Pins and staking?

[Rittmeister]

How necessary is it to stake the hammer pin in a Browning Hi-Power? I'm installing a C&S no-bite ring hammer and sear in my MkIII. I have the same setup in my Argentine FM, but that was installed by a gunsmith.

The existing pin got too deformed on removal to re-use, so I got a new pin. It went in very nicely with some gentle hammer taps; I'm wondering if I really have to stake it in or if I can do without? And if I do need to stake it, the only tool I've got is a generic slightly pointy center-punch; would that work?

Thanks!

 

[Fuego]

Military armorers and most military specifications call for staking pins, lock rings, and such. With the exception of the staked bolts on the AR15 bolt carrier, I prefer to use Loctite. I am not going to war, and I may want to get back into that staked part and fuss with it in a year or two.

I have never had a failure using Loctite on my guns, tools, bicycles, cars or other moving parts that need to stay together.

One caveat is heat. The AR15 bolt carrier bolts get very hot in sustained fire, and those bolts are best staked as specified.

 

[Rittmeister]

Hmmm. Loc-tite on a pin? I've used it all the time on bolts (mostly on the car) but never a pin. Does that work? I'm assuming blue and not red here...

 

[Robert101]

Using the Red formula on a pin isn't like using Red Loctite on a stud. I've used Red Loctite on a 1911 barrel link with great success. After another 1,000 rounds it is still humming like a charm.

 

[Ibmikey]

I have a number of High Powers and have never staked a hammer pin or for that matter any pin in the pistol. I can only believe you are asking about the strut pin as the hammer rotates on an extension of the safety which is in turn held securely in the pistol. If the strut pin is your concern it is under tension and doubtful it could move.

 

[Rittmeister]

I am referring to the strut pin that connects the hammer strut/spring assembly to the hammer itself. Sorry for being unclear...

I put a bit of loc-tite on it as per the above suggestion, and it seems a tight fit, so we'll see how it goes. I'm not concerned after feeling how everything holds together.

I am however probably going to take the whole thing to a 'smith to have the sear fitted. C&S's hammer went right in and the sear fits into the frame with no trouble but the sear is interfering with safety engagement, which may mean it's also not engaging the hammer fully - when the hammer is cocked the safety will not move upwards at all. I know everything's assembled correctly but it is, I fear, beyond my humble home gunsmithing abilities, and I think I'll be more comfortable with a professional installation of these particular components.

Thanks for all input!

 

[Ibmikey]

The best way to fit a sear/hammer engagement is with a fixture that a gunsmith who does High Powers should have ....the angle of engagement is very critical. At the same time he can determine the difficulty with the safety, if using a Cyl & Slide extended safety it comes with detailed instructions.

 

[RainDodger]

At this very moment I am looking at a Browning hammer with strut installed as it comes from the factory. The pin is not staked.

 

[Sunray]

If you had to tap the thing in, the likelihood of it coming out are slim. Shouldn't need staking.

 

[george burns]

Pinning is usually done in liew of some other form of stabalizing. My Gunsmith pinned my night sights in my EMP 40, just because he thought it needed it. He could have just locktighted it,but being the professional old craftsmen, he is, he did it the right way.
The thing won't ever come out unless he takes it out.