Winchester Grand European Trap Gun

[Yamavira]

Hi Guys
Would appreciate some assistance.
The top barrel firing pin of my Winchester Grand European Trap Gun has broken. Spares for these guns, made between 1980-86 are not readily available here in the UK & of course cannot be exported from the USA even if available there.
Therefore Can anyone tell me of a possible alternative firing pin which will fit, or can be readily modified to fit, this gun.

Cheers
Al.

 

[Tom Held]

firing pin

I believe this is same gun as the Winchester 101 and I would think that a firing pin would be readily available. I would contact Brownell's in Iowa.
www.brownells.com but did not realize you could not import a firearms part.

Or surely one of the fine firearms makers in England can machine one for you. As I remember these were somewhat high end 101s with nicer wood and engraving.

Tom

 

[oneounceload]

Are they available, and therefore possibly importable, from any place in Canada?

 

[PJR]

Midway UK has Winchester 101 firing pins listed as out of stock. Might be worth contacting them to see if and when they will get them in.

http://www.midwayuk.com/

You could try Western Gun Parts in Canada. They claim to ship almost anywhere in the world.

http://www.westerngunparts.com/

Western Gun Parts does not have online ordering. I deal with them by phone Good people to deal with and I recommend them highly.

Failing that I suggest trying a pair of Citori firing pins. The 101 and Citori actions are quite close in several ways and it may be possible for a gunsmith to fit Citori firing pins to a 101. The one-line pictures of the firing pins for both brands at least look similar.

 

[PJR]

I would contact Brownell's in Iowa. www.brownells.com but did not realize you could not import a firearms part.

In Canada we can import all we want. The problem isn't our countries it's your ITAR that is the problem.

 

[Yamavira]

ITAR ???. Please explain.
American companies are NOT permitted to export any "bits & pieces" deemed "gun parts" by their government directly to private individuals in the UK. This includes scopes, stocks as well as screws etc. The actual list of items considered to be "gun parts" is extensive. This is the USA government ruling.
Obviously having anything sent to a registered UK importer means the price goes through the ceiling.
Al.

 

[PJR]

ITAR ???. Please explain.
American companies are NOT permitted to export any "bits & pieces" deemed "gun parts" by their government directly to private individuals in the UK. This includes scopes, stocks as well as screws etc. The actual list of items considered to be "gun parts" is extensive. This is the USA government ruling.
Obviously having anything sent to a registered UK importer means the price goes through the ceiling.
Al.

Sorry for any confusion but I was responding to a post made by an American.

ITAR is the United States International Traffic in Arms Regulations. It is a complex and confusing government document and there are different rules depending on the part and the country involved.

For Canadians, under some circumstances small parts can be shipped to an individual without requiring permits. But in many cases, say a scope for example, ordering requires an export permit from the U.S. and an import permit from Canada. The Canadian government doesn't require an import permit for Canada but the U.S. will not issue an export permit without one. Most people don't bother and pay very inflated prices too.

Also because of the proximity Canadians are often stopped and subject to inspection while leaving the country. The ATF has been known to attend gun shows specifically looking for Canadian licence plates and pass the info on to border officials.

http://www.pmddtc.state.gov/regulations_laws/itar.html

 

[Yamavira]

Grand European Firing Pin

Hi
Thanks for the input from everyone. Appreciate it.
I found that my local gunsmith would simply make one for me. He has done just that as well as fitting it, cleaning & lubricating the action & test firing the rebuilt gun. All for a mere $45 !!!.
I recently bought a new firing pin for a Browning O/U. The pin cost $55 for the pin plus another $12 for the SPRING which returns the firing pin back to rest. Fortunately a friend fitted it for me otherwise more money to pay.

Yamavira.

 

[rcmodel]

It is very unusual for a Winchester 101 to break a firing pin, unless "somebody" does a whole lot of dry firing without snap-caps.

Thats hard on about any shotgun.

rc

 

[Tom Held]

good decision

I suspected that a good gunsmith could take care of that problem. If they can still make firing pins for 19th century Purdeys and Woodwards the Winchester should be very easy.

 

[Yamavira]

Appreciate NOT a good idea dry firing without snap caps. Always use snaps caps. However recently attended a laser/camera setup "clinic". Will be going back & asking if the laser unit which is put in the top barrel & "fired" to check gun mounting etc actually has a snap cap type mechanism to cushion the firing pin or is it a hard "stop" to initiate the laser.
Not happy if it happens to be the latter.

yamavira