S&W 637 snubby - to bob or not to bob?

dwarven1

Lonely Mountain Arms
Joined
Mar 13, 2005
Messages
27,861
Likes
2,414
Location
Starksboro, VT
Feedback: 33 / 0 / 0
I have a S&W 637 snubby and the hammer sometimes catches in my pocket when I try to draw it, so I've been considering whether or not to have the hammer bobbed.

LaRocca's in Worcester would charge me $150 to bob the hammer, do an action job and "disconnect the single action" feature so I can't try to pull the hammer back ('cause then how do you lower it if you don't want to fire it?). I've been waffling about this - I don't like the look of the shrouded guns, and I DO like this one...

What do you all think? Is it worth it to do to a carry piece?
 
I have a S&W 637 snubby and the hammer sometimes catches in my pocket when I try to draw it, so I've been considering whether or not to have the hammer bobbed.

LaRocca's in Worcester would charge me $150 to bob the hammer, do an action job and "disconnect the single action" feature so I can't try to pull the hammer back ('cause then how do you lower it if you don't want to fire it?). I've been waffling about this - I don't like the look of the shrouded guns, and I DO like this one...

What do you all think? Is it worth it to do to a carry piece?

You will never get your money back for the mod and worse, the gun's resale worth will be
adversely affected. If that doesn't bother you and you like the gun, go for it.

(BTW, those shrouded guns are great, not lookers, but great!)
 
Last edited:
I'd leave it alone only because I'm not a big fan of heavily modifying a factory firearm. Look for one that already meets your carry requirements.
 
If you can't draw your pistol. that a major problem,
Bobbing the hammer isn't a big deal. You can do it with a dremel

if you care about resale, get another hammer.
 
Here's mine.

332web.jpg



You know you really want to do it right.
 
You will never get your money back for the mod and worse, the gun's resale worth will be
adversely affected. If that doesn't bother you and you like the gun, go for it.

(BTW, those shrouded guns are great, not lookers, but great! Here's mine!)

Can't argue with this. +1
 
Add me to the list of "don't do that" folks. If snagging the hammer is a problem, buy a 642, 442, or other hammerless snubbie. Leave your 637 stock. I had a Model 60 which I traded for a 442 several years ago. Even though I would have liked to keep both, I think the 4342 is a better concealed carry weapon.

Gary
 
I would think that, especially in THIS state, "just in case"- one would want to carry an unaltered firearm, especially in the trigger weight department. I have a bone stock 642 which I love- I was thinking about the 637, but went with the 642 due to the hammer.

I would think about selling (or keeping as a house gun) the 637 and getting a 642.

The 642 can be fired while still in a pocket (as a bobbed hammer may get caught up in your pocket in a crisis).

My $.02 USD, FWIW.
 
Last edited:
No complaints on my 638. Best of both worlds, carry it anywhere unobtrusively, never had a snag and single action is there if you need it. It may not be pretty but should the occasion to use it occur I don't think that will be an issue.
(S&W pic but mine looks just the same...)
model638.jpg
 
Second on leaving it and just getting a 638. You'd be spending half the cost of a brand spanking new J-frame getting the mod done.
 
Well, I will be the odd answer hear (Not too unusual for me [smile])

Bob the hammer, do an action job, and call it a day. I would do it all for you for about $80 and you would be very happy with it.

I just got a 37 for my own use. I will be bobbing the hammer this week and doing the internals. If you are interested, wait until I am done, I will send you some pictures and see what you think.

The idea of an altered gun being a problem is not even worth the time to refute. If that were the case, no one would carry a custom 45 or custom revolvers. My 66-1 snub is bobbed, I did a 60 a member here has that was bobbed and there is never a problem with them.

Most here must have more cash than I do. Spending $400 plus to buy a gun to replace what $100 could make perfectly usable makes no sense to me. I would much rather take a $200 gun spend $100 on it and have just what I need.

Ross, if you want to see my 37 when I am done, e mail me.

Gary

PS:
Here is my 2.5" 66-1
66-1bobbed.jpg
 
Most here must have more cash than I do. Spending $400 plus to buy a gun to replace what $100 could make perfectly usable makes no sense to me. I would much rather take a $200 gun spend $100 on it and have just what I need.
FINALLY, someone gets it.

Gary, I would be very interested in what it looks like when you're done. Are you also going to turn it into a DAO?

For right now, I put Bianchi Lightning grips on the 637 this morning. My only problem with them is that they're LARGE... with smaller grips, it vanishes in the pocket easier.

And for various reasons that I'm not going to go into here, I'm probably not going to be buying a new gun any time soon. [sad] Got something (non-gun related) that I'll need cash for.
 
Geez, Ross. Sounds like you already had your mind made up. Hope it works out for you either way.

LaRocca's in Worcester would charge me $150 to bob the hammer, do an action job and "disconnect the single action" feature so I can't try to pull the hammer back ('cause then how do you lower it if you don't want to fire it?). I've been waffling about this - I don't like the look of the shrouded guns, and I DO like this one...
I've been thinking about it for several months - ever since I got a set of Bianchi Lightning grips that shroud the hammer and discovered that they make the gun really bulky in the pocket. But all of the responses kept saying "buy a shrouded (or a hammerless) gun" and no one noticed that I already mentioned that I DON'T LIKE THEM. They almost make a GLOCK look graceful. They're the Quasimodo of the revolver world. In a word, ICK. (and please... no flames about how wonderful YOUR particular gun is - I'm quite aware of how subjective my opinion is).

However... when someone who specializes in revolvers can validate my decision on a course of action, well... that was what I was looking for - proof that I wasn't completely out of my tree to be considering this. (Of course, the fact that he'll do it for half the price I'd already been quoted is just gravy. [smile])
 
However... when someone who specializes in revolvers can validate my decision on a course of action, well... that was what I was looking for - proof that I wasn't completely out of my tree to be considering this. (Of course, the fact that he'll do it for half the price I'd already been quoted is just gravy. [smile])

It sounds good but my cautionary statement still stands.

You will never get your money back for the mod and worse, the gun's resale worth will be
adversely affected. If that doesn't bother you and you like the gun, go for it."

"Sometimes people know the price of everything and the cost of nothing." (Anonymous to me but I like the quote! [smile])
 
It doesn't bother me. [wink]

Besides... given that the gun was essentially free, it doesn't owe me anything. (I got it in a trade with another gun, and the other gun got traded away for a 1911... so the 637 was basically free.)
 
Ross,

$150? Four Seasons had a 442 (blued hammerless) used for $290. For an extra $140, you get a second gun that's exactly what you want - DAO, and no hammer to snag. In fact, the hammer's completely internal so there's no crud accumulating anywhere (as it would in a bobbed or shrouded hammer).

Plus you keep the 637 intact for non-pocket carry - ankle holster, IWB, etc. - where you might want the hammer for a retention strap.

Just my $0.02...
 
all of the responses kept saying "buy a shrouded (or a hammerless) gun" and no one noticed that I already mentioned that I DON'T LIKE THEM. They almost make a GLOCK look graceful. They're the Quasimodo of the revolver world. In a word, ICK.
I'm serious - the hammerless and shrouded are UGLY. They're uglier than my P90. And that's going some.
$150? Four Seasons had a 442 (blued hammerless) used for $290.
And for various reasons that I'm not going to go into here, I'm probably not going to be buying a new gun any time soon. [sad] Got something (non-gun related) that I'll need cash for.
For $80 Gary will do the work - much less than $290.
Plus you keep the 637 intact for non-pocket carry - ankle holster, IWB, etc. - where you might want the hammer for a retention strap.
For IWB carry, I've got my K9.
 
I mistook your dislike for the shrouded guns as a dislike for the "bodyguard (638)" style, not the "centennial (642- hammerless)" style.

My bad!
Good luck withyour decision (and, should it make it to Cape Cod- you'll like how it comes back!)
 
Back
Top Bottom