NAA .22lr - Hammer will not drop into the 'safety slots'

[Withak]

Greetings folks. I'm a new member here from the Pacific NW. I came to the NAA website with a question and saw there was a forum, so I thought I'd throw my question out to the folks here, seeing as you all have some practical experience with these guns.

I recently purchased a used NAA revolver in .22lr. It's in excellent condition and everything functions very nicely. That said, I cannot get the hammer to come down in the safety notches on the cylinder. Let me state that I started by reading the manual and following the instructions step by step, when that didn't work, I came here and have read about a dozen threads on issues with getting the hammer to come down in the notches. But so far, I've not found a resolution to my problem.

I understand that you put the gun in half-cock first, then pull the hammer back a bit more until the cylinder can freely rotate. Next, you line up the notch, pull the trigger and lower the hammer into the notch. Problem is, the hammer will not drop and the trigger pull isn't releasing it. I can get the gun in half-cock position, and when it's fully cocked, the hammer will drop completely on a shell if I pull the trigger normally. But it simply will not release from half-cock, no matter what I do, no matter what position the cylinder is in.

So, here is my question - is it simply a question of me doing something wrong? Or, is there a problem with the gun that needs to be addressed by NAA??  I've attached a photo trying to show where the hammer stops - if you can't make it out, the notch in the cylinder is lined up with hammer, but pulling the trigger won't let the hammer fall any further.

I appreciate any assistance you folks have to offer. Thanks!

EDIT - while I've been waiting for my thread to be approved for posting, I continued to work with the revolver. Now, I have several times managed to get the hammer to drop into the safety notch. BUT, I'm concerned because to do it, I not only have to have the trigger pressed, but I have to push the hammer forward with my thumb simultaneously, where I hear a 'click' as the hammer seems to overcome some kind of catch. At that point, it does finally drop into the notch. Is this normal? Should I be concerned that the hammer/trigger are possibly not functioning correctly?

[Doc Nonverbal]

Greetings Withak and welcome to the forum!

I'm new to NAAs as well, so I'm about as far from an expert as one can get.  This said, my $0.02 is that if a firearm is not functioning as indicated in the manual, I would recommend sending it back to NAA for inspection.

I'm having a problem with my Sidewinder that I picked up yesterday (the cylinder will not open), so it is going back to the shop.  The NAA Customer Service woman I spoke with was very nice.

Good luck!

[mainstreet]

The problem you are having in dropping the hammer into the safety notch is normal. After pulling the hammer back enough to line up the safety notch, you then need to pull the hammer back a little farther in order for the trigger to allow the hammer to drop into the safety notch. It also helps to hold the cylinder with your fingers on each side to keep the cylinder safety notch properly centered below the hammer. Always practice doing so with an empty cylinder, as It can be a little tricky at first, until you get a feel for it. If you are not careful, it is possible to accidentally fire a live round. 

[RogueTS1]

This problem arises with about 90% of new Mini owners. It is a very specific set of actions to get the hammer into the safety notches. Once you get it, it becomes very natural and fluid. Until then it can be very frustrating. Practice for about 10 to 20 mins with it, unloaded of course, and it will come very quickly to you.

The click, depending on what is actually clicking, is not abnormal. It may simply be the hammer striking a side of the safety notch. All mine do it, if I am remembering correctly; I do not even think about it anymore when placing the hammer.

[Withak]

So after reading the comments, no after contacting NAA, whose response was to send me a link to a video on how to use the safety, I have concluded there is a problem with the gun. I should not have to push the hammer forward to engage the safety, it should drop on it's own (with my thumb controlling the drop) when the trigger is pulled. Something is definitely not right with it.

I've contacted NAA again. Hopefully they will help with this.

Thanks for the responses.

[mainstreet]

The problem is not the gun.

[n9znd]

  Practice cocking hammer all the way back,  Now hold your thumb on the hammer and pull the trigger and lower the hammer very slowly (with out being loaded of course.  Can you lower the hammer slowly all the way down?   Now do the same but lower it in the Notch.   The hammer will Not go  into the slot without using the trigger. You have to use the trigger and lower the hammer all at the same time.   Jim

[Bigbird48]

I know a lot of new owners have this problem , it took me a while to figure it out. But it is possible that maybe the hammer on this gun is a tad to thick or maybe the safety notches a tad to narrow. You say you have to push the hammer down into the slot. Do you feel any resistance like the hammer is dragging on the slot?

[Withak]

The problem is not the gun.

NAA seems to disagree. I've explained the issue in detail and they are beginning the process to look into it for me.

[Withak]

  Practice cocking hammer all the way back,  Now hold your thumb on the hammer and pull the trigger and lower the hammer very slowly (with out being loaded of course.  Can you lower the hammer slowly all the way down?   Now do the same but lower it in the Notch.   The hammer will Not go  into the slot without using the trigger. You have to use the trigger and lower the hammer all at the same time.   Jim

No, I cannot lower the hammer all the way down from full cock - it always stops short at about the half-cock position.

I've watched videos on this, many times over. I have followed the instructions exactly. The hammer will not allow me to slowly lower it all the way down - it gets 'caught' at some point and I have to use my thumb to physically push it forward past some kind of 'catch' that is holding it up. Every video I've seen shows this is not normal. I have been using the trigger, from light pressure to heavy pressure, and it's not working. I contacted NAA, it would seem they are in agreement that something isn't right.

[Withak]

I know a lot of new owners have this problem , it took me a while to figure it out. But it is possible that maybe the hammer on this gun is a tad to thick or maybe the safety notches a tad to narrow. You say you have to push the hammer down into the slot. Do you feel any resistance like the hammer is dragging on the slot?

The resistance happens before I can get the hammer to the slot. It's like it's catching at the 'half-cock' point. I pull the hammer far enough back so that the cylinder will rotate freely, then I line up a safety notch at the top, between the notch of the rear sight, pull the trigger and try to drop the hammer into the slot, but as I lower the hammer, it stops, about the half-cock point - no matter how hard I pull the trigger, it won't move forward, until I push my thumb against the hammer, then I overcome some kind of catch/resistance, then the hammer will finally lower into the safety notch. As I'm not new to guns, I am comfortable looking for issues on the outside of the gun, and I don't see any - this feels internal. Hopefully NAA can help me out with it - I'm waiting for their next response to me.

If you look at the photo I posted in the OP, you'll see where the hammer stops every time - right at that 'half-cock' point, and no amount of force on the trigger will get it to move forward. If I pull the trigger and push the hammer forward, it will overcome the 'catch', and then I can lower it into the safety notch.

[Withak]

Update 6/6/16 - NAA has asked me to send the gun back under warranty, and they're covering the shipping costs to get it there. I've heard they're good with their warranty service, looks like I've heard correctly.

[Withak]

Another update 6/20/16 - NAA returned the revolver to me. The gun was in fact defective. They replaced the hammer, hand spring, main spring, trigger and trigger spring. The gun now functions exactly as it should.

[heyjoe]

i love a happy ending

[OV-1D]

  Happy days are here again Withak , out of fourteen posts you had half of them worrying about nothing , NAA fixes their stuff real well all the time even if you send it back more than once , guaranteed satisfaction  . 

[Texduk3]

Bravo!!

[Uncle_Lee]

Now we need a picture of it...

[JRobyn]

With the hammer in a slot!

[Withak]

Now we need a picture of it...

Here you go...

[Uncle_Lee]

Very happy ending..
Thanks for the photo update.

[JRobyn]

Thanks for pix!  They remind me of one thing I really like about the Sidewinder - the little blast shield on the left side has a witness groove to line up with the slot there for quick visual confirmation that the hammer is down in a slot.