geronimojoe85
Master
- Nov 16, 2009
- 3,716
- 48
The Hillary Hole and how to deal with that stupid lock
We all make bad decisions, think if our exes or our Beanie Baby investment scheme. Sometimes we get an idea in our heads and it stays around like the turd that won't flush. Sometimes we have outside influences that keep trying to push us one way or another and weather good or bad we eventually cave. Gun companies are no different than we are in this regard. Smith and Wesson while under the ownership of the Tomkins cut a deal with the Clinton's and thus the Hillary Hole was born. A bad decision born out of an imagined necessity and baseless fear.
What is the Hillary Hole?
The Hillary Hole is to small keyhole in the side of a firearm that is for an internal locking mechanism that renders the gun inoperable, most notably in the side of S&W revolvers:
Problems with this lock are various, from the principal of the matter to reports of the mechanism engaging itself under heavy recoil.
Removal of the mechanism is simple and relatively easy. "Do you want to deactivate the safety?" Is a question that is harder to answer than the actual act of removing it. We are all big boys so let's look at it this way. What are the legal ramifications of using a firearm with a deactivated safety in self defense? Is it possible that it could get you bound up in court? We are all adults here proceed at your own risk.
Again, educate yourself on your laws, and make an informed decision about weather or not you really want to deactivate this lock.
First step is removal of the grips:
As you can see there are two different spring assemblies, well start with the N-frame first.
Remove the side plate screws (in this example we have four screws):
With a non marring hammer like device tap against the grip portion of the frame until the side plate pops off:
Remove the side plate and expose the guts:
Remove the hammer block:
Remove the main spring strain screw:
Slide the main spring out of the frame and off of the hammer stirrup:
Pull the trigger to the rear slightly and remove the hammer:
The piece of the internal lock that interfaces with the hammer:
This is where the lock interfaces on the hammer:
Removal of this small piece is as simple as pulling it and is spring out of the gun:
Bye bye internal lock:
The gun can be reassembled in reverse order, and look at that no hole in the side of the frame.
J Frame:
Remove the side plate, same as above:
Place a sophisticated tool in the hole in the mainspring strut, and remove the mainspring:
Pull the trigger back and slide the hammer out of the frame:
There's the lock mechanism:
With your big fat stupid fingers remove it from the frame:
Reassemble in reverse order.
Now after reports of lock failure S&W did change the springs so that they would not engage during recoil if even the heaviest .500 magnum. I personally have not witnessed any failures on any of mine, so removing the lock is really up to you. Also S&W has begun producing certain guns without the lock entirely, and I believe they've seen the error on their ways. Hopefully soon they'll drop the lock entirely.
We all make bad decisions, think if our exes or our Beanie Baby investment scheme. Sometimes we get an idea in our heads and it stays around like the turd that won't flush. Sometimes we have outside influences that keep trying to push us one way or another and weather good or bad we eventually cave. Gun companies are no different than we are in this regard. Smith and Wesson while under the ownership of the Tomkins cut a deal with the Clinton's and thus the Hillary Hole was born. A bad decision born out of an imagined necessity and baseless fear.
What is the Hillary Hole?
The Hillary Hole is to small keyhole in the side of a firearm that is for an internal locking mechanism that renders the gun inoperable, most notably in the side of S&W revolvers:
Problems with this lock are various, from the principal of the matter to reports of the mechanism engaging itself under heavy recoil.
Removal of the mechanism is simple and relatively easy. "Do you want to deactivate the safety?" Is a question that is harder to answer than the actual act of removing it. We are all big boys so let's look at it this way. What are the legal ramifications of using a firearm with a deactivated safety in self defense? Is it possible that it could get you bound up in court? We are all adults here proceed at your own risk.
Again, educate yourself on your laws, and make an informed decision about weather or not you really want to deactivate this lock.
First step is removal of the grips:
As you can see there are two different spring assemblies, well start with the N-frame first.
Remove the side plate screws (in this example we have four screws):
With a non marring hammer like device tap against the grip portion of the frame until the side plate pops off:
Remove the side plate and expose the guts:
Remove the hammer block:
Remove the main spring strain screw:
Slide the main spring out of the frame and off of the hammer stirrup:
Pull the trigger to the rear slightly and remove the hammer:
The piece of the internal lock that interfaces with the hammer:
This is where the lock interfaces on the hammer:
Removal of this small piece is as simple as pulling it and is spring out of the gun:
Bye bye internal lock:
The gun can be reassembled in reverse order, and look at that no hole in the side of the frame.
J Frame:
Remove the side plate, same as above:
Place a sophisticated tool in the hole in the mainspring strut, and remove the mainspring:
Pull the trigger back and slide the hammer out of the frame:
There's the lock mechanism:
With your big fat stupid fingers remove it from the frame:
Reassemble in reverse order.
Now after reports of lock failure S&W did change the springs so that they would not engage during recoil if even the heaviest .500 magnum. I personally have not witnessed any failures on any of mine, so removing the lock is really up to you. Also S&W has begun producing certain guns without the lock entirely, and I believe they've seen the error on their ways. Hopefully soon they'll drop the lock entirely.
You know you want another reason to buy a gun! 
