Hammerli Single info

[ml09616]

Hi folks,
New member on the forum, and looking forward to learning as much as I can.

For the moment though, I have acquired a HAMMERLI Single air pistol, 177 Cal, with a 102mm; (4") barrel.
I would hope to shoot 10 metre ISSF air with it, and if I can make progress, then upgrade to a more appropriate pistol.

I know nothing about these, and was wondering if someone could give me an idea of the year of mfg from the serial number, which is: #421**.
Are these quality pistols (I know they are decades old), and any idea of their value?

Thanks in advance for any help you may be able to provide!

Mike

[jirushi]

Hello Mike,

Welcome to this great forum. The collector's corner is full of very knowledgeable and kind people.
The authority on vintage Hämmerli's is forum member Mark D.
I am sure he will provide some more accurate info than what I am about to write.
I had a beautiful Single, in its original box, purchased via Egun in Germany (I think that Germany was the biggest market for the brand).
Iirc, they were sold in the seventies and eighties.
Very high quality, both in terms of build and accuracy. In fact, I have never owned better pistols than Hämmerli's from this era (Swiss made).
The Master is probably a bit better, especially ergonomy-wise (not sure if this is good English, I am from Amsterdam ha-ha).

Kind regards,
Louis

[Mark D]

The Hammerli Single came in 4 basic versions - straight grip 'kurz' Slant grip 'kurz' Straight grip 'lange' and slant grip 'lange'
The 'kurz' models can only use the 8grm bulbs. The grooved frames on the early Singles are heavier than the later slant griped frames.
In it's evolution the Single got a more adjustable trigger and the very last version was identical in all but name to the Master incorporating that models adjustable sight rail.Most 'Lange' versions that I have seen have the later automatic gas release cap fitted. Production period 1960s - 1970s

With the kurz barrel yours will be one of these two.

[IMG]MVC00008 by Mark Davis, on Flickr[/IMG]

Lange models- if you get the bug

[IMG]MVC00002 by Mark Davis, on Flickr[/IMG]

[Geezer]

I defer to Mark’s expertise, but John Walter’s book says that they were introduced in 1961, and stopped being made in 1977 when the production line had a bad fire. Though new old stock stayed in the catalogue for 1978. Walter suggests the later ones benefited from internal improvements primarily made for the more expensive Master, in particular a feature where once the CO2 had dropped below a certain level, it would be automatically vented to the atmosphere, as a very obvious way of telling you to change the bulb.

[ml09616]

Thanks a million Mark. Mine is the Kurtz shorter barrel as below (doesnt look as nice as the ones in your pics!!! :


I haven't actually shot it yet, so I am looking forward to that.
Again, thank you so much for your information!
regards,
Mike

The Hammerli Single came in 4 basic versions - straight grip 'kurz' Slant grip 'kurz' Straight grip 'lange' and slant grip 'lange'
The 'kurz' models can only use the 8grm bulbs. The grooved frames on the early Singles are heavier than the later slant griped frames.
In it's evolution the Single got a more adjustable trigger and the very last version was identical in all but name to the Master incorporating that models adjustable sight rail.Most 'Lange' versions that I have seen have the later automatic gas release cap fitted. Production period 1960s - 1970s

With the kurz barrel yours will be one of these two.

[IMG]MVC00008 by Mark Davis, on Flickr[/IMG]

[Mark D]

Thats a late model pistol you have Mike. The cap on the back was first used on the Master and has a blow off feature were by when set it allows the gas to be exhausted automatically once the pressure drops, it in theory ensures you don't get a low powered shot and spoil a card in a match.

You also have a later trigger unit that came from the Master that has more adjustment. Those walnut grips finish it off nicely.

If the seals are shot and it doesn't hold gas, they are relatively easy to replace.

Looks in good shape for a pistol that's at least 40+ years old

[ml09616]

Hi again folks,
I was wondering if I can use a 12g cylinder in the shorter Kurtz version , which has the automatic release device as in the Master (see my pic in this thread above).
It currently has an empty short 8 gm cylinder, but can I remove any of the end cap to fit in a 12g cylinder? If I slip in a 12g cylinder, it is too big (too long).

I am thinking that I am restricted to the 8 gm cylinder, but I read somewhere that it can take a 12 gm one.
My images here should give a good idea of what I have.
Looking into the end cap, it does have a slot to remove part of the valve, but I am guessing that this will NOT be the proper thing to do, and I should stick to the short 8 gm CO2.

Unfortunately, I cannot contact the previous owner for advice, and I don't have a user manual for the firearm, and not being familiar with this particular pistol, I don't want to force anything!

The last image with the silver CO2, is pushed in to the point where it stops... any further and it would puncture the cylinder.
I only show this to indicate that I think the cylinder is too long (I realise it has to go in a little further in operation!).

Thanks for any help on this!
Mike

[draitzer]

Your gun does indeed have a short tube, for 8 gram cartridges only. If you look at Mark's photo you'll see those tubes extend further behind the grip, making room for 12 grammers.

Don R.

[Mark D]

The short 'kurz' answer is No

The only way you could possibly do this is with a screw on extension piece to the Single cylinder, however you add in the possibility of leaks at the joint or it unscrewing when you remove the blow off cap.

Modifying the blow off cap would make it inoperative and defeat the purpose of using it.

There should be a coiled spring inside the cylinder that adds removal of the 8grm powerlet, if its there you will feel a slight resistance as you push it in.

I would just get on with using it in the form that it left the factory and enjoy it.

[ml09616]

Mark D and Draitzer,

Guys, you are all fantastic! Thank you so much for this help.
I DID think that I was restricted to the 8 gram cylinders, but being unfamiliar, I thought it better to check before I went out and purchased a stack of 12 gm cylinders!

I have just received this Hammerli, so I am looking forward to getting to know it. Next thing for me to learn is the re-sealing process.

Pity there is no decent manual available for this old pistol, which would save me asking lots of dopey questions!
I do have a scan, one page of which was in my post above, but that scanned doc didn't answer my question as well as you guys did.

Cheers folks, and thanks again!
Mike

[draitzer]

Mike, here's the manual from the extremely useful Vintagairgunsgallery brought to us by Danny Garvin:
https://forum.vintageairgunsgallery....istols-manual/

This shows the valve version with a flat seal against a flat seat. Later guns use a ball seating against the seal, but the overall construction is similar and you won't know which you have until it's disassembled.

Here's a discussion that may be useful and shows the ball valve:
https://airgunwarriors.com/community...le/#post-55186

Don R.

[Mark D]

Resealing the Single is not really hard, however the first part is usually the hardest, namely getting the valve out of the body.
Unless you have a Hammerli valve removal tool you will need to make one. A length of flat bar just under the width of the diameter of the cylinder is required and long enough to allow some good purchase. The thickness needs to be enough to slot into the cut outs in the valve. Firstly remove the CO2 capsule return spring with a dental pick or similar. Then insert the tool into the slots in the valve and turn anti clockwise to undo. If your lucky it will come undone, if not you may need to soak the top of the old seals by pouring or spraying some oil down the tube and leave to soak for a few hours.

Once its loose and undone as far as it will go, you need a length of brass to put down the barrel and push the valve out. I use an old brass cleaning road.

Hopefully you will have a steel bodied valve like this

[IMG]MVC00022 by Mark Davis, on Flickr[/IMG]

If you do, then you may only need to replace the two main seals which are 13x3mm OD and need to be CO2 proof. A light dab of silicone grease is all you need on them. If the seal on the tip of the valve is in good condition then leave it, if not you will need to get a new one.

If you have an aluminium valve you will have a 'top hat' valve which will need a new polyurethane seal in order to make it gas tight.

Exploded view of an early model:

[IMG]` by Mark Davis, on Flickr[/IMG]

Let us know how you get on

[ml09616]

Having awful trouble getting this Hammerli Single to work!
Bearing in mind that I know absolutely nothing about these pistols, here is my take....

When I put a CO2 cylinder in, it immediately leaks out the muzzle..... OK.... seals must be gone.
I removed the main valve, and it looked to be a bit rough. In the pic with the red writing, the seals at "A" and "C" look to be OK.
I think there might be a seal inside the valve at position "B", but I cannot get the small threaded section (at "B"), unscrewed from the larger section, as shown in Marks exploded pic above this post..
The valve also looks a bit rough, where someone has separated these parts before.

Being in Australia, I can find no-one who is prepared to look at this for me, so I was wondering if there is anywhere I can purchase a complete new/refurbished valve?
Buying a new one would save me a lot of hassle, and I would have the old one to work on.
Failing that, can anyone let me know what size seals I need and I will continue to try and separate the valve to reseal it.





Thanks for any help I can get on this.... I am pulling my hair out!

Mike

[draitzer]

The exhaust seal is leaking - it is accessed by removing the buggered-up part at 'B'. Normally there's a wrench flat but yours may have been chewed up. There's also an O-ring to seal 'B' to the valve body.

Don't know if you looked at the links in post #11 above, but here's the valve diagram from the manual:


Don R.

[ml09616]

The exhaust seal is leaking - it is accessed by removing the buggered-up part at 'B'. Normally there's a wrench flat but yours may have been chewed up. There's also an O-ring to seal 'B' to the valve body.

Don't know if you looked at the links in post #11 above,..... snip, snip
Don R.

Thanks a million Don...
Yes, I did have a look at the posts above, and they helped my understanding a lot.
Thing is though, I don't have any sizes for the seals, and more importantly, I can't get the parts of the valve separated (I have soaked the valve in penetrating oil to no avail).

I realise that getting a complete replacement valve would be a long shot, considering the vintage, but that would be my best option at this stage.
Alternatively (and the only one), is for me to keep hacking away to see if I can get things dismantled and resealed.

Thanks again for all the fantastic assistance.... I really would like to get this old pistol working again.

Cheers,
Mike