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Thread: Polishing Hammer Face

  1. #11
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    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.

  2. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by MK18Pilot View Post
    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!

  3. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gem1950 View Post
    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.

  4. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Xsail View Post
    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.
    Jack Leuba
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    Knight's Armament Company
    jleuba@knightarmco.com

  5. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Failure2Stop View Post
    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.
    Last edited by Xsail; 10-05-13 at 12:13.

  6. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gem1950 View Post
    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.
    Last edited by T2C; 10-05-13 at 12:22.
    Train 2 Win

  7. #17
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    You are of course correct to a point

    Quote Originally Posted by Gem1950 View Post
    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.

  8. #18
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    .....
    Last edited by Waylander; 10-07-13 at 07:20.
    "If force can take away liberty, force is necessary to preserve it. It is the hatred of violence alongside the willingness to use violence that preserves liberty. In order for us to live as free men, we have to hate the violence that takes away liberty, yet at the same time, we must embrace the violence that preserves it. That is the paradox our founders appreciated and made work for over 200 years."

    -Christopher Brownwell

  9. #19
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    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'.

  10. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by TomMcC View Post
    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.
    Quote Originally Posted by markm View Post
    But you should have enough mags that you don't need to see a grief councelor if you destroy or damage one.

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