Mike - I don't know that shorter hammer to nipple distance alone necessarily means faster lock time (spring strength, tumbler arc length etc). The whole lock time discussion though sounds like splitting hairs on an issue with far more important inputs. If anything, faster lock time = faster kills, not more kills. Slow lock time= more wounding losses = more total kills; a guy loses an animal and instead of his tag being punched and done, goes out and takes another. The experience and familarity with weapon of the trigger man far outweighs the slight difference in hammer drop time. My opinion.