Lyman Brass Tapper Hammer

I can count the number of times I've screwed up a gun one both hands because I got had the wrong tool for the job (and a lack of patience). Coincidentally my gunsmith can also count the times I've buggered up the same guns by checking his bank account.  More times than I'd like to admit, I've used a carpenter's hammer or a large rubber mallet for a job that called for a more delicate brass or nylon hammer and a 15 minute trip to the store. I never claimed to be a smart man. Luckily my "moments of ignorance" are only sparingly, and at some point I found myself in the gun care aisle at the gun shop and picked myself up a tool that I should have purchased a couple wasted paychecks ago.

If you have a firearm that requires some extra force to disassemble, say a Ruger Mark III pistol, or a really snug fit AR15... than the temptation to grab the nearest hammer has probably crossed your mind. It has for me, and I've paid for it. If you find yourself in that situation often, it would be wise to invest in a more delicate, precise tool for the job. The Lyman Brass Tapper hammer is just what I needed.

The Brass Tapper can be bought as a standalone hammer with one brass punch included, or as a deluxe set with a wooden vessel and several size punches. I bought the standalone because I already have a set of punches. Lyman's hammer has three heads that have different intended degrees of use. The nylon head is meant for tasks where marring is a concern, because of a finish you want to preserve (paint / bluing / hydrographic). It's the softest of the three heads, so full force blows or stubborn roll pins are not for which it's been designed.

The brass head is designed for striking surfaces and objects that might be damaged by ordinary steel hammers. Brass is softer than most other metals and alloys, so striking with it prevents marring of harder surfaces. The punch that comes with the "Brass Tapper" standalone hammer is also made of brass, so this head is ideal for chasing the punch and driving out roll pins, stubborn disassembly pins, etc. The nice thing about the brass head is the weight it adds to the hammer head itself, which gives more kinetic energy to your 'taps' and thus more control than a bigger windup and swing.

The steel head is meant for the bigger jobs where marring is not a concern. This is actually the lesser used head for myself, and usually stays on the bottom of the handle which acts as a cap when the brass pin is internally stowed.

The handle itself is brass and has a nice knurling for grip. Overall I'm very pleased at the quality of the hammer and how it's held up to abuse. The only issue I see is the nylon head has nylon threads, which will be vulnerable to damage if misused  or struck hard without being threaded on completely. Besides that, this hammer is always within reach when I'm disassembling or working on a firearm. Now the carpenter hammer stays in the tool box, and the Brass Tapper has a home on the armorer's bench.

Firearms Insider Reviews – 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:  The ultimate "no-mar" gunsmithing hammer and drift pin tool

Target Market:  DIY, amateur and professional gunsmiths

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

• Double headed
• Three interchangeable heads: nylon, brass and steel
• Knurled brass handle
• Knurled brass drift pin stores inside the handle

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?: N/A

What others are saying?:

"This punch and hammer kit is a great value for a starter "gun works" tool box, quite frankly most people wouldn't know just how expensive good tools can get, and thus wouldn't know what to expect. For the price that brownells is charging for this kit you're not going to do much better. The hammer is very good for light tapping of pins on anything from glocks and 1911's to AR15's, it's not a heavy duty hammer, but it's not meant to be, brass hammers are for delicate work and this one does it's job... The brass punch has come in handy once or twice though I haven't really banged on it too much. If you're looking for a professional kit, this isn't really it, but if you need something to start you off on working on your own guns this kit is worth the money in my opinion." Brownells User Review

Price point:

• MSRP = $21.50 for hammer, $53.95 for deluxe kit with punch set
• Retail = $19.99 for hammer, $49.99 for deluxe kit with punch set (Brownells)

I need it now! Availability:  Lyman, or Brownells

Our Rating:

Pros:

• Dual hammer heads for variable job types
• Third head stows/doubles as cap at handle bottom
• Brass punch stores inside handle

Cons:

• Nylon hammer head has nylon threads (longevity issue)

Score: 8.0 Good

Featured FFL:

For FFL services I choose Promised Land Firearms in Toulon, IL.

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Lyman Case Prep Multi-tool Review

There's about a gajillion different tools out there for reloading. Most tools come in either manual / hand powered versions or a more expensive electric counterpart. For case preparation, you could spend a few hundred dollars on an electric prep station that has spinning heads for each step, or you can buy each tool individually and perform the steps by hand, and save a few extra pennies for powder, primers, bullets, or heck even a new press. One tool I've been using heavily thats gotten the job done and was relatively inexpensive is the Lyman Case Prep Multi-tool.

Case prepping has 4 steps after you've deprimed, resized and trimmed your casings. If you've trimmed the mouth back down to SAAMI specs after the brass has stretched from firing (every rifle cartridge stretches to some degree over time and repeated firing of same brass piece) then you should chamfer and debur the mouth. This gets rid of any ragged brass filings still clinging to the mouth, and also helps with easier bullet seating and proper chambering in the firearm. The Lyman Multi-tool has both deburrer and chamfer tool which you can thread into each end, letting you simply flip the tool over and complete both tasks with minimal effort, especially if you have a manual or electric way of spinning the brass, like a Lee Zip Trimmer or a case chuck bit for a drill.

Secondly if you are loading rifle rounds that have military primer crimps, you are very familiar with the bane of every reloaders existence. That is, until you have a tool that can ream those crimps out to a wider primer pocket. Lyman provides reamers for both large and small primer pockets (5.56 and 7.62x51 brass made for the military will most likely have the crimp)  After several rotations with the tools, you'll be able to seat a new primer with little resistance.  Also included are a pocket cleaner for both large and small pockets, which can help clean out carbon and dirt and ensure a full spark through the flashhole, and thusly a good powder burn.

Instead of fumbling with 6 different hand tools, or dropping a few hundo's on an electric case prep center, give this multi-tool a try. Its under 25 dollars and is easily stowed away, leaving more room for all the other tools, gauges, and components to clutter your bench.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame: Provides the reloader with all the essential case preparation accessories in one compact, double-ended storage tool.

Target Market: Reloaders who trim cases and or need to remove military primer crimps

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product)

• Provides reloader with all the essential accessories
• All accessories located in one compact, double-ended storage tool
• Unique knurled handle unthreads in the middle to store all parts
• Includes inside and outside deburring tools, large and small primer pocket cleaners, and large and small primer pocket reamers
• Convenient and compact storage

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?:  Lyman Orange only

What others are saying?:

“I used it to prep 100 cases recently. It's handy because all the bits can be stored inside the aluminum case/handle. The functionality is satisfactory because it works. The only drawback is that it is two major pieces (aluminum case) that thread together with bits that are also threaded in. As long as you work the tool in one direction, that's fine, but once you twist counterclockwise with the working end bound to the brass in any way (when chamferring and deburring)the parts start loosening (which is why I can see how the Lyman universal case prep kit with 8 dedicated tools might be preferred -- especially if you have the bench space for it and don't mind the extra cost). It made me wish for my solid, one-piece chamfering/deburring tool that was in the garage while I was leisurely (lazily) working the .308 brass in front of the TV. My solution was to de-thread the two halves apart and use them like two tools with the primer bits sitting on a paper towel. And with that being said, this tool was cheap to buy, does the job, does have a massive handle that prevents finger fatigue, and stores nice and tidy. It is more helpful than it is annoying, which is why, for the price, I would recommend it" -SteveH Amazon.com user

Price Point:

• MSRP: $28.95
• Retail: $21.99

I need it now! Availability: Readily available at brownells.com or Amazon.com

Our Rating:

+-Knurled grip is plenty big enough for heavy use without hand cramps K +-Stores all parts inside to prevent lost bits +-Price is very affordable for 6 tools in one

--Threads loosen if primer pocket reamer or chamfer tool bind up and you rotate counterclockwise, requires acute but quick retightening.

Score: 8.5 Great