Creating replacement firing pins

Binrat1978

Binrat1978

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Hi,
Some of the rifles I repair need new firing pins. I have noticed that the older rimfire rifles (early 1900's and older) have a fairly simple shape to them.
I have this idea of using old centre punches and filing the tip down to replicate the original firing pin shape. After that I would just cut off at the appropriate length.
I think this would be cheaper than buying a $30 USD firing pin from Numrich but end up paying close to $60 Cdn after conversion, shipping, and other fees.

Thoughts on this idea? Is the punch metal strong enough for rimfire?

,Jason
 
Nothing wrong with that as long as it works.
Long time ago I filed a new Firing Pin for a I belive was a .22 Winchester 61. The only thing on hand was a rusted Scredriver with good enough Steel, a Axt File and lots of time in the northerrn Manitoba Winter Survey camp. The Gun worked flawlessly firing several hundret Shells with it but unfortunately a Friend managed to talk me out of it.
 
Brassman66 said:
Nothing wrong with that as long as it works.
Long time ago I filed a new Firing Pin for a I belive was a .22 Winchester 61. The only thing on hand was a rusted Scredriver with good enough Steel, a Axt File and lots of time in the northerrn Manitoba Winter Survey camp. The Gun worked flawlessly firing several hundret Shells with it but unfortunately a Friend managed to talk me out of it.
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Sounds like something I would try! lol. I figure between old centre punches, my jeweller files, and a dremel, I should be successful.
 
I think there is a heat treat step involved, to make something that will last. I bought a used Model 1915 Steven's Favourite - the firing pin came out of the block in two pieces, not the one piece thing it originally was - looks to me like it was "home made" - perhaps from a nail or spike - no clue how long that thing had lasted - I was able to get a "reproduction" replacement from Numrich, at the time.
 
I dug into the "junk drawer" and found it - apparently, at the time, I ordered two of them - the "new" one on right / the broken one on left in picture. My notes say I paid $C 78.89 for two firing pins, delivered to me in Manitoba, on Feb 14, 2023.

DAB3D7E9-8DE0-4F5D-833D-FF0DFDB4D7BB.jpeg
 
Potashminer said:
I dug into the "junk drawer" and found it - apparently, at the time, I ordered two of them - the "new" one on right / the broken one on left in picture. My notes say I paid $C 78.89 for two firing pins, delivered to me in Manitoba, on Feb 14, 2023.

View attachment 975630
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Ya, big price for a small item! I am assuming the centre punches go through a sufficient heat treatment?
 
Binrat1978 said:
Ya, big price for a small item! I am assuming the centre punches go through a sufficient heat treatment?
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Depends on the quality of punch. I've had good results making firing pins from O-1/ drill rod. Basically and without the deep speak, create the profile and then hang them vertically from a strong magnet. Heat evenly with a torch with a deep bucket of oil underneath as a quench. The part will drop off the magnet once it reaches around the critical temperature for heat treat. Then immediately temper in a preheated toaster oven at around 450*F for a few hours. Then start gradually ramping down the temp to the lowest setting on the oven. Then leave to cool naturally.
 
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I broke a firing pin in my shotgun two days before a match, so made one from a punch. I put it in a drill to spin it and shaped it with a dremel tool. A little rough, but it worked fine. I bought a couple firing pins later on, but still running this one lol
 

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I may have mis-understood what "heat treat" means - with heat and with carbon content in the steel - you can made things hard (hard enough to be brittle), you can make the same thing soft (malleable), and you can make a spring out of it by "drawing the temper" - I have never done any of those things, on purpose.
 
I believe with heat and quench, you can not touch resultant with a file - yet you can soften that thing to shape it how you want - is not "fileable" and also "hard" at the same time. There was a tradesman at the mine that I apprenticed at - he was trained in Austria - he would make punches and metal chisels (for himself) from bearing races.
 
You can use drill rod or high carbon ground shaft

But in a pinch you can use the shank of a drill bit. Find the size you want file the flat in it turn the end of it to diameter and shape the pin nose. Then harden it by heating it red hot and dropping it in some old engine oil.

If it gets too hard just polish it a bit and reheat it until it turns a straw to purple color maybe a touch of blue. Don't over heat it or you will need to re quench it. you could put it in the over at 450* for a half hour. It would stay really hard but not so brittle. Like making a spring
 
Decent steel, decent fit, and a simple firing pin can be easily made. Electric drill clamped in a holder or vise can be used as a little lathe to reduce diameters.
 
Binrat1978 said:
Hi all, thanks for the tips. This is specifically for a Stevens Little Scout 22lr that had been dry fired to hell and had the firing pin beat up.
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Hi I actually just made one a few weeks ago for my little scout. I just used a drill bit that fit the firing pin slot. I have a lathe but a drill would work fine. My files cut it easily without any heat treatment. It's been working very well. The kids already have several hundred rounds through it
 
KyleSchenk said:
Depends on the quality of punch. I've had good results making firing pins from O-1/ drill rod. Basically and without the deep speak, create the profile and then hang them vertically from a strong magnet. Heat evenly with a torch with a deep bucket of oil underneath as a quench. The part will drop off the magnet once it reaches around the critical temperature for heat treat. Then immediately temper in a preheated toaster oven at around 450*F for a few hours. Then start gradually ramping down the temp to the lowest setting on the oven. Then leave to cool naturally.
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Thats a neat trick, hopefully I remember it next time I have to heat treat something!
 
KyleSchenk said:
The real trick is using the oven with the missus wondering what you're cooking😁. What I neglected to mention was to make sure you degrease before tempering.
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or get a good toaster oven in the shop,

heat the part with a bunch of sand and when heated up cover with sand and let it cool slowly over night.


also good for making snacks, reheating chicken wings, etc... when having shop beers :)
 
I've used broken drill bits, drill rod and the steel rollers from different printers. A buddy of mine whose into gun repairs and motorcycle rebuilding told me about the rollers. Good hard steel he said, so l started watching for them.

In the past days of yore, I've made Citori firing pins upper and lower for my old 325 and 425's and a few sets for my daughters old aluminum receiver Yildiz field gun that she started using for sporting clays. ..LOL
After making 3 sets for the Yilly Dilly, I/she graduated to a 20 ga Citori ! Much better move !

Cut my slanted grooves first with files, then used my drill press as my lathe...using files, needle files and various grades of emery cloth to get me down to where I needed to be. Worked in a pinch and I've always been the kind of tinkerer that always wonders.....hmmmm...wonder, could I lol
 
KyleSchenk said:
The real trick is using the oven with the missus wondering what you're cooking😁. What I neglected to mention was to make sure you degrease before tempering.
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I think she would appreciate the firing pins more than she enjoys the smell that comes off the leather holsters that sometimes end up in there ....her banana bread tastes a little funny after them:ROFLMAO:
 
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