doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Firing pin retaining screw

I have an old English Double (G. Heminway) that needs new firing pins. Despite my best efforts, the firing pin retaining screws must be drilled out and replaced. I'm in new territory here. I know I've got to get the drill angle just right. I assume that if you draw a line through the axis of the firing pin, the screw bisects this line at a right angle? Further, what do the firing pins look like? are they cone shaped or stepped in some fashion? I further assume that a flat of some sort is milled in the pin for the retaining screw. I think if I limit the depth of the cut to the centerline of the firing pin I'll be alright. I've made a lot of assumptions here and we all know there's as a** in assumptions. If anyone is interested, this gun's twin (8 gauge, mine's a 10) has been on auction forever at Gunbroker.com at a grossly inflated price.

I think that making assumptions about this would not be the best way to proceed. It surprises me that you would have to drill something out as you have described the situation but there are all sorts of configurations. If you are determined to do it yourself, I'd call upon either someone with the "Amateur Gunsmithing" book or hope that a friendly smith sees this thread. Not knowing the gun or its style makes it hard to advise.

Are you able to post a picture of the gun?

In general, retracting firing pins can have a flange or other means of stopping inside the action. What year is your double approximately? If pins are involved, I would almost rather attack them with a small hammer and driver to try to get some purchase on the metal. If I used a drill, it would be in some kind of press and an iterative process to see what happened.

Here's pics from the one on Auction arms that is identical to mine:



I've been doing amateur 'smithing' for 20+ years but only recently became interested in doubles. I have the necessary tools, but like I said, this is new territory. The main reason I purchased this gun was to hone my skills and the price was right $170 (The asking price for the one pictured above is $3900, they never get any bidders!). There was a retaining screw on the barrels for the extractor pin cut at an odd angle and I've already drilled and tapped that one with no problem. The extractor will need to be rebuilt completely, but that's no problem. (One guide pin is missing, the other is broken)