doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Hinge Pin Rotation

I have acquired a stock of off face early 20th century clunkers for experiment.
I want to remove and rotate some of their hinge pins to see what improvements can be made in lieu of tigging the hooks, filletting them, or draw reaming.

Any suggestions or rules of thumb for removing them?
One thing I want to try is 180 degree planar rotation, and 180 degree axial rotation.

What's the best technique for removal?
I am working on a procedure for the use of plastigauge that I'll post pack when complete.

The only one that I have done is an early Fabrique Nationale 16 ga. sxs that was off-face. Most European guns I have seen have a screw cap covering the hinge pin. This one had a slotted head hinge pin that is screwed in.
Ones of this type will/might have a set screw between the cocking levers to hold it in and this set screw is set into a hole drilled into the hinge pin.
I did rotate it and it did help it. A fairly easy job to do.

On L.C. Smiths, guns that I am more familar with, they use a tapered hinge pin that is 3" long. Drive it in and cut to size, file and finish. I have never done this to one, but I saw what they are and seems like the fit and finish would be very time consuming.

Suggest you get a DVD from Midway titled Gunsmithing British Boxlocks and Sidelocks by Jack Rowe. Best $30 bucks you can spend.Regards Bob

A lot depends on the gun ,some have screw pins ,some have knock in pins with screw caps or cover plates. Some have blind caps that were screwed in but never intended to be removed so a drill is the only way to get them out. Some have knock in pins that have a driven in blind retaining pin .
As over the years I have jointed hundreds of guns I think I've seen just about every type there is.
Bear in mind that the pin may well wear on more than 50% of its surface area ,so apart from a curiosity surely the best thing is to replace the worn pin with an oversize replacement?