doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com How do I fix dragging firing pins?

If i have a double gun with removable firing pins, what is the cause and repair of said gun if the firing pins drag and do not retract properly after discharge?

Can i do it myself or is this the job of a gunsmith?

Gun make, type, ejectors ? Are you using Winchester shells or others with soft primers ?

My money's on it being a Flues!

It's probably "out of time", meaning the hammers are not starting to cock soon enough, as the gun is opened. The fix is to restore the loss of proper drive to the cocking mechanism parts. As to whether you can fix it yourself, I can't answer that for you. Bending or peening the parts is a touch and try operation. Go too far and the cocking parts will prevent the hammers from gooding a good lick on the primers. If it's an old gun with lots of use, the above is more likely than the primer brand, IMO.

12 bore. Vintage. Sidelock. Extractors. London, best grade although not from a tier 1 maker. Back action. Top lever.

And the maker is?

Is it something it just started ?...could be something as simple as cleaning. Post some pics of the locks and pins.

It might just be a question of cleaning...or of "cleaning up" after a previous owner neglected cleaning. One of the many maladies that my pore old Skimin and Wood had when I got it [Curse Montana "one-gallus duck hunters" and "gun butchers"!] was a dragging firing pin. It turned out that corrosion had gotten into the firing pin hole to the point that the firing pin had become peened from passing through the corrosion. A "dressing off" of the firing pin and the hole put things to rights.

One aspect of gun cleaning that is mentioned in Thomas and Churchill, for example, that I have never seen in American treatises is the cleaning of firing pin holes. The British sources most often recommend applying light coating of oil with a matchstick. This practice would seem to be a simple and reasonable precaution against a potentially troublesome and expensive set of problems.

Jim's got it in one. Take the barrels off the action then fire the action holding a coin over the firing pins, see how much free play you have on the lifters. If there is a lot this needs to be adjusted so that it cocks sooner. Measure how far the pins come through the face it should be no more that.073" if they are more than this they need shortening. It sound like you need a GOOD gunsmith to regulate your action for you.

the pins fire with a violent amount of strength considering the gun is 130 years old.

The right pin will pass forward if I simply hold the action downward and let gravity act. Both pins fire but the slopping around and the dragging (sliding across the primer after fire) need fixing.

I'll seek out a competent gunsmith in my area...and a pegasus. No telling which I'll find first.

Rock:
Something to consider as you take this unnamed gun to a GOOD 'smith: Some of these actions incorporated small coil springs around the firing pins for retraction. Over the years, these tend to break under use. I've dealt with many. It's a simple fix for a good 'smith. If, indeed, that's the issue.

Best, Kensal

Rock:

I have no idea where your area is. However, geography may not be the best determinant for a "good gunsmith".

FWIW, I have had good luck with Turnbull Manufacturing Company. These folks do excellent work, they know what they are doing, and they "shoot straight with you".

As much as I hate to agree with the Brits [It only seems to encourage them! ;)] I have to generally agree with "the old ones" about preventive maintenance. Churchill recommended that a gun be sent back to the factory for service once a year. According to the folks at Turnbull, the service interval can be extended to two to three years unless about 20,000 rounds are fired or the gun is allowed to become wet before then.

Rock:
Although I generally restrain from contrary recommendations, especially if someone has had a satisfactory experience, but I'm afraid I cannot concur with Dingelfutz's suggestion.

In my opinion, anyone who sends a London best to the firm he mentions should be prepared for something less than the results he forecasts.

No offense to Mr. D intended. This is just based on my past personal experience and those of others. I'm sure the expectations of Mr. D were met.

Best, Kensal

Thanks for all your help and advice. I think we've pinpointed it to a broken (or missing) spring that retracts the firing pin after discharge. I'll try to get it fixed next time I find a competent smith.

Kensai Rise,

No offense taken. I'm sorry that your experiences apparently were not as positve as mine were.

One follow up question:

In ther intermediate period of shotgun development in the 1880s, did they make many guns without spring retracted firing pins? My gun has relieved areas on the extractor to gently coax back the pins without letting them bind to the point of snapping. Was this just a deluxe further assurance to protect the pins or was this in lieu of retractor springs or perhaps before their proliferation?

They didn't all have springs.