Firing pin keeps breaking

[18trapper]

I have a 243 built on a rem 700 action with a ptg bolt. After about 5,000 rounds I had the firing pin break, 1,000 rounds later it happened again. Now after 200 rounds on the latest firing pin this is what it looks like. What is causing the pin to not be lined up with the hole and causing the tip to break off?

 

[DShortt]

What does the firing pin strike look like on your fired brass? Is it centered? Primers cratered? How much firing pin protrusion?

 

[18trapper]

What does the firing pin strike look like on your fired brass? Is it centered? Primers cratered?

The primers look fine (not cratered) but the strike is not perfectly centered

 

[Ggmac]

Was the bolt face bushed ?

 

[memilanuk]

What is causing the pin to not be lined up with the hole and causing the tip to break off?

ptg bolt

^ probably this.

Is the firing pin hole centered in the bolt face?

 

[DShortt]

The primers look fine (not cratered) but the strike is not perfectly centered

How far off? That may be the issue.

Either that or your firing pin is no longer centered in the bolt body for some reason. Rupture a few primers per chance? Perhaps a bunch of crap in the bolt body that needs be removed?

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Figure out what gouged it and caused the bend.

 

[18trapper]

Figure out what gouged it and caused the bend.

My thought is that the firing pin is rubbing inside the bolt that is causing that. But why?

 

[B Nettesheim]

This is a clue
That pin is either off center at the shroud or the pin hole in the boltface is off center
Or both

 

[18trapper]

Was the bolt face bushed ?

I’m pretty sure it was. It’s been awhile since I had this rifle put together

 

[DShortt]

My thought is that the firing pin is rubbing inside the bolt that is causing that. But why?

How much carbon or other crap in in your bolt body interfering with your firing pin/spring?

 

[Bill Norris]

Seems like the firing pin spring may be too long putting more force on it than needed.

 

[18trapper]

View attachment 1506419
This is a clue
That pin is either off center at the shroud or the pin hole in the boltface is off center
Or both

Thanks, that’s what I was looking for, makes sense. It’s weird that I had no problems for 5000 rounds and now it keeps happening

 

[Ggmac]

I’m pretty sure it was. It’s been awhile since I had this rifle put together

Well just guessing, they installed the bushing in the center of the bolt face with no regard to what the inside was like . Now that you said it was fine for 5000 rounds , lets list all thats changed since this started happening. What parts changed or modified including extra power springs , etc

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Did you assemble the bolt, using same spring for each firing pin replacement?

 

[18trapper]

Well just guessing, they installed the bushing in the center of the bolt face with no regard to what the inside was like . Now that you said it was fine for 5000 rounds , lets list all thats changed since this started happening. What parts changed or modified including extra power springs , etc

The only change in anything was I did switch from a Timney trigger to a trigger tech sometime before my first pin broke. Both times they broke I took my bolt to my gunsmith and they changed the pin and spring for me. I never asked for the specs on the new springs. I still had my original spring when the pin broke the first time

 

[18trapper]

How much carbon or other crap in in your bolt body interfering with your firing pin/spring?

There has never been much crud in the bolt body when I take it apart to clean it

 

[tom]

It's probably pulling clear of the tunnel when cocked, losing it's guidance. Bushing it with a long enough bushing to keep guidance would probably be the solution. I want to say I've heard of this on those, now that you posted this.

Tom

 

[WSnyder]

It's probably pulling clear of the tunnel when cocked, losing it's guidance.

If it started after switching from the Timney that could be the answer depending on the vintage of the Timney. For quite some time the Timney’s sear was about .050” shorter than just about everyone else. This left it with much less to zero cock on close along with a .050” shorter than everyone else pin fall. Mby the Timney trigger left the pin supported in the pin hole but with the TT it is not supported. Also with a PTG bolt who knows what you actually have inside it as far as dimensions go. As a side note PTG has made bolts that take two different style pins. The std and the BR. The BR takes a long pin nose very similar to what Greg Tannel does that is fully supported unlike the std and factory Rem bolts. A std pin will not fit properly in the PTG BR style bolt so that is not your issue, I just wanted to note there are anomalies out there.

 

[Walt Krafft]

Ptg bolt says it all.