Firing Pins and storage

[Leavenworth]

I saw one member asking about firing pins and storage for a M12 Winchester Shotgun so I have questions as I really don't know a hell of a lot about internal workings of Firearms in general so here goes . How should I store the following firearms in my safe regarding the firing pins Thank You !

#1 Remington Model 700 Classic 30.06

#2 Ruger 10/22 semi auto

#3 Winchester Model 12 pump circa 1955

#4 Ithaca model 37 featherlight pump circa 1946

#5 Winchester 12 gauge single shot

Leavenworth

 

[Paul_T]

If they are in your safe you don't need to do anything else with them. Removing firing pins and/or bolts is a recipe for disaster IMHO (lost pins, lost bolts, mixed up etc)

 

[Leavenworth]

If they are in your safe you don't need to do anything else with them. Removing firing pins and/or bolts is a recipe for disaster IMHO (lost pins, lost bolts, mixed up etc)

Sorry Paul I should have been clearer . I'm referring about how to properly store them so the firing pins won't always be in a ready fire position . Not having the spring under tension .
Leavenworth

 

[Paul_T]

Sorry Paul I should have been clearer . I'm referring about how to properly store them so the firing pins won't always be in a ready fire position . Not having the spring under tension .
Leavenworth

Ahhh sorry - first cup of coffee for me.......

I never worry about it myself. Springs under tension are not an issue IMHO. I regularly keep pistol and rifle mags fully loaded for extended periods as well - have no issues with mag springs either.

 

[Tenguns]

Just store them in the uncocked position.

 

[Wendell]

It won't matter. Cocked or uncocked, dry-fired or not, snap cap or not, it won't matter a bit.

 

[Evanguy]

^^^^ this

Pull the trigger after its unloaded.

 

[9.3mauser]

With the bolt gun, you can hold the trigger back with your ring finger or pinky, and rotate the bolt closed.

 

['Boo]

^^^^ this

Pull the trigger after its unloaded.

Except for most .22 rimfire rifles.

 

[trebor2880]

^^^^ this

Pull the trigger after its unloaded.

Why? Or are we just going by some old wife's tale?

 

[Evanguy]

Why? Or are we just going by some old wife's tale?

He wanted them uncocked. So i told him the simplest way. myself, i just leave them as they are. My bolt actions i hold the trigger as i close the bolt, my win94 i uncock it.but my semi rifles and sxs shotguns stay cocked, mags always stay loaded....

 

[Wendell]

Except for most .22 rimfire rifles.

The OP was very specific about the firearms in his safe, and the only .22 rimfire involved was a Ruger 10/22.

Therefore, for the OP, in the specific scenario the OP described, what the OP might choose to do - or not to do - really doesn't matter.

 

['Boo]

The OP was very specific about the firearms in his safe, and the only .22 rimfire involved was a Ruger 10/22.

Therefore, for the OP, in the specific scenario the OP described, what the OP might choose to do - or not to do - really doesn't matter.

Yes but there are hundreds of lurkers reading these posts and you wouldn't want them to peen over the firing pin on great-grandpa's old Cooey based on what they read on this thread..

 

[Huntin' Gun]

Maybe I’m a sucker for old wives tales, but I store all of my firearms uncocked. I don’t want my firing spring to lose its strength. I had an old Cooey 22 that didn’t have enough jam in the spring to reliably fire every time. Why would a firing spring get soft? Don’t want to deal with that problem down the road and it’s easy to just make sure the gun isn’t cocked. And I NEVER store firearms loaded. I think that’s a recipe for disaster.

 

[Dogleg]

I don't worry about springs being in tension in storage. They are under a lot of tension whether its left cocked or not. Take a typical bolt action for instance. A uninstalled spring is about a foot long and installed its about 3". Another 1/4" isnt going to make a bit of difference. The big factor in spring wear is flex cycles. Worst comes to worst, springs are cheap.

 

[SHELL SHUCKER]

I don't worry about springs being in tension in storage. They are under a lot of tension whether its left cocked or not. Take a typical bolt action for instance. A uninstalled spring is about a foot long and installed its about 3". Another 1/4" isnt going to make a bit of difference. The big factor in spring wear is flex cycles. Worst comes to worst, springs are cheap.

I reckon yer measurements are somewhat outta whack, unless ye be referring to some obscure light artillery piece.

 

[Leavenworth]

Thanks to all of you so far !
Leavenworth

 

[Dogleg]

I reckon yer measurements are somewhat outta whack, unless ye be referring to some obscure light artillery piece.
View attachment 240781

That's because they aren't measurements; just numbers to make a point. Here is a picture to make the same point, namely that the installed length is already so much shorter than the uncompressed length that cocked or un-cocked isn't going to make any difference. Do you disagree with that?

 

[Clayrod]

That's because they aren't measurements; just numbers to make a point. Here is a picture to make the same point, namely that the installed length is already so much shorter than the uncompressed length that cocked or un-cocked isn't going to make any difference. Do you disagree with that?

Symantec's lol ya got him there.

 

[SHELL SHUCKER]

That's because they aren't measurements; just numbers to make a point. Here is a picture to make the same point, namely that the installed length is already so much shorter than the uncompressed length that cocked or un-cocked isn't going to make any difference. Do you disagree with that?


I've never left my guns in a cocked position for storage. Just fussy that way. Ye wouldn't leave a hammer gun cocked in the safe would ye? The shorter compression length on most bolt guns ain't too big a worry, but ye still have extra stored energy in that spring that can cause the spring to take a set over time which can slow the lock time a bit. Not a big deal fer hunters, but a big deal to match shooters.