SAA clone jams when/whist firing

[jasonfb123]

Yeah, that's what I figured.  Off to the smithy she goes.  Any good ones in Los Angeles/ San Gabriel Valley?

[mehavey]

I'm not seeing the brass flow into the pin channel mention above. 
What I AM seeing is punctured primers due to long firing pin.

You sure  you don't want to simply file that pin down a bit (down
 to 0.030" protrusion) before having to ship if off to a gunsmith ?

[jasonfb123]

I could I guess. It's the floating kind that is held in with a pin so if I muck it up I can install a new one.  It's just that the gun used to work fine and it is not likely the firing pin grew is it?  I'll probably still take some 400 grit to it and see what happens.

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[Coffinmaker]

Stop by your local hardware/sporting goods.  A small diamond stone, used for sharpening fish hooks can work wonders.  Something else I noticed, your primers show scratch marks from dragging on something.  I don't think those cases are in the cylinder "as fired??"  I'm also thinking, your primers are backing out and not being completely re-seated in the case.  Perhaps too light a load??  Primers should be nice and smooth, with no scratches.

Coffinmaker

[Fox Creek Kid]

The OP has so far refrained from divulging the load he I shooting which is paramount to solving this. 

[Cliff Fendley]

The OP has so far refrained from divulging the load he I shooting which is paramount to solving this. 

He said earlier in the thread he is shooting factory Winchester 45 Colt ammo from Walmart.

[Coal Creek Griff]

From an earlier post:

Factory ammo (Walmart Winchester 45 Colt.)

CC Griff

[jasonfb123]

So far it does it with ALL loads. I've tried super light cowboy reloads to factory Winchester from Wally World.  If it shoots a lead bullet, the primers drag. 

[Fox Creek Kid]

He said earlier in the thread he is shooting factory Winchester 45 Colt ammo from Walmart.

My apology, I missed that. Duh!   

[Coffinmaker]

My final suggestions, prior to turning it into slag.  Head space and cylinder throats.  Excessive head space can leave you with backed out primers.  Chamber throats too small for the bullet and cause primers to back out.

Coffinmaker

[Abilene]

...Chamber throats too small for the bullet and cause primers to back out...

Huh?  Never heard that one.

[Pettifogger]

Looks and sounds like primer flow into the firing pin hole.  Uberti does not use a firing pin bushing and sometimes the heat treating is not perfect and the firing pin hole will crater or if it was burred and stoned the hole becomes to big.  As noted, the only solution is to fix the firing pin hole.  Eiither by welding and redrilling the hole or the better solution, install a firing pin bushing.

[mehavey]

When looking at the pic, I didn't see any sharp cratering/flow.
What I did see was pierced primers -- a lot of them.

While continued shooting would (did?) result in flame-jet
burning/expansionof the pin channel, I'd again try stoning the
firing pin to normal dimensions before going for major surgery.

[Pettifogger]

When looking at the pic, I didn't see any sharp cratering/flow.
What I did see was pierced primers -- a lot of them.

While continued shooting would (did?) result in flame-jet
burning/expansionof the pin channel, I'd again try stoning the
firing pin to normal dimensions before going for major surgery.

Bottom line is the OP needs to take the gun to someone that knows what he is doing before doing anything else and further damaging the gun.

[mehavey]

Let's go to the heart of the matter:

Does the firing pin protrude more than the
diameter of a common paperclip ? (0.030")

[Abilene]

Probably the firing pin hole was too big before, and after stoning it got worse.  Possibly excessive headspace as well, as mentioned.   But, regarding the firing pin - I don't think an overly long firing pin necessarily will pierce primers.  I have a 2nd Gen Colt .45 that has NO daylight visible between the firing pin and the rear of the cylinder, when viewed like the photo above.  Certainly more protrusion than .030.  Has a very blunt firing pin tip.  Never a pierced primer.  I think it happens more with a sharp firing pin, and worse with a heavy spring.  

[Pettifogger]

Standard firing pin protrusion is around .055.   .030 often gives misfires.  I had to replace some Ruger firing pins that only stuck out .030.

[mehavey]

You are correct.  That Smokewagon SAA pictured above
measures exactly 0.55" projection from the shield face.
 

Has the OP stated what his pin measures out to be as yet ?

[Coffinmaker]

Hi Abilene,
Yep.  A millisecond (nanosecond) spike in chamber pressure caused by too small chamber throat can cause primer backout if there is excess head space, and with a light load, the case doesn't reseat the primer.

However, on this gun, with some deformation of the primer face, extending into the firing pin hole, I agree with Pettifogger.  the gun needs to go to someone who/whom knows what he/she is doing.  An 030 firing pin protrusion is too short and stoning back to that dimension will likely result in miss-fire.

If the firing pin is a mite sharp, and an OEM Main Spring is is use, pierced primers are almost guaranteed.  This gun is most likely to need a hardened firing pin bushing installed to correct the hole in the recoil shield.  The firing pin shouldn't need more than just a little "blunting"k and I'd suggest changing to an after-market Main Spring.

Coffinmaker

[Blair]

Perhaps this is the time to request photos of the recoil shield?
With focus on the firing pin hole.
My best,
 Blair