Have you ever had a broken firing pin?

[doc2rn]

One in a Glock 32 and one in a Stoeger O/U 20g

 

[NoirFan]

Yes, I broke the hammer-mounted pin on a S&W M19. It was NIB when I got it, and it happened during dry fire after about 2000 rounds. I think the frame-mounted pin is a superior design for this reason; never heard of one of them breaking.

I don't have a spare, although I probably should.

 

[jackstinson]

Yes.....Once back in 1967 on an inexpensive Savage .22 bolt action single-shot rifle.

 

[Owen Sparks]

I have broken two, both on Star pistols and both times dry firing. I was later told that Star handguns should never be dry fired as this is a common problem with their designs.

 

[lawboy]

I broke the beryilium copper firing pin on a charter arms bulldog pug, twice. Had it replaced both times. You guess it, dry firing it like an idiot!

 

[rbernie]

Only one - I broke the firing pin on my Astra A70.

 

[ArmedBear]

I have had a broken firing pin.

 

[stchman]

Dry firing center fire guns does not damage the firing pin. People that manufacture snap caps would have you believe otherwise, and sell you more snap caps.

There are some rimfire firearms that dry-firing can cause the pin to contact the outer portion of the chamber. This is a bad design.

 

[SMMAssociates]

lawboy:

Supposed, if you read Charter's advertising materials circa 1968, to be impossible.... Seriously, mine (which I purchased new in 1968) was dry-fired to death about 40 years ago, with no problem. The gun's a little loose, though .... (I can't hit anything with it, either, but that's not new.)

I watched a guy pop the tip off the firing pin on an S&W M10 or M15 - also 40 years ago, give or take, and I can't remember which. He had to finish his tour unarmed, but got a new one in the AM.

I'm not sure if the firing pin in the frame is a better choice, but you need a proper roll pin punch to swap the S&W's mounted on the hammer....

Just IMHO, but dry firing a 1911 may introduce some extra wear, but except for the Kimber Series II and other guns with the Swartz drop safety, shouldn't really hurt anything. If a Swartz safety system is "out of tune", the pin has a shoulder on it that can hit the drop safety block, and raise a burr on the bottom, which will rub on the pin and potentially reduce the firing pin's ability to pop the primer.

(I ran into this with a friend's Llama Minimax 40. Pretty easy to fix if you can get the rear sight off. The Llama was easy, but Kimber's are usually a problem.)

I agree on the rimfires - not a great idea. Some center fire guns are a problem, too - like the P3AT. The XD9SC can damage the firing pin because of a stop in there that the pin really isn't supposed to hit often.

My vote is to use the snap caps anyway....

Regards,

 

[kdstrick]

I broke one on a Winchester Model 12. The bad thing was, I didn't realize it was broken until I had a skunk in my sights!

Click... damn.

The shotgun was at least 50 years old at the time, so it wasn't a big surprise.

Oh... the skunk fell to my back up gun... S&W 686.

 

[Bennyb747]

I broke one in a taurus PT145 after about 100 rounds traded the gun for a glock right after getting it fixed.

 

[ThomasT]

I can't beleive no one had a FP break on a mini-14. I thought they were supposed break all the time.

i have never broke a firing pin. I did buy a 22 with a broken pin that I replaced. I also made a new firing pin for a 22 pistol that would misfire every once in a while. I made it out of drill rod and it was a PITA. It works fine now.

 

[oweno]

Long time ago, I went out to sight in my pump 12-gauge prior to deer season. Set up target, lined up sight (such as it was, brass bead on muzzle), pulled the trigger...loud click. Busted firing pin.

It was a Noble shotgun, the factory was in the next town over so I swung by the factory and they replaced it within 10 minutes. Asked about work while I was there and ended up assembling their .410 semi-auto and didn't THAT product fall flat on its face.

 

[mfcmb]

A Kahr CW9, during dry-fire practice, after about 2,500 live rounds and 6,000 dry-fire clicks (without snap caps). Had it replaced by the factory, then bought a spare in case it ever happens again.

 

[Bobarino]

i broke the pin in my USP Compact .40 from dry firing. HK said they had a batch that had improper heat treating and replaced it right away for free. 7,000 rounds later it's still fine.\

Bobby

 

[thebaldguy]

I had the hammer based firing pin break on an early 90's Rossi 971. It tooks months to get it replaced.

My uncle had a Winchester Model 100 semi-auto firing pin break back in the late 70's. He had it welded back together for the last weekend of deer season.

 

[edSky]

Clifford wrote:
Broken into two pieces, no. I have bent two firing pins. One was on a High-Point C9, the gun had around 1000 rounds thru it and the track for the striker was worn out pretty badly. The loose fit on top of the fact that The firing pin pulls double duty as the ejector don't help the poor thing.

My Colt 1911 in .38 super also has a bent firing pin but I'm not sure what the deal is with that one. I purchased the gun NIB and the first round I ever fired out of it was a light strike. I noticed the bent pin at around 200 rounds, the gun also leaves primer strikes low on the primer so that may have something to do with it. 1100 rounds and not one other light strike and yes I left the bent pin in the gun.

I was just replacing the recoil spring on a new-to-me Colt in .38 Super and it too has a bent firing pin. I was told the pistol only had "a hundred or so" rounds through it, which I have no reason to doubt. I'm not sure I want to leave in in, though!

 

[wilkersk]

Bought a Remington 1100 12 ga trap model (70's era) for cheap. I new it was well worn. You could see the rails inside the receiver were paper thin and the stock was no longer pretty. But the barrel was a fixed full choke trap barrel which is hard to find.

First clay out of the house and, ...nothing!

No worries though. About $6 and 5 minutes work, and it was up and running. I plan to get a much nicer receiver and furniture to put behind that barrel when I can.

 

[skoro]

I recently broke the firing pin on a Colt Detective Special. I was dry firing it while it was loaded with snap caps.