[va_plinker]

So the 7.62x39 kit was delayed in part to an issue with light primer strikes. It looks like RA has solved this issue and has moved the kit into production ;D

The solution to the light primer strike issue was to redesign the XCR's hammer presumably by adding mass. Thus we have the heavy hammer. It looks like this hammer will be included in the kits at no extra charge and the heavy hammer will work with all other caliber kits, so it is a one time replacement. ;D

Perhaps not a DIY install for some, but probably not a huge issue for people around here.

I would assume that heavy hammer will become standard on future rifles? maybe? :

My question is..... What does this new hammer do to my BS Trigger job?

Hammer after Bill Springfield trigger job.

Yeah, the rifle is dirty... I like it that way

Does the future "New Trigger" include a heavy hammer?

 

[gunner69]

As I understand it, all new rifles and kits include the new trigger. Bill S. will have to answer the part about the trigger. MOST LIKELY it will mean getting another trigger job. How about an answer on that Bill??? At $49 that still IS a viable answer. :2cents:

 

[TerraShrewsbury]

The hammer won't change a thing. Relax boys.

 

[ny32182]

It must change something, or it wouldn't be produced, right?

There have been a handful of reports of light primer strikes in 5.56 if I remember correctly. The primers on cheap russian x39 are likely to be harder than those on domestic 5.56, so I imagine a new hammer (this is actually the first I've heard of it) is designed to alleviate this concern, correct?

Will we immediately be able to get this piece by itself as a retrofit to existing rifles (minus a caliber conversion kit for now)?

 

[TerraShrewsbury]

I only know of two cases of light strikes in the 5.56. ??? One has already been attributed to the ammo the guy is using. The other one I don't know why, because he's in Canada, and I can't really take a lookie..... :-\


The light strikes in the 7.62s *only* occurred using the Wolf. Russian ammo can have very hard primers. So, the hammer simply weighs just a little bit more, and can thus carry enough force the strike the primers properly.

 

[ny32182]

Ah, ok... thanks.

 

[ny32182]

So can I buy one?

 

[va_plinker]

From RA's Website:

We shot lots of different ammo in the XCR™ 7.62x39mm rifles. We found that the XCR™ works with everything but we did experience a few problems setting off some, but not all, of the newer Wolf 7.62x39mm ammo. We included a heavier hammer with your 7.62x39mm kit. You can use this hammer with all calibers if you wish. It is designed to set off the troublesome 7.62x39mm Wolf. (Note: Some of the Wolf ammunition did not even fire the first try in some of our AK-47s.) In any event, the heavier hammer should set off everything. (By the way, our new match trigger set which will be available this fall has a heavier hammer for this reason also.)

So I suppose it is optional if you want to mess around with light primer strikes.

 

[Bravo]

I've got a touch less than 10,000 rounds through two XCRs.

I've had a total of one round that didn't go off when hit: the primer indention is VERY deep. So much so that its obvious that it was assembled with a primer sans anvil. I keep that round on my bookshelf to remind me why I practice malfunction drills with dummy rounds - not because the XCR will fail but because the AMMO can fail (this is hardly my first 'factory dud').

I've run these - mostly the first - without any lube or cleaning for several thousand rounds. No problems whatsoever, much less due to light primer strikes.

In other words, your comment about "it's optional if you want to mess around with light primer strikes" is - in my opinion and experience - completely unfounded.

If you've had problems with light primer strikes and failures to ignite, that's one thing - but as for me, I don't have any desire to change my hammer. None whatsoever.

 

[va_plinker]

I'm sure we'll get some reports from those that don't swap out the hammer. Perhaps it was just one bad batch of Wolf, or maybe the 7.62x39 bolt/fire pin combo doesn't pass the hammer energy on to the primer as well as the .223 bolt. Who knows... Since I'm a "plinker" I'll probably try the old hammer first too.

 

[MickeyC]

Unless your rifle exhibits issues then don't change stuff just for the sake of it. The stock XCR works ok.