Hammer mounted firing pin wiggle

[Rail Gun]

Is this normal. All of the used smith revolvers I look at have this wiggle on the firing pin when you touch it very hard, sort of like a springiness more than a wiggle and my 20 year old mod 67 does it too. Is it normal or should I be nervous about it?

 

[Cal4D4]

My old M29s both show that movement. Same with an old M36. I could look it up, but I suspect it aids in alignment with frame cutouts.

 

[Tamara]

The hammer moves, while the hole the firing pin must go into is stationary, therefore the pin has to have some play.


At least I think that's the reason...

 

[BigG]

What Tamara sed. BTW it's called a hammer nose.

 

[Joe the Redneck]

Pin Play

There are several Hammermounted firing pins that don't have any play. My Naget revolver has a long riged firing pin, along with my rimfire pistols, and it gives me the willies. I can see how having a little play in the pin would help guide the pin in the opening. I also wonder if the it is a repair issue. On my old Smith 19, if the pin broke, I wouldn't have to replace the entire hammer.

Good question, I always wondered about it myself.

 

[C.R.Sam]

Smith hammer nose wiggle is proper.

If it doesn't wiggle, either very dirty or corroded.

Sam

 

[BigG]

Oops! My mistake...

I was at a gun show yesterday (GA Farmers Market). Don't bother, it wasn't any good.

One of the few interesting things was looking at the Uberti SAA clone. It was about $399 while the genuine Colt was about $1400.

For a shooter, would the Uberti be a good choice?

Please, only tell about the Uberti. I don't really want one but had an 1860 Army by them and it was superb.

I couldn't tell if it had a std firing pin as the hammer was zip tied down.

I wouldn't care for a Ruger. Thanks!

Sorry. I thought I was starting a new thread.

 

[hpg]

this is normal-hpg

 

[James K]

Those firing pins are designed so that the movement when the primer is struck is basically straight in, rather than coming down at an angle like a fixed firing pin will do. This provides much better ignition with less possibility of piercing a primer.

Both the S&W and the Colt are also made so that at the time of primer contact, the firing pin (hammer nose) is supported by the back of the cutout in the hammer, not by the cross pin.

BTW, the Nagant revolver firing pin is not fixed and looks flimsy. In reality, the guns are very tough and rarely have problems.

Jim

 

[MADISON]

It is normal for the hammer mounted firing pin wiggle.The only ones that DO NOT are the new manufacture ones with the key lock in them.