AR-15 Spring inside hammer?

[aileron]

So can anybody tell me what the heck the spring wire inside the hammer is for?

Photos below:




If you look at the hole in the center of the hammer you will see a wire. Anybody know why its there?

A friend had his fall out and neither he nor I can figure out why its in there.

[AK4me]

Yea, it gos all the way through to the hammer pin hole, when installed it rests in a groove in the hammer pin so it doesnt fall out

[arfan66]

Yup, hammer pin retention

[bjl333]

Yea, it gos all the way through to the hammer pin hole, when installed it rests in a groove in the hammer pin so it doesnt fall out

Will it still work without the spring ??

[ar15barrels]

Will it still work without the spring ??

Not with normal pins.
If you used pins with some external retention, it would work fine.

[arfan66]

Not with normal pins.
If you used pins with some external retention, it would work fine.

Cheaper to replace the hammer...

http://www.del-ton.com/AR_15_Hammer_p/lp1018.htm