Mike,
Thanks for your reply and your kind offer to relieve me of this busted rifle. I'll have to pass on your offer, as my Martini gun cabinet is like the roach trap. The Martinis check in but they don't check out.
I made an inertial firing pin at the suggestion of a friend, as it looked like a way to get this rifle shooting without making any permanent changes to the action. The resulting firing pin allows the action to function normally but fails to fire a large rifle primer. Trying a large pistol primer is next.
An additional challenge in adjusting how far the firing pin protrudes in the front and back is that I've run out of material in the rear firing pin section where the adjustments are made and the retaining screw is located. I can make a firing pin with a longer rear section but then I'll have to deepen the rear breach block recess to maintain a firing pin no longer than the breach block.
On your rifle, what mechanism was used to retract the striker?
Were inertial type firing pins used in rifles from this period ? I don't think that I've ever seen one.
Do you think that there is a missing part that retracted the striker?
Are there any tricks to maximize the effectiveness of inertial firing pins?
Otto
