Savage firing pin?

[CharlieNC]

Nope, not sure at all, just going by my experience and what fellow shooters told me.

Check the protrusion first, and if ok replace the spring. These have been problems on my savages, never a pin. Boltheads too with primer cratering, fixed with ptg replacement, never a pin. But I'm sure there's a first time.

 

[Thor357]

Check the protrusion first, and if ok replace the spring. These have been problems on my savages, never a pin. Boltheads too with primer cratering, fixed with ptg replacement, never a pin. But I'm sure there's a first time.

I've already replaced the bolt heads. I've also checked pin protrusion but have no specs to go by.

 

[One Eye Pete]

Lord knows I love Savage rifles and I have a bunch of them but I wish they would stop changing stuff that works like the firing pin. If they want to improve something they should work on the triggers. Their target action trigger is good but not anywhere near as good as an aftermarket trigger for a remington.

OK having said that firing pin protrusion for a Savage should work just fine anywhere between .045 to .055. If you are in that range and the pin is not bent or the tip broken then I doubt that its the pin itself. In your case to be on the safe side set it anywhere from .050 to .055. That way even if you are short headspaced you should still get enough of a hit. I know the old style firing pin assembly (the one without the cocking indicator protrusion on the back of the firing pin) was adjustable for pin protrusion. I'm not sure about the new style pins.

The only time I ever had ignition problems with a Savage was early on in my shooting career when I got the bright idea to put some grease on the firing pin assembly to help reduce friction, wear, and make it slide better. BAD IDEA!!!!!!! I did this in cold weather and got a click but no bang. I cleaned off the grease and everything went back to normal and it went bang again. Make sure the firing pin assembly and inside of the bolt is CLEAN and never use anything but a VERY light oil, or a little dry graphite (or moly) powder if anything at all.

If the new style firing pin uses the same size spring as the old firing pin (I do not have experience with the new firing pins) you could go with a Wolff spring. Factory savage springs are normally about 28 lbs. I believe Wolff makes a couple of different weight springs for Savages. You could try a 32 lb Wolff spring but if everything is working properly the extra spring weight shouldn't be necessary. Wolff springs for a Savage 110 are about $8.00.

 

[Thor357]

Lord knows I love Savage rifles and I have a bunch of them but I wish they would stop changing stuff that works like the firing pin. If they want to improve something they should work on the triggers. Their target action trigger is good but not anywhere near as good as an aftermarket trigger for a remington.

OK having said that firing pin protrusion for a Savage should work just fine anywhere between .045 to .055. If you are in that range and the pin is not bent or the tip broken then I doubt that its the pin itself. In your case to be on the safe side set it anywhere from .050 to .055. That way even if you are short headspaced you should still get enough of a hit. I know the old style firing pin assembly (the one without the cocking indicator protrusion on the back of the firing pin) was adjustable for pin protrusion. I'm not sure about the new style pins.

The only time I ever had ignition problems with a Savage was early on in my shooting career when I got the bright idea to put some grease on the firing pin assembly to help reduce friction, wear, and make it slide better. BAD IDEA!!!!!!! I did this in cold weather and got a click but no bang. I cleaned off the grease and everything went back to normal and it went bang again. Make sure the firing pin assembly and inside of the bolt is CLEAN and never use anything but a VERY light oil, or a little dry graphite (or moly) powder if anything at all.

If the new style firing pin uses the same size spring as the old firing pin (I do not have experience with the new firing pins) you could go with a Wolff spring. Factory savage springs are normally about 28 lbs. I believe Wolff makes a couple of different weight springs for Savages. You could try a 32 lb Wolff spring but if everything is working properly the extra spring weight shouldn't be necessary. Wolff springs for a Savage 110 are about $8.00.

Thanks for replying.
Apparently I have the new style firing pin. I'm unaware of any adjustability available to the new style. The firing pin protrusion is within the .050-.055 range. I thoroughly cleaned the bolt assembly after almost every session as I shoot quite a lot of rounds per session.
As for the trigger, mine has the Accutrigger and am very satisfied with it's performance.
I'm not even sure the firing pin is the issue, I'm just going off what I've experienced and what I've been told as to why I'm experiencing the occasional FTF. My real issue is trying to find the new style firing pin. One of the other folks replying to my post says that the new style firing pins are not yet available to the usual vendors. They are only available through Savage and that's a maybe.

 

[One Eye Pete]

Savage actions normally have plenty of firing pin fall and since you have plenty of firing pin protrusion I would replace the spring until you can get the new firing pin. If you shoot a lot it's more likely that the spring has weakened than that the pin itself is bad. Since you don't have the problem with CCI primers (which have hard cups) it could also be possible that it's the military primers.

 

[Rick300]

it could also be possible that it's the military primers.

Most likely. It happened to a buddies rifle when he mistakenly bought Nato spec ammo. I called Federal and they said those primers weren't meant for bolt guns.

 

[pdhntr]

Hmm... a thought occurred to me.... Some of the LC brass shoulders have measured well below what my rifles like...... That could very well an issue.

Well, I'm not even sure the firing pin is the issue.

I think you have the problem identified.

Jim

 

[Thor357]

Savage actions normally have plenty of firing pin fall and since you have plenty of firing pin protrusion I would replace the spring until you can get the new firing pin. If you shoot a lot it's more likely that the spring has weakened than that the pin itself is bad. Since you don't have the problem with CCI primers (which have hard cups) it could also be possible that it's the military primers.

Aren't CCI #34 primers the equivalent of military primers?

 

[Thor357]

I think you have the problem identified.

Jim

I hope so. I grabbed a batch of my LC pull down brass and checked them over. Some are indeed shallow on the shoulder measurement but some are way over. Actually had to full length re-size some but over 90% are within acceptable tolerances. I only occasionally have FTF's with them. I see come Sunday.

 

[Mark W]

A buddy of mine was having FTF issues with his Savage PTA based 6 Dasher. I got him in touch with @Grimstod and it came back working perfectly. I sent one of mine in to fix the bolt lift and bush the firing pin and it doesn’t even feel like a savage anymore. It’s the best money I’ve spent on a Savage rifle. I highly recommend it even if your not having problems.

 

[Thor357]

A buddy of mine was having FTF issues with his Savage PTA based 6 Dasher. I got him in touch with @Grimstod and it came back working perfectly. I sent one of mine in to fix the bolt lift and bush the firing pin and it doesn’t even feel like a savage anymore. It’s the best money I’ve spent on a Savage rifle. I highly recommend it even if your not having problems.

Thanks for the info.
Other than the occasional FTF with just LC pull down brass, I'm very happy with my rifles.
I'm just a long range target shooter that reloads. My rifles have been outstanding out to 800 yards...usually!

 

[Twitch]

Did you ever find that firing pin?

 

[Thor357]

Did you ever find that firing pin?

No, actually didn't need one. I re-seated the primers and they worked fine.
Seems that buying LC pull down brass occasionally has these issues.
Just take a closer look at the primers and re-seat the ones that are too low.

 

[rebs]

Weak primer strikes.

maybe just needs a new spring

 

[Pawnee Bill]

PM Grimstod and talk to him about your problem, he is without a doubt the Savage bolt guru par excellence.

 

[Thor357]

Problem WAS NOT the firing pin!

 

[DShortt]

I wonder where anyone might have gotten the idea that it was?

 

[Thor357]

I wonder where anyone might have gotten the idea that it was?

Dick?

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

That design has issues. Savage claims no problem but the new springs are different than the ones that came out. They only wanted to sell them to a ffl licensee, fwiw. I'd get and install the new spring set up, even though you got it working for now. Not expensive and it needs done. I've seen a bunch of ftf issues with that design, on virtually brand new guns. Hell, brand new ones that wouldn't fire, too. Thought it was just gummed up oil but it was deeper than that and the new springs cured it.

 

[DShortt]

Dick?

Lol! Richard.