Nails for a firing pin? - Made a new one w/pics

[Weapontech]

One of the Snider Cadets I picked up as of late has an interesting bubba'd part that I noticed as I was doing the pre-fire tear-down & inspection.

Overall, the rifle is in great shape, I am certainly happy with another Snider in the barn; I have a feeling it will make a great shooter. On initial inspection, I noticed that the firing pin was a little small compared to the others I've had.

Then once I took it apart, voila!

What a great way to use a couple of nails. Not sure if this was an expedient repair, or something to make it "look" like it was supposed to. Regardless, they seem to be functional, and would fire the cartridge if used. An interesting arrangement to say the least!

Off to the lathe to make another firing pin!

 

[762mm]

If the steel has been treated properly, I don't see why this shouldn't provide many years of service.

Very interesting indeed! Thanks for posting pics.

 

[david doyle]

If the steel has been treated properly

judging by the peening evident where the hammer strikes I'd say the heat treating step got skipped. Eventually it will jam or start to wear the hole it travels in. Certianly a worthy repair to get out hunting in a pinch or to ward off a small batch of zombies but not a repair for fireside dry firing over decades. Great pics thanks for posting

 

[Belzebuth666]

The spring looks like it came from a clicky pen.

 

[bdft]

The oldtimers just made things work. Parts were either unobtainable or unaffordable. It probably worked just fine for keeping the bears out of the pigpen.

 

[Fixit]

The spring looks like it came from a clicky pen.

ive got one of those springs in my remington model 58 serving duty as a firing pin spring

 

[Weapontech]

Toss the nails - Made a new firing pin w/pics

Finally decided to get this new firing pin done, as the weather was crappy for doing anything else.

I started with 1/4" dia piece of standard tool steel, chucked it up and began to slowly remove material. Instead of using a steady rest on the toolpost, I decided to drill the material and use the tailstock with the freewheeling spindle.

I used an original firing pin from another Snider as a guide.

Voila! One completed firing pin on the left, with the original to the right. - Ready for heat-treating & tempering. Total time expended = 38 minutes.
Now to find a replacement spring!

 

[41 Colt]

Cool.

 

[762mm]

Wow... nice job on that firing pin. Definitely better than the nails, haha!

 

[tokguy]

ive got one of those springs in my remington model 58 serving duty as a firing pin spring

Another good source is the spring from under the flint on a Bic lighter...in a pinch of course.

 

[smellie]

I have used half of a ballpoint-pen spring with a dab of epoxy, as an ejector spring on a couple of my P-17s now for a while. Did them 36 years ago and they are still working fine.

You mention fireside dry-firing with the Snider.

I don't think the old-timers would have done that: they knew all about damaged hammers and chipped or mushroomed nipples.

The nails likely would have worked fine if used solely for busting caps.

You sure did a nice job on that replacement pin, though.

 

[Mike Webb]

If the steel has been treated properly, I don't see why this shouldn't provide many years of service.

Very interesting indeed! Thanks for posting pics.

Interesting repair but you outside of case hardening you can't heat treat low carbon steel which is what most nails are made from.

 

[B. Donaldson]

Case hardening is just fine for firing pins, may be even ideal.

 

[Mike Webb]

Case hardening is just fine for firing pins, may be even ideal.

Generally case hardening only goes a few thou deep after one treatment and successive treatments will not deepen it a great deal.

 

[Got Juice?]

why not induction harden?

 

[Mike Webb]

why not induction harden?

Induction hardening ( or any other method ) will only work if the carbon content of the steel is high enough to allow a change of state when heated beyond the lower critical limit temperature. Nails don't qualify, in my experience carbon content has to be above 0.50% to harden. Standard mild steel 1020 is .20% carbon(the last two digits are the carbon content) and will not harden whon heated and quenched.

 

[Claven2]

How are you going to heat treat the new pin?

I suspect the originals, like most Snider and Martini parts, was just case hardened in bonemeal packing.

Using Kasenit is probably a reasonable facsimile.

 

[mooncoon]

I would think you would only need to harden the end struck by the hammer and if the material is mild steel, then case hardening would suffice. If the material is higher carbon and does not require casing, then be sure to quench spinning to prevent the pin warping. When I am making D bit reamers, I use a crude sort of collet to hold the bit and prevent over heating the chuck on my electric drill. (the collet fits in the drill and holds the work a couple of inches away from the chuck)

cheers mooncoon

 

[dingus]

Great Job on the new pin Looks great.
i like the idea of useing that turning point instead of a steady rest.

 

[achtanelion]

Hi Mooncoon;

I don't suppose you could throw up a picture of that collet type thing please?

Thanks;

J