Uberti firing pin

[Ugly Sauce]

Okay, thanks. I have two Uberti SAA's, neither have ever been dry fired by me (the El Patron being bought new) but my other one, a "Hartford Connecticut Model", in .357 was well used when I got it. It does not have that issue, but if I fire .357's, sometimes the primer will crater. Hot .38 Special it is fine with. (+P to you non-reloaders!) It is one of the most accurate pistols I have.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Dry Firing

Here is why I try to never dry fire a revolver with a firing pin mounted in the hammer.

This is Colt second Generation hammer. Notice the shape of the firing pin. When the hammer falls and dents the primer of a live round of ammo, the primer cushions the blow slightly.






If the revolver is dryfired, the hammer slams to a violent stop against the frame. I have some background with products for the military regarding G forces and how much a product can stand before it breaks. The G forces exerted on the tip of the firing pin when the hammer slams to a stop are astronomical. Thousands of Gs. So if the tip of the firing pin is unsupported or not cushioned by a primer or a snap cap, the narrow tip wants to keep right on going. Yes, I have seen it happen. It is not guaranteed to snap the tip off a firing pin the first time, but do it enough and you may find the tip of the pin is missing. I have drawn a line across the firing pin where the separation is most likely to happen.






This is the firing pin on my remaining Uberti Cattleman. Almost identical in shape to the Colt firing pin. And just as likely to snap off.






One of the reasons Ruger Vaqueros can be dry fired without damage is the firing pin, besides being mounted to the frame, is shaped more like a hockey puck with the firing pin projecting off the surface. A shape like that is much less likely to be damaged by dry firing.




While I'm on the subject, here is a photo of a Smith and Wesson Model 14-3 hammer. Notice the shape of the firing pin.






And here is where it might be likely to break if dry fired too much. Another reason why I never dry fire revolvers with firing pins mounted in the hammer.






While I'm at it, some guys like to use spent cartridges as snap caps. Think about it for a minute. After a primer has been struck several times, the dent in it will be completely reshaped. It will no longer be supporting the firing pin when the hammer falls. There will be no cushioning or gentle deceleration for the tip of the firing pin, it will want to keep right on going.

If I am going to dry fire a revolver, I use actual snap caps which are designed for the purpose.

I never use spent rounds with dented primers.

 

[Nacho Man]

Boy I tell ya, this last time I ever buy a gun from Cabelas. They had four different ppl check my paperwork before releasing the gun to me. What should have been a 5 min process took 20 mins. Then I asked if they had any 38spl ammo for sale for gun buyers. I had 2 ppl say no then 1 said yes and finally someone brought me a box out of a cabinet before leaving the counter.
Pics of gun later tonight

 

[ontarget]

Boy I tell ya, this last time I ever buy a gun from Cabelas. They had four different ppl check my paperwork before releasing the gun to me. What should have been a 5 min process took 20 mins. Then I asked if they had any 38spl ammo for sale for gun buyers. I had 2 ppl say no then 1 said yes and finally someone brought me a box out of a cabinet before leaving the counter.
Pics of gun later tonight

Wow that was quick for Cabelas. I picked up my Birds Head 45 Colt Uberti just after Christmas at Cabelas and it took nearly 2 hours.

 

[Nacho Man]

Single action on this is sweet like a S&W pre lock. Front sight straight as a arrow. Very nice looking gun, everything feels tight and the case hardening really sets it off.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

That's a beauty, hope ya don't dry-fire it.

 

[Tommygunn]

Boy I tell ya, this last time I ever buy a gun from Cabelas. They had four different ppl check my paperwork before releasing the gun to me. What should have been a 5 min process took 20 mins. Then I asked if they had any 38spl ammo for sale for gun buyers. I had 2 ppl say no then 1 said yes and finally someone brought me a box out of a cabinet before leaving the counter.
Pics of gun later tonight

I've bought several firearms from Cabelas. Yes, they had another checker (not four) but checkout still went pretty efficiently.

 

[Tommygunn]

Single action on this is sweet like a S&W pre lock. Front sight straight as a arrow. Very nice looking gun, everything feels tight and the case hardening really sets it off.
View attachment 967826

Cool! Is that Uberti's .22 LR "Stallion" revolver? I have one of those, and it's a great revolver!

 

[deadeye dick]

Maybe i'm missing something but you would think that after all the metal in contact with the pin was worn away the problem would go away also, Just a thought.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Well, sounds like one of those things that is not yet full explained or understood. However, it sounds to me more of a case of "peening" rather than unusual wear. ? Just taking a wild guess here.

 

[45 Dragoon]

It has to do with how much play the firing pin has. It's not like it's rocket science!! It's NEVER good to dry fire!! Using snap caps isn't the same as dry firing!! Dry firing means nothing in the chamber. Dropping a hammer with a loose fitting firing pin (a pined firing pin) has a weighted object that will eventually do damage!!! It can't be that hard!!! Just don't dry fire and it won't be a problem!! Dropping the hammer with nothing in the chamber is like starting your car and peging the tach!! Why don't you do that ?!! Oh, might tear something up? DUHH!!! Maybe someday somebody will make the "fool proof" revolver that will shoot only when the owner wants it to with never a mistake!! Untill then, it would be wise to LEARN proper "gun etiquette"!! It's amazing how gun manufacturers don't build " ignorant free" mechanical devices!!

Mike

 

[Ugly Sauce]

C'mon Mike. Tell us how you really feel. I agree, don't understand why anyone would dry fire a firearm. But a lot of guys insist, and find reasons, imagined or otherwise to justify it.

I've had to dry-fire military rifles (AK/M16) during marksmanship training, certain drills where you do that, and man it bugged me!

 

[35 Whelen]

It has to do with how much play the firing pin has. It's not like it's rocket science!! It's NEVER good to dry fire!! Using snap caps isn't the same as dry firing!! Dry firing means nothing in the chamber. Dropping a hammer with a loose fitting firing pin (a pined firing pin) has a weighted object that will eventually do damage!!! It can't be that hard!!! Just don't dry fire and it won't be a problem!! Dropping the hammer with nothing in the chamber is like starting your car and peging the tach!! Why don't you do that ?!! Oh, might tear something up? DUHH!!! Maybe someday somebody will make the "fool proof" revolver that will shoot only when the owner wants it to with never a mistake!! Untill then, it would be wise to LEARN proper "gun etiquette"!! It's amazing how gun manufacturers don't build " ignorant free" mechanical devices!!

Mike

Too much caffeine this morning???

35W

 

[45 Dragoon]

Too much caffeine this morning???

35W

I reckon so !!! Lol!!

Mike

 

[Master Blaster]

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/uberti-357-competition-range-report.877652/

The failures to Fire caused by the firing pin safety fixed, New problems Severe End Shake, and a Burred firing pin hole.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Maybe i'm missing something but you would think that after all the metal in contact with the pin was worn away the problem would go away also, Just a thought.

You would thing so. With both of my Ubertis, the problem did not go away. The problem returned. As I say, I no longer have one of them, and the other I 'fixed' by removing some metal around the firing pin hole. I will add that one has to be very careful if one attempts this, remove too much and primers will flow back into the enlarged hole and can lock up the gun. So clearly, not enough metal had been reshaped to prevent the problem from recurring. I suppose perhaps if I dropped the hammer hundreds or thousands of times, eventually the interference between the fining pin and the frame would go away and the problem would not resurface. Just never dropped the hammer enough times for that to happen.

However, it sounds to me more of a case of "peening" rather than unusual wear. ? Just taking a wild guess here.

Yes, Peening is the correct term. The softer metal of the frame was displaced, not shaved. Peening is the correct term, I thought I mentioned that at some point.