Drop in firing pin stop?

[grislyatoms]

Okay, I did a search and found some similar problems but not exactly. Kinda new to 1911's, for whatever that's worth.

A little background:

I just got a Springfield GI .45 1911-A1 a couple of weeks ago, and haven't had time to get it on the range. As a matter of fact, last night was the first time I have taken it out of the box since I got it.

Field stripped it, then started to run it through some function checks. Seemed great.

Uh-oh, I noticed the back of the firing pin was not protruding through the firing pin stop.

I pushed in on the firing pin with a brass punch, it felt smooth until the back of the firing pin tried to come back through the stop. I felt resistance there and eventually the firing pin just stopped coming back (it ended up being just flush with the face of the stop).

Pulled the firing pin and spring, looks good, no burrs, etc.

With the slide reassembled, I could move the firing pin freely. Put the slide on the frame, pulled the trigger, same deal. Firing pin flush with the face of the stop. I gave the firing pin stop a little tap with another punch and Boink! the firing pin came all the way through. Repeated this whole cycle a few times to make sure it happened consistently.

It appears the stop is not seating flush. I tried wiggling the extractor around a bit to get it to seat, no dice.

I don't want to have to pay to send this back to Springfield, (it's basically gonna be a range and "banging around in the truck" gun.)

Having said all that, am I on the right track? What are the chances that I will get a firing pin stop from somewhere that is just a drop in part? (My machining skills are poor)

Thanks for reading this, folks.

P.S. I went to Brownell's and Wilson Combat online and found firing pin stops pretty cheap. "Some minor fitting required". How minor is "minor"?

 

[Archie]

I just replaced a firing pin stop.

The firing pin would not project through the hole in the stop. Turned out, I had to file the top of the stop to get it to slide UP far enough.

One moderate stroke of a fine file was all it took. No serious grinding.

Does that sound like what you need?

 

[Spartacus451]

Just this very day I filed a firing pin stop for my S&W 1911. Like the first time for everything in gunsmithing I seem to have messed it up, but not badly enough that I can't use the part. All I used was a fine flat file from hobby file kit and 400 grit wet or dry sand paper. I used the hobby file on the sides of the FP stop in order to get it to drop into the slide, it has just enough friction to stay in, but it can shake out (took off too much material, should be a snug press fit). I also took off material from both sides unevenly so it is possible for the stop to rotate a smidgen. I then beveled both sides of the FP stop where it contacts the hammer and the disconnector. It seems the stop is able to drop down far enough that it can catch on the part of the frame where the hole for the disconnector pokes out of is. Bevelling both sides allows it to slide up out of the way of the frame so the slide doesn't get caught during reassembly. This was a problem with the factory S&W stop.

The one word of caution I heard from 1911 tuner is that is it important that you keep the firing pin stop even so that it won't side load the hammer pin when it is cocking the hammer.

Go for it!

 

[grislyatoms]

Yep, folks, that sounds like what I need to do. First time doing something like this, but if a replacement is only $12 - $15, I won't be too upset if I bugger it up.

Also, I'll never learn anything if I don't try, right?

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Old Fuff]

It appears the stop is not seating flush. I tried wiggling the extractor around a bit to get it to seat, no dice.

The extractor isn't supposed to wiggle around. If it can rotate because of an undersized firing pin stop you may get a condition called "clocking," that can effect ejection.

It appears that your present stop may have more problems then the obvious. I would replace it, and keep in mind that today, manufacturer's quality control isn't what it used to be. :banghead:

 

[grislyatoms]

Once again, I chose the wrong wording. That seems to be happening to me quite a bit, of late.

By "wiggling" I meant that I tried pushing it forward a tad (oh, boy, here we go again with my ambiguous terms ) and pulling it out a tad to see if it had any effect on the firing pin stop's seating.

You know, wiggling.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[1911Tuner]

Firing Pin

Check to see if the butt-end of the firing pin has gotten mushroomed from hammer impact.

 

[grislyatoms]

No mushrooming. I can move it back and forth freely until I pull the trigger and the hammer hits the firing pin stop. Then I have to tap on the firing pin stop to get the firing pin to move freely again.

 

[1911Tuner]

re:

Hmmmm...Got a picture?

 

[Old Fuff]

Remove the firing pin spring. Then chamber a FIRED case, and point the muzzle up with the hammer cocked. Look and see if the firing pin is sticking out at the back, and if so pull the trigger. Then check and see if the pin's stuck or not.

It may be that when you dry fire the pistol the firing pin spring binds on the pin somewhere, causing it to not rebound as it should.

I seem to remrmber that Springfield uses an extra-strong firing pin spring combined with a shorter firing pin so that they could pass some idiot Calif. drop test. If I had such a pistol I'd rip out the guts and return it to Browning's original specifications - unless of couse I lived in Calif. which isn't likely to happen.

 

[medmo]

Okay, first things first. You said that you have not had time to take it to the range. Before going nutz take it to the range and do a function test with some quality ball ammo. Then decide if there is a problem. To do a quick "I think it is going to set off a primer" check put a pencil, eraser side down, on the firing pin, (unloaded gun of course), and drop the hammer. If the pencil flys about half way across the room you are probably okay.

 

[Azrael256]

If I had such a pistol I'd rip out the guts and return it to Browning's original specifications

Y'know, that seems like the prudent thing to do anyway.

Grisly, Tuner is a world renowned proponent of the small radius firing pin stop, and the general consensus is that Springfield's Titanium firing pin ain't such a hot idea to begin with. If it were my gun, I'd swap out the parts just for good measure. Actually, I did swap out the parts on my gun after reading the dissertation on the FPS. The pin and stop should run less than $30 together. You'll need a new spring, too. It was about a 30 minute job going real slow and careful-like. Nothing too difficult.

Btw, your firing pin is a .38Super, not a .45, so be careful to order the right one.

 

[grislyatoms]

Tuner: Sorry, I haven't got a digital camera.

Fuff: I'll try your idea tonight.

Medmo: I'll try to run out to the boonies tomorrow. That would be great if everything works as is but I have a strong feeling I am going to get a lot of failures.

Az: If I can't get it running I will most likely do that. Thanks for the info on the titanium .38 super pin.

I just was almost thunderstruck in mid-thought replying to you, Az.

Isn't titanium a very dark gray? This pin has almost a polished aluminum color, or a very light colored ss look.

 

[Old Fuff]

I had another thought. Put a fired case or snap-cap (which is better) into the chamber, lower the slide into battery, drop the cocked hammer, and then cock it and look to see if the firing pin bounced back like it should.

Once you have the chamber loaded with the fired case or snap-cap, cock the hammer, pull the trigger, and then re-cock the hammer so that you can inspect the firing pin. Do this several times and then report back.

 

[SACOLT]

grisly, Ed Brown make a firing pin specific for the Springfields.

 

[Azrael256]

sn't titanium a very dark gray? This pin has almost a polished aluminum color, or a very light colored ss look.

Nope, it's a silver-white color, just as you described.

I seem to remrmber that Springfield uses an extra-strong firing pin spring combined with a shorter firing pin so that they could pass some idiot Calif. drop test.

Close! It's actually longer. About .020" longer than a S80 pin, by my measurement. The difference is in weight. The Ti .38Super pin is far, far lighter than the steel .45 pin. You are quite correct, however, about the spring. It is much longer and stiffer than a standard spring. And, as you said, it's all about drop tests. The Ti pin does provide additional protection against a discharge should the weapon be dropped on its muzzle.

Somebody did the math and figured that the Ti pin gave roughly an additional 30,000 feet of drop safety. No, I don't mean pound-feet. With a standard pin and spring, you'd need to drop the pistol from a jetliner at around 25,000' and have it land square on its muzzle to make it fire. Oh, and it'd have to be in a vaccuum (not sure how the jetliner is flying at that point, but whatever). The Ti pin and stronger spring bumped that number up to a whopping 55,000'. I sure feel safer knowing that.

 

[Old Fuff]

Ah so…. The Old Fuff sees an opportunity.

Since lightweight firing pins are all the rage, he will shortly offer the “Fuff Ultra-Light, Tactical II, Mark I” firing pin for Springfield and similar pistols.

This outstanding leap in firing pin technology is constructed from space-age polymer reinforced with genuine carbon fiber. Not only will it be much safer for the children, you will also see considerable savings in ammunition costs due to probable and predictable misfires. Like most recent improvements to the vintage 1911 platform we expect it will soon earn the Brady Bunch Seal Of Approval. This worthwhile accessory for your pet pistol will retail for a reasonable price of only $75.00, including shipping. Don’t leave home without it.

 

[timn]

Fuff's Opportunity

The Fuff sez....
"Since lightweight firing pins are all the rage, he will shortly offer the “Fuff Ultra-Light, Tactical II, Mark I” firing pin for Springfield and similar pistols.

This outstanding leap in firing pin technology is constructed from space-age polymer reinforced with genuine carbon fiber. Not only will it be much safer for the children, you will also see considerable savings in ammunition costs due to probable and predictable misfires."

Can you clean yer ears with it?
If so, sign me up for one. I'm runnin out of other useless parts with which to pick mine ears.

 

[Old Fuff]

Can you clean yer ears with it?

Sure can... this is the real thing and not a "useless accessory."

The front of the pin will have a mil-spec thread, around which you can wrap a wad of cotton. Then clean away...

 

[grislyatoms]

Well, I took the plunge.

Took 'er out to the boonies. Boom! Click! Unload. Rack slide. Tap firing pin stop. Boom! Click! Rinse and repeat.

I took some 400 grit wet/dry and went to work on the stop. After about 20 minutes I went and grabbed a file.

2 light strokes on the top left side of the stop and tried fitting it again. No symptoms!

Back to the boonies. Boom!Boom!Boom!Boom! etc.

Thanks, gents, for all the advice and willingness to help. BTW, this 1911 was NIB. Fuff's blurb about manufacturing quality control sure was right on the money.

Of the three NEW 1911's I have purchased, one (Kimber UCII) had to go back to the factory twice (and still didn't work properly), one was the above problem, and one (Springfield Champion Loaded) worked flawlessly.