac. Tool marks on bearing surfaces robs cycling power the same way excessive dirt or low powered ammo does. So ignore those that pooh pooh such efforts that cost nothing, the benefits will extend the life and reduce malfunctions....O.L.
If you think that M4 is "spray and pray" I would kindly ask you to spend some more time reading.
Typos brought to you via Tapatalk and autocorrect.
If you think that M4 is "spray and pray" I would kindly ask you to spend some more time reading.
Typos brought to you via Tapatalk and autocorrect.
Not the M4, they are WAY more capable than many give them credit for, was referring to the way some use it and dismiss that capability. I used the term "mostly" as an opinion from range experience......O.L.
Any data (or personal experience) on how much the face of an AR hammer can be smoothed and polished? I have been searching but cannot find verifiable info as to the hardness of the hammer and if this proceedure would be an issue.
Thanks
I don't think there would be any advantage to polishing the face of the hammer. If you polish or stone other parts of the fire control group, you really have to know what you are doing.
If you are looking for a smoother or lighter trigger, you might consider purchasing a drop in fire control group. If you don't have the money to spend on a match trigger, just lube up your rifle and shoot the daylights out of it. The trigger will smooth out after a few thousand dry fire cycles and fired rounds.
Gee, in a world where it is common practice to improve function in semi autos by polishing hammers, bolts, slides etc. my original question seems reasonable - to me anyway. I was hoping for (expecting) something other than rhetorical questions in response. Oh well.
If you are looking for superior performance, buy a superior product: meaning an aftermarket trigger/hammer set.
Doesn't the bolt carrier polish the hammer face every time you shoot your rifle? I think it might. I also think it would be easier just to let my rifle polish that part for me. Just sayin'.
The_Hammer_Man
10-05-13, 22:24
Doesn't the bolt carrier polish the hammer face every time you shoot your rifle? I think it might. I also think it would be easier just to let my rifle polish that part for me. Just sayin'.
It doesn't polish the bolt face so much as "hammer smooth" (for want of a better explanation)
If you strike a hardened piece of metal with another piece of metal two things will occur. The surface of the smaller/lighter mass piece will begin to conform to the larger.
And.. it will get harder over time. (work hardening)
This process is a natural outcome of the weapon functioning. Not some hobbyist and his dremel.
The liability issues surround removing/polishing material from a mil spec trigger is incredible... and one of the reasons most smart gunsmiths won't do it.
I thought that since the hammer moves that there would be more of a sliding motion, thus some polishing effect rather than a hammering effect.
K.L. Davis
10-05-13, 23:04
Not the M4, they are WAY more capable than many give them credit for, was referring to the way some use it and dismiss that capability. I used the term "mostly" as an opinion from range experience......O.L.
I don't want to talk out of turn, but I think when Jack referred to "M4", he was talking as much about this forum as the weapon system - and by reading some of the posts and figuring out who is who here, you probably will find that accuracy and precision are far from alien subjects to a lot of us... and your initial reply to the OP that he "(is) talking to mostly spray and pray enthusiasts" is far from the truth.
One reason I was interested in smoothing/polishing the hammer face is that I come from experience of tuning/polishing the FCG on other firearms from 1911s - 10/22s. Also, when I look at the face of an AR hammer, from most LPKs, they look like they were made in a 9th. grade metal shop class (yes, I am dating myself - they actually had metal shop when I was in the 9th. grade), with bumps and creases, so naturally I want to smooth that sucker. The Colt OEM (notched) hammers are very smooth. They should all look like that!
One reason I was interested in smoothing/polishing the hammer face is that I come from experience of tuning/polishing the FCG on other firearms from 1911s - 10/22s. Also, when I look at the face of an AR hammer, from most LPKs, they look like they were made in a 9th. grade metal shop class (yes, I am dating myself - they actually had metal shop when I was in the 9th. grade), with bumps and creases, so naturally I want to smooth that sucker. The Colt OEM (notched) hammers are very smooth. They should all look like that!
I had metal Shop in the 8th grade, so I am with you. But just let the parts burnish to each other by firing the weapon. The hammer face should be lubricated--I like TW-25 for this as it sticks on the surface better than CLP. etc.
I would not polish an AR hammer face unless there was a significant parting line (like from a casting) or other anomaly in the surface. And if this was present on a GI hammer, I'd replace it with a new one, so to keep the protective finish.
I also think in the olden days we polished M1911 hammer faces because it was easy to keep the stone plumb with the square hammer sides using a oiled piece of thick plate glass as a working surface (same with the hammer, etc.); and also because the Master Gunnery Sergeant told us to.
What I do like to polish on AR's are feed ramps. I use a Q-Tip impregnated with Smichrome Polish (from Brownells) in my Dremel. One of my old Dremel chucks takes the shaft of a Q-Tip just fine. But watch out for the over-spray. I stuff the chamber/locking recess with a patch to keep it from getting spattered. To me, this is akin to polishing pistol feed ramps.
http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/q759/D_A_Lutz/ramppolish_zps773f920c.jpg (http://s1357.photobucket.com/user/D_A_Lutz/media/ramppolish_zps773f920c.jpg.html)
I'm confused Coldblue...
You question the value of trying to reduce a significant source of friction in an action yet advocate polishing an area that more than likely has no effect whatsoever on the operation of the weapon. If you were advocating deburring the barrel extension and widening the feed ramps with a proper tool, I'd have nothing to say but +1.
Ned Christiansen
10-06-13, 10:53
Polish it. It won't hurt anything..... you might struggle to notice an improvement and then it will be in hand-cycling-gratification only, but hey, there's no harm in that. The hardness on these things is way deeper than you would go by getting 75% of the toolmarks out.
I routinely polish the face of a 1911 hammer.
AlphaKoncepts
10-07-13, 09:12
One reason I was interested in smoothing/polishing the hammer face is that I come from experience of tuning/polishing the FCG on other firearms from 1911s - 10/22s. Also, when I look at the face of an AR hammer, from most LPKs, they look like they were made in a 9th. grade metal shop class (yes, I am dating myself - they actually had metal shop when I was in the 9th. grade), with bumps and creases, so naturally I want to smooth that sucker. The Colt OEM (notched) hammers are very smooth. They should all look like that!
Metals hop in the 109th grade here, but that school doesn't have shop classes any more :( And people wonder why manufacturing went over seas.
Go ahead and polish it. Let us know if there is any difference in the feel of the gun, hopefully better. Maybe this will add something to an already satisfying experience.
sugerwater
10-07-13, 10:32
The Geissele in my rifle is very smooth. The area that rides on the carrier is worn to a mirror like finish. All I do is shoot it.
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