Firing Pin Reproduction

Bartok5

Bartok5

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Hello,

I am wondering if there are any Gunsmiths in Canada (preferably in AB), with the requisite knowledge and skills to fabricate a replacement for a broken shotgun Firing Pin? The Shotgun is the Iron Horse "Sentry 12", pump-action gun that feeds from detachable Magazines.,The Firing Pin is cylindrical with a few different contours so that it can be positively retained within the Bolt. Fabrication will therefoe require some fine lathe-work plus final stock removal with emery cloth, etc. A knowledge of suitable metallurgy and steel hardening will be required. I have an original Firing Pin to act as a reference for all critical dimensions.

In an Ideal world, depending on cost, I would like 3 new Fi1ring Pins fabricated so that I can replace my broken pin plus keep spares on-hand for myself and a friend who owns the same platform.

Any takers? Any leads?

My first engagement with a machinist did not produce anything more than month-long delay in resolving the issue, so I would like to make some genuine progress here....

I am currently on the road, so cannot take photos. Think AR15 Firing Pin, but longer, and you'd be very close!
 
Bartok5 said:
Think AR15 Firing Pin, but longer, and you'd be very close!
Click to expand...
How does it compare to AR10 firing pins? a few different styles and lengths of those to choose from.
If you can find a shop with centreless grinding you will get a much nicer part.
 
Bartok5 said:
Hello,

I am wondering if there are any Gunsmiths in Canada (preferably in AB), with the requisite knowledge and skills to fabricate a replacement for a broken shotgun Firing Pin? The Shotgun is the Iron Horse "Sentry 12", pump-action gun that feeds from detachable Magazines.,The Firing Pin is cylindrical with a few different contours so that it can be positively retained within the Bolt. Fabrication will therefoe require some fine lathe-work plus final stock removal with emery cloth, etc. A knowledge of suitable metallurgy and steel hardening will be required. I have an original Firing Pin to act as a reference for all critical dimensions.

In an Ideal world, depending on cost, I would like 3 new Fi1ring Pins fabricated so that I can replace my broken pin plus keep spares on-hand for myself and a friend who owns the same platform.

Any takers? Any leads?

My first engagement with a machinist did not produce anything more than month-long delay in resolving the issue, so I would like to make some genuine progress here....

I am currently on the road, so cannot take photos. Think AR15 Firing Pin, but longer, and you'd be very close!
Click to expand...
I would be interested in 1 or 2 as well.
 
Maybe a couple of pics so we can see what we are talking about here?

Depending on the shape, the machining will likely be the simplest part of making a firing pin. It will be the heat treating needed to produce a pin hard enough to last but soft enough not to break.
 
FWIW, a long and thin pin is a nightmare to turn. Basically each section from the tip, moving backwards, needs to be turned and finished prior to moving to the next section. A thin pin will just deflect away from the cutting tool and it will do that in an inconsistent manner.
 
I have a gunsmith who has successfully done Firing Pins in the past working on the 3 spares as we speak. Here is what they look like - the top is the broken Pin snapped off at the first diameter increase. Below that is the full, intact firing Pin measuring exactly 4" in length.

20260528_181012.jpg
 
I Dont Care About You said:
IMO those things would be difficult to make on a manual lathe. Or at least will require specialized knowledge / experience .... that I dont have. :confused:
Click to expand...

yup a whole lot of chatter on the lathe turning something that fine.

thinking that might not be so bad if they were done in 2 pieces and then joined, you could use an appropriate diameter drill rod and not have to turn the whole length only the last 3/4"
 
I am guessing that stock removal with emery cloth down to the correct diameters may be the method for success here. Just have to beware of over-heating and resultant warping of the pin...
 
I Dont Care About You said:
IMO those things would be difficult to make on a manual lathe. Or at least will require specialized knowledge / experience .... that I dont have. :confused:
Click to expand...

Nah they ain't that bad. I've done a bunch over the years. It's much easier to turn them in shorter length section vs trying to do the whole length in one shot. Turn a bit of the length and then advance the material out of the chuck for the next section. That is providing you can hold concentricity on your machine. Here's the last one I did for a Remington 878 with the less common, long length firing pin. This was the 2nd last step before HT, cutting the flat for the retainer pin.

IMG_20260608_181821.jpg
 
Most firing pins aren’t anything super fancy for materials. Just fixed a French Berthier firing pin that broke. Had a chunk of 4140 welded on the pin and turned it to size and length. Hardness testing determined the hardness of the firing pin in the 18 Rockwell C range.
 
woodchopper said:
yup a whole lot of chatter on the lathe turning something that fine.

thinking that might not be so bad if they were done in 2 pieces and then joined, you could use an appropriate diameter drill rod and not have to turn the whole length only the last 3/4"
Click to expand...
See my other post. In conjunction with turning it sections, cutter selection is key to avoid chatter. I usually do them at a fairly high rpm and slow feed rate and don't have any problems.
 
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