I need a little Ortgies help...

[red caddy]

My wife has been carrying an Ortgies .32 ACP, great little gun and a fine shooter in her small hands. Last range trip, it broke the second firing pin in 25 years.

The problem is, I have 2 broken firing pins, and the means to fix them, but I need the OVERALL LENGTH and TIP DIAMETER measurements.

Would one of you guy's that have one of these little beauties, take a couple of measurements next time you have yours apart, and pass them on to me, so I can put SWMBO's gun back in working order? (She commandeered my P-32, and is holding it hostage.)


(yes, I know Gun parts has them available, that's where I got the last one. I think I can build a better one, for less than $35.00 shipped)

Thanks very much, Paul

 

[Jim K]

I will give you that info when I am at home. But I don't consider the Ortgies pistol good for practical use because it does break parts, especially the firing pin. Worse, even though the firing pin looks like it has two feet engaging the sear, only one actually engages, so if it cracks, there is nothing to stop the firing pin from going forward and firing the gun without anyone pulling the trigger or even being around. There have been credible reports of those guns firing in holsters or even when laying on a desk.

If you do make a firing pin, remember that the front of the firing pin has to be long enough to act as the ejector, which is part of the reason they are fragile. I made them from drill rod, then tempered and drew them so they are a tad soft. You can harden the feet with Casenit while leaving the front of the pin a bit soft. I have tried repairing those pins by drilling out the front and inserting a small diameter drill rod, then finishing it down, but that is tough unless you have a lathe and carbide drills.

Jim

 

[red caddy]

Thanks Jim,

Both firing pins I have were stoned and polished on the sear hooks for full, flat engagement and stress risers/sharp corners radiused. (I picked this, gun specific, tip up from an old school gunsmith I was priveledged to work with)
The nose was left un touched on the first one that broke, and polished on this last one. Both broke the nose off, none of the other critical surfaces showed any wear at all.

I have the tooling to drill out and replace the nose with drill rod, silver soldered in place, grade 4 or high strength 400, and will isolate the hooks from the heat. Should be significantly stronger/tougher unit than the one piece machined one.

Thanks, Paul

 

[loaf_fan]

Looking

I have several of these pistols (10) I believe. Since I collect them. One thing I've found is that the firing pin varies in dimensions. It's the weak link in these pistols, and prone to breakage. I have 3 break myself. I have found that one of my after-market pins was made significantly beefier. I had a discussion with a welder and what he thinks is the torque as it fires and rotates a little as the bullet engages the rifling on the one leg of the pin is causing undue stress on it. How to fix it I have no clue. Currently am looking for a machinist to make me about 15 pins of the beefier style, accepting periodic breakage. If you have a better solution, or design, by all means please, please let me know.

Thank you.

 

[twaits]

I used to have a little nickel plated Ortgies .25 auto. I never heard about the firing pin problems or the fact that they can go off if the firing pin lets go. Thats a little frightning. I do miss the little gun though. Really well made. I gave it to a girl I knew who was moving to Los Angeles. I thought she should have something more than a nail file for her drive across country. That was many years ago. I wonder if she still has it. Probably illegal for her to even own out there...