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Colt SAA Firing pin?

jwhardingjwharding Member Posts: 2,897 ✭✭
edited November 2013 in Ask the Experts
I replaced the firing pin rivet recently in my 45 saa. The firing pin is a floating pin which has two tiny ball bearings and a spring. After i finished the job I"m not sure Igot both bearings in the hole. I can wiggle the pin around and see one, but the other is impossible to see the way it is made. The gun fires perfect, but i'm not sure both bearings are in it. Are they really necessary? I really cant see the need for them in the first place but sure Colt had a reason for putting the in there. Problem is their a nightmare trying to install their so small.
Question is do I need to take it back apart to see if its there? Are go ahead and shoot it. As I said it shoots fine now. Thanks
JW
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Comments

  • gunnut505gunnut505 Member Posts: 10,290 ✭
    edited November -1
    Seems to me that if you can make it fire without dismantling it again; maybe it's OK to shoot.
    Just be sure to do a "cowboy" load on it, and only fill 5 of 6 chambers, then carry it with the hammer down on the empty chamber.
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  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I would be sure I had back up parts (bearings and spring) to be certain I could make a replacement in case something goes Sproing!
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  • hrfhrf Member Posts: 857 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I once converted a Bisley model to .22 Hornet (and later .357 after damaging eardrums!) by replacing the recoil plate and firing pin with "New Frontier" parts, and never even knew any ball bearings were used in the late models. The slight "wobble" of the firing pin is necessary to insure centering in the smaller diameter recoil plate hole.
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  • walliewallie Member Posts: 8,595 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Those 2 ball bearing with the spring in the middle of the firing pin are there for the purpose of wear, it keeps the firing pin centered.
    You have to do a lot of shooting to oversize the firing pin hole.
    I wouldn't bother with it.
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  • yoshmysteryoshmyster Member Posts: 21,974 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    My Uberti has that firing pin like a roll pin punch that wobble more than my belly when I wiggle it with my finger. Also I noticed recently it looks a bit chewed up from not going through the hole "center like". Slight muchrooming? Might be the wording? So the firing pin is smaller at the tip but haven't punched a hole in the primer.

    I wonder if anyone make one out of Titanium or Carbide [:D]?
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  • TRAP55TRAP55 Member Posts: 8,292 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote: The slight "wobble" of the firing pin is necessary to insure centering in the smaller diameter recoil plate hole.
    hrf has it right. On the older "fixed" firing pins, they have to be fitted to the recoil plate, or they will punch the recoil plate out of the frame.
    The spring floated pin self centers.
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