Firing Pin protrusion

[ks_shooter]

What is the proper protrusion for a firing pin on a centerfire rifle that uses Large Rifle primers? I disassembled the bolt on my Savage Model 11 .243 and didn't realize that the firing pin depth was adjustable until I had changed it.

It also looks like the spring tension on the firing pin can be adjusted. I have always found the bolt lift on this rifle to be excessive, so I am thinking about reducing the spring tension. Is there any method, besides trial and error, to determine a minimum reliable setting for the firing pin tension? Thanks.

 

[Jim K]

I don't have the specs for that rifle, but a good average protrusion would be around .07 and that should be OK.

The first Savage 110 I ever encountered was owned by a fellow who (following the advice in the gunzines) decided to take the bolt apart to clean out any grease before the big hunt. No grease. After hours of sweating and swearing, he finally got the bolt together but forgot to allow enough firing pin protrusion.

Opening day, he raised his rifle and tried to click a buck to death. He traded the Savage the next day, still cussing. That buck grew more points every time he told the story about that $%^%&% Savage piece of %$&^.

As to firing pin spring tension, I suggest you leave it as is. Factories normally set tension a bit high to allow for adverse conditions and hard primers. You might not have either, but some reserve power is never a bad idea, else you too might "click" at a prime buck.

Jim

 

[C.R.Sam]

And for a field check...
A dime is bout .050"

Sam