Hammer Question
 

The hammer is loose and the screw is tight. How does one fix the problem and how difficult is the fix? Thanks for the help.

The square hole in the hammer is tapered. It is designed to lightly press onto the tumbler shaft. If I is loose, it could be wear, or a sign that the hammer is mismatched or tumbler replaced from another gun.
A way to tighten this up is to remove the hammer and lightly strike the hammer surface on the 4 sides of the square hole. Or with a pin punch large enough to span over the whole square hole as to get all sides at once. But you wan to make sure you are well under the screw.
Basically you are lightly knocking the metal down to make that taper grab the shaft tightly.

This is the best way I know of to remedy this issue without more extensive modification to other parts.

Or the axle may be loose in the lock plate.

Is the hammer loose on the axle or are the axle and hammer loose as a unit?

The hammer and axle are loose as a unit. Guess I should have mentioned that. Thanks

Double check the issue.
Remove the screw and move the hammer and see if it is moving on the tumbler shaft. If it is, then it is the issue I described above. And of this is the case, the hammer should come right off the shaft with no effort.
If the hammer is snugly the shaft and there is movement of both the tumbler and hammer then something may be broken or tweeted inside the lock mechanism. The hammer should be firm at the "safe" half cock position unless it is pulled back against spring pressure, or GH trigger depressed and pushed forward.

Brian, double checked. Took the screw out and the hammer is very tight on the shaft and will not come off without some amount of help. What I see when I look at the hammer and firing pin is something less than 1/16" of seperation.

Also, the hammer moves back and forth from front to back and side to side. When moving towards the firing pin, it does not touch the firing pin. Hope that helps.

Sounds like you have an issue inside the lock mechanism. The hammer should be firm still unless the trigger is pulled and then the hammer can be pushed forward to fully depress the hammer.

Could just need a cleaning or tightening of screws on the lock plate.

Matt, I would bush the spindle hole with a steel bushing. A loose axle can cause the sear relationship to be in question.

Plunger Brian.

So in order to determine if the plate needs to have a bushing installed I would need to remove the hammer and I'm guessing the side plate? There is one screw and 5 pins. The screw is removed, thats easy. Do the pins have to be drifted and from which side if they do and are tapered? Is there anything else that needs to be done so that I don't have to be looking for pieces and parts all over the shop floor?

BTW, when the hammer is cocked it doesn't move at all. Well, not till I Pull the trigger.

Those pins are fixed. You need to remove the side plates to see the lock mechanism. If I recall, those pins, on the inside of the lock plates, are what the screws that hold the locking mechanism in place screw into. You don't have to take the hammers off to take the side lock plates off.

If you take the plates off, when you put them back on, remember to move the trigger flat out of the way.

Thanks Chuck

What you refer to as "pins" are the three bride screws (four on grade 3 and higher guns) and one sear axle. All of which are threaded into the lock plate.

Once you have the plates out, look at both of them side by side from the back side. Move the hammer so you can see what is going on. It should be apparent as to what the issue is when you can see everything.

Guy's thanks for the heads up about the "pins", better put my drift and 8 pound hammer away. I guess all I need to do is remove the screw and the side plates should be good to come out? The fit looks really tight, any tricks I should know about so I don't bugger it up? Thanks for the help.

When you remove that screw (using the proper sharp screwdriver) put a drift or nail through the vacant hole and against the back side of the opposite lock plate and very gently tap the drift until the plate comes away from the head of the stock. Then the lock plate has to be moved rearward about 1/8" or less and then lifted out of the gun. It is relatively easy to do and its simplicity is amazing. Just go slowly and gently.

Thanks Dean