[selinoid44]

I've got a Meridian 12 guage that I did some build up work on the secondary hammer and I noticed that there is quite a bit of slop in the back end of the firing pin hole on the hammer side. The firing pin doesn't want to come out, and there doesn't seem to be a spring to bring the pin back. If I dry fire the gun and open it, I can't get the barrel to close without mannually pushing the firing pin back out of the way. Can someone tell me how to get the firing pin out and I'm assuming there is a spring broken and or missing?

[Jim K]

I think the name should be "Meriden" from Meriden, CT, where many thousands of shotguns were made. If so, that gun is probably over a century old and I strongly recommend it be retired to an honorable wall hanger status before somthing goes wrong.

Without looking at the gun I can't be sure about removing the firing pins. Some of those guns had no firing pin springs, depending on the closing breech pushing the firing pin back, others had springs. As to removing the firing pins, some guns had screws into the receiver to retain the firing pins, or screws in the inside either directly holding the firing pins or holding a firing pin retainer.

Worse, many such guns had parts pins made by gunsmiths of greater or lesser skill (usually lesser), so you can find firing pins made out of nails, or brass rod, or whatever could be made to fit.

Jim

[selinoid44]

Thanks Jim for the input. Your right I mispelled Meriden. I fixed it because it was broken and I love to work on guns, not with intentions of shooting it. I did howevr shoot it after I got it back together and it works great. I've got another shotgun I just fixed it is a Ward Hercules. I really love the way these old guns were put together, they are a lot of fun.

[Jim K]

The Wards Hercules is a more modern gun and should be OK for anything except Magnums.

Jim

[selinoid44]

If you look at the two gun barrels the Ward Hercules barrel appears to be thinner than the Meriden. I haven't put a mic on them but at a glance.