doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DIY Gunsmithing @ doublegunshop.com Using Cerrosafe

Making new firing pins when you do not have one to produce a copy just the hole in the action were is once was. I have had this problem many times and my solution in making a new pin is this is this! Firstly I clean out the firing pin hole using pipe cleaners and an abrasive metal polish. After cleaning out the polish I use a clean pipe cleaner to apply a coating of oil inside the hole. Now I make a casting of the hole using "Dental Alginate" depending on the type of Alginate you have some are a liquid and others have the consistency of "Plasticine" so pour or push it into the hole. Before it sets which only takes a couple of minutes I push a sewing machine needle through the Alginate to the bottom of the hole. I use a sewing machine needle because it has a good size section for you to take hold of when you remove it with the casting from the hole. Nearly forgot to mention I roughen the shaft of the needle with some emery cloth to enable the alginate to take a firm hold.

First off I want to correct a statement that I made in an earlier post where I stated "Even those on the forum with the most Meriden experience are unsure what the guts should look like.". In looking back I don't think is a entirely true statement. What I meant was that there isn't a lot of experience with a 20ga gun but experience with a 12ga variant sure helps provide insight into what I will be up against.

kutter, thanks for the info on the FP tip. As to the FPs for the 12ga guns, any thought on why they are in two pieces? I don't see a lot of benefit to this but hey, what do I know? Also thanks for the info on the LC Smith sidelocks. Will have to get on their forum to see if I can glean some info from them.

damascus, thanks for the idea on using alginate. I had thought of that at one point but wasn't sure how well it would remove from the hole. My experience (at the dentist) lead me to believe that it didn't set up hard but remained soft. Maybe there are different types. Like the idea of the needle. Also the part about cleaning the hole really well with an abrasive makes sense. I need to take another look at the hole but if memory serves me, it's fairly rough inside. However, as my wife frequently tells me, my memory sucks.

Kirk

Yes, thanks Kutter and Damascus for digging deeper into it. Kirk, I think you can figure it out. The simple drawing that you made had me thinking that you may be able to skip the impression step and go to a length of turned down maybe drill rod.

I think what kutter mentioned about timing the action maybe the time consuming part. You could stick the smooth shanks of regular drill bits in the hole to get pretty close on diameters and depths. It may horrify some folks, but I bet you could turn down some rod with regular tools and time. Worst that might happen is you toss out the pin and call it practice, and hopefully it fits right if it's able to fire off a shell.

Thanks craig. I used drill bits to come up with the drawing I made. Problem was that standard bits didn't really give me a true diameter. Looked at the cost of numbered or lettered bits and cost climbed pretty fast. Besides, using the cerrosafe would be an interesting learning experience.

I know someone with a metal lathe so will try and turn a FP. As you said what have I got to lose? I was on Numrich looking at the old style LC Smith FPs. Appears that even they use a retained bushing to hold the FP in. Searched the LC forum and didn't really find anything. Guess I'll have to post there hoping that they won't be offended by questions on a Meridin shotgun.

Kirk

I have made some sxs pins out of Rem 1100 pins shortened

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Remington-Model-1100-12-ga-Firing-Pin-NOS-/252514040176?hash=item3acb027970:g:78oAAOSwtnpXkpI9

BUT

this might be better

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CRESCENT-Hammerless-Double-20-Ga-USED-Firing-Pin-/272400164085?hash=item3f6c50a4f5:g:qqYAAOSwCGVX8qkN

The pre 1913 LC Smith design used a bushing on the face of the breech to hold the firing pin in place. You unscrewed the bushing with a spanner to remove or replace the firing pin.

The back end of the firing pin hole inside the action was made so as not to allow the pin to drop back inside the action.

After 1913,,the bushing was done away with and from there till the end of production and even the early 1970's short run LCS made by MArlin, the pins are simply dropped into the action from the rear. No springs.
The assembled lock when placed in position in the stock holds the firing pin in place from falling back out of the action. Some that are better inletted will have a small shelf of the wood inside to keep them from doing that but most do not.

Regarding the 2 piece firing pin,,if you are going by the Numrich illustration,,I'd discount that for your shotgun.
They show retainers at the rear of the firingpins also,,so a completely different set up. To tell you the truth, the SxS 12ga Meridens I had,,IIRC had one piece pins.
Unless the Numrich gun needed two piece pins to get around a problem of perhaps not being a straight line strike,,I can't see the need. Off set slightly they do look in the pic and I think that may be the reason. The Meridens are all over the place in construction.

I'd make the pins for your gun as one piece, w/a protrusion of .045" or so. With some playing around with the length AND diameter of the back portion you should be able to find the right configuration needed to be captured by the lock bridle or plate so it doesn't fall back.
Even a wooden mock-up can be useful to get rough measurments. You pretty much have what you need in your drawing.
Don't make this more complicated than it needs to be.

Thanks for the links skeettx.

Thanks for the LC info. I had anticipated that a 1 piece FP was the way to go. Of interest is that the parts I bought off the bay included two piece FPs so I assumed that was the norm. Interesting that your guns had 1 piece pins. I hear you about construction QC as the FP in my gun are significantly different in diameter.

Funny you should mention a wood mockup as I was thinking about doing that. I did that for the cocking rods which were also missing. The parts I bought had a 12ga pair and the mockups let me know how much they have to be modified.

Kirk