Winchester Model 94 - Loose Firing Pin?

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Awek99

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I've never owned a hunting rifle, this is my first. I traded my Smith & Wesson SD9VE 9mm pistol, straight across for a 1973 Model 94, in pretty decent condition, at a local pawn shop last week.

I've shot a couple boxes through it and love it so far.

But yesterday I noticed the firing pin would clink back and forth when I moved the gun around. I don't know if it did this when I got it. I have read it's a non sprung pin, but should it make an audible "clink, clink" when tilting the gun back and forth? Shake the gun back and forth and it sounds like a spray paint can.

I've only shot 1 round through it since noticing the noise, just to see if it still fired. It did fine. Just don't want to use it anymore if it's not normal. I'll take it back to the shop and have him take care of it.
 
Its fine. You at least know it isn't gummed up with old dried oil. You can oil it a bit, but it isn't required unless it may rust where you are. It doesn't take much in any event.

Avoid dry firing your 94, the heavy hammer fall and design of the firing pin tends to break the tip off the firing pin when dry fired much. If you use an empty case for dry fire, it only takes a few strikes before the primer is dented in enough that it isn't doing much good.
 


Here's a video to show how loud the clinking is that I hear.
 
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Its fine. You at least know it isn't gummed up with old dried oil. You can oil it a bit, but it isn't required unless it may rust where you are. It doesn't take much in any event.

Avoid dry firing your 94, the heavy hammer fall and design of the firing pin tends to break the tip off the firing pin when dry fired much. If you use an empty case for dry fire, it only takes a few strikes before the primer is dented in enough that it isn't doing much good.

Normal.
If it fires, don't worry about it.
Denis


Thanks for the replies guys. Check my video, just to be sure we're on the same page about the sound, then if you guys give me the go ahead, I'm gonna go try to take down my first deer!
 
I'd view it as Mal said- you know it's not gummed up & actually travelling very freely, which is a good sign.
If it shoots, shoot it.
Denis
 
If you open the action and push on the rear end of the firing pin at the back of the bolt, the tip should stick out the front a very small amount, and be nicely rounded looking. That will show if the tip is broken off or not, though if its firing, its fine. That's about all the worrying about Winchester firing pins I do. The guns, if not dry fired, seem nearly indestructible in normal use.
 
If you open the action and push on the rear end of the firing pin at the back of the bolt, the tip should stick out the front a very small amount, and be nicely rounded looking. That will show if the tip is broken off or not, though if its firing, its fine. That's about all the worrying about Winchester firing pins I do. The guns, if not dry fired, seem nearly indestructible in normal use.

Thanks! I don't need to push on it to see it sticking out, it just falls forward and pokes out, then falls back into recessed position.

But if that's all normal, and the clinking is normal, then wish me luck cause I've got till the 4th to bag my first ever deer.
 
Just go get your deer & quit worrying about it.
Without a spring to retract an inertial pin, it's designed to "flop free".
If the tip you see up front is rounded, fires a primer, and doesn't fall out, the gun is fine.
Denis
 
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