1866 light primer hits

[Wagon Box Willy]

Howdy all,

Let me give you a little history and then I'll ask my question.

1.  Rifle was running fine, I was using the stock 1866 mainspring with a washer under it as described in Marauder's web page.
2.  About June of this year I put a lighten mainspring which I got from The Smith Shop.
3.  About 5 or 6 matches later I started getting  1-3 light primer hits per match.
4.  I changed back to the original mainspring and washer.....next match on the first stage I had 2 light primer hits, one of which I had to eject after it didn't fire after cocking the hammer about 3 times.
5.  Removed the washer, finished the rest of the match without incident.
6.  There has been no change in primers or powder.

So, I have my doubts that it is the mainspring.  Could it be the firing pin?  How can I tell? What is the procedure for removing the pin....do I just unscrew the firing pin extension?

This is what the pin looks like fully engaged.

[Stillwater]

It looks like it is rusty, from the appearance of what is surrounding the firing pin and the firing pin hole.

Why don't you dissassemble it, clean it out and try it again?

Bill

[Wagon Box Willy]

Thanks, that's my plan

[Advertising]

[Abilene]

Willy,
Not sure how old your '66 is, but the ones from the last several years have some changes to the system of securing the firing pin extension to the bolt.  The parts diagrams on Marauder's site and Cimarron's site show the old style with the very small pin through the bolt securing the extension.  The newer style has a "key" on the left side that has to be removed by first driving out the link pin from left to right far enough for the key to drop down and out.  The diagram at vtigunparts.com shows the newer style, with the key being item #721.

Someone on the Wire suggested checking your headspace.  A cheap and easy way to do this is to take an empty casing with a fired primer just barely seated in the primer pocket (primer mostly sticking out).  Put this in the gun's chamber and close the bolt.  The face of the bolt will seat the primer.  Now eject the casing and the amount that the primer protrudes from the case is the headspace.  .010 is absolute max according to David Chiccoine's book.  (My well-worn '66 is at about the max headspace but still sets off Federal primers fine, even with the washer under the mainspring).

Good luck.

[Wagon Box Willy]

Abilene, Thanks.

I went into the rifle and searched for the pin as described in the literature and couldn't find it....then I spotted the key.  Drifted it out and removed the bolt.  I believe that the firing pin extension was "possibly" binding a bit so I cleaned up everything and polished the end of the extension.  It's all back together and by hand the firing pin seems a bit easier to push....but I wont know until I test it out.

As for headspace, I tried your trick and the primer was basically flush, possibly a little proud as felt with my fingernail but not enough to even see.  I think the headspace is fine.

[Coffinmaker]

Your firing pin has the leading edge of a bowling ball.  Suggest you put a nice bevel on the front end.  Cut the firing pin return spring down to a little over 5/8" and use a pipe cleaner to flush,out the bore for the firing pin.  Insure there is no drag on the hammer.  Insure your not pulling the trigger too early causing the hammer to follow the bolt.

Coffinmaker

PS:  Use something a bit more precise than your finger nail to measure your head space

[Wagon Box Willy]

I braved the hurricane and shot off 10 rounds in my backyard with the gunsmith modified mainspring and all went off fine.  Once the weather is a bit better I'll increase my sample size.

I have a new firing pin and spring coming from VTI and will compare the two and se if anything needs replacement.

I will likely also try shortening the firing pin spring a bit to get some extra margin...once the replacement spring arrives.

Thanks.

[Coffinmaker]

I forgot.  What kind of primers are you using???  Often a change to a lighter main spring requires a change to Federal primers.

Coffinmaker

[Wagon Box Willy]

Coffinmaker.  Back to the history,  I ran with the washer for my first season, maybe 7 matches and then started this year with that configuration until I got the lighter spring.  It worked well for at least a half dozen matches.

I do think I've corrected the problem with the cleaning but will look into the firing pin spring mode to get some extra margin once the parts arrive.  Thanks.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Abilene, that's one heck-uv-a good suggestion for a "down&dirty" headspace check.  You should send that to Brownell's and they might print it up in their next "Gunsmith Kinks" book.  It's a great idea - maybe not the precise technical way, but certainly a way that the average gun-wrench can do if he doesn't have all the tools.

Thanks for posting it!

[Abilene]

Steel Horse, I think I first heard of that trick from Nate Kiowa Jones. 

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Nate and I spent about 2 hours on the phone (during 2 calls many years ago) while he was "teaching" me about 1892 dis-assembly issues, back before he had put together his 1892 DVD.  He was VERY kind to spend that much time with a "newbie" especially since I had told him that I couldn't afford to send my 1892 to him, but I needed some help.  A LOT of gunsmiths would have told me to hit the road, so to speak.  (And not all many of them would have said it politely!)

He really sparked my interest in working on CAS guns.  He's a keeper. 

I asked him HOW he had gotten his "rep" about being the "1892 Guy."  I asked if he was a big fan of them.  He said  "Not particularly."  But nobody else liked them very much so he decided SOMEBODY needed to really find out all the ins-&-outs of them, since they present some special challenges to gunsmiths that you don't find in other guns.