Fireing pin problem????

[Mike Lee]

This regards a Stevens model 325 30-30 (same as Savage 340)

Ive been having problems with failure of the fireing pin to hit the primers hard enough to fire. Here's what I've done so far: New main spring. Adjusted the fireing pin to protrude a little further.

What was happening is that about 15 to 18 percent of cartridges would not fire and would show a very light impact on the primer. After adjusting the fireing pin, tests with five primed unloaded cases showed that the pin was leaving a pretty good indent and they ignited... except one, which showed no sign of pin impact at all!!

If you have any ideas on what's going on here, please advise.

 

[Will Henry]

Check to see that the spring follower isn't hanging up inside the stock. The hammer is a rebounding type and you can modify the follower to get a little less rebound and a little more push. WH

 

[243winxb]

The firing pin spring may be draging on the side of the pin hole/channel.

My old Mossberg spring had a groove cut into the side of the channel. Just reversing the spring fixed it, for now.

 

[Mike Lee]

Will, I'm not sure exactly what the spring follower is or how it relates to the stock. Whatever it is it migh be it since this started since I restocked it. If you can help me with how to inspect for this it would be very helpful.

243win, that' something I should look at. I did replace the spring but didn't give that interior channel a close look. It's a PITA to disassemble the bolt but it needs to be done. Thanks for the push in that direction.

 

[Papa Charlie]

I think he is referring to a lever action.

I would disassemble the bolt and check each part. It could be a bent firing pin or debris in the bolt body. Since the issue isn't constant it seems like it is something hanging up. Also check the bore of the bolt to ensure there isn't something a miss in there. Also check the cocking piece to ensure there isn't anything hanging up.

Maybe this may help you chase it down.

 

[liljoe]

Are you reloading these rounds? And are you sure about the amount you are moving the shoulders back and possibly creating excess headspace?

Joe

 

[Ggmac]

Did you remove barrel at any point ? Headspace could be a problem or the bolt handle hitting the stock and not allowing the fiting pin to drop as needed . Make sure the bolt handle is NOT touching the stock

 

[Will Henry]

You know what? I read 340 but thought 219 (The single shot). What a maroon! You have to have something, some piece of debris, inside the bolt which is interfering with the striker. WH

 

[Mike Lee]

Thanks everybody.

Papa, that schematic will be helpful. I'm going to start with tearing the bolt down and go over it with a careful eye.

I have never removed the barrel.

The bolt handle hitting the stock??? How would that work?

 

[243winxb]

When the trigger is pulled, make sure the sear doesn't drag on the cocking piece.

The 30-30 headspaces on the rim.

 

[Ggmac]

Thanks everybody.

Papa, that schematic will be helpful. I'm going to start with tearing the bolt down and go over it with a careful eye.

I have never removed the barrel.

The bolt handle hitting the stock??? How would that work?

What do you mean ? If its the orig stock dont worrt about it . If its a new stock , the bolt not being fully locked ( hitting stock ) would limit the firinf pin fall

 

[Mike Lee]

Not the original stock. It's now in a Boyds. I have the original so I'll put it back in it and see if anything changes.

 

[Mike Lee]

What do you mean ? If its the orig stock dont worrt about it . If its a new stock , the bolt not being fully locked ( hitting stock ) would limit the firinf pin fall

Ggmac, ok, you told me twice and I finally figured out what you were talking about! I reinstalled in the original stock and immediately saw what you were talking about. Just looking at the bolt cutout for the two stocks it was obvious that the Boyds was not cut out nearly as much as the original. Further, there was an obvious impact point in the cut out. Next I compared the appearance of the closed bolt in both stocks and it was once again obvious that something was going on.

Here's a couple pictures of bolt in each of the stocks. The difference is obvious (I know you don't need pictures but other members might encounter this and the pictures could be useful)

The bolt fully closed in the Boyd stock. The misalignment with the bolt handle and the action is obvious.



Here's how it looks in the factory stock.



The bolt was hitting the stock here.



With the gun in the factory stock I played around with different positions of the bolt from fully closed to various degrees of lifted. NOW I fully understood! The firing pin spring is now doing two jobs. Propelling the firing pin and actually closing the bolt to the position it should be in when fired!

Who'da thunk it? The speed of the follower and the difference in the sound were obvious.

About five minutes with a few rasps and the boyd stock was corrected. The bolt closed fully and dropped hard and with less metallic sound.

Next I primed four cases and ran them through. All fired and the pin impact was clearly enough to ignite the primers. Here's a picture of the four primers.



And here is a picture of two of the primers in loaded ammo that failed to fire in the last shooting session. The difference is obvious.



I still need to get to the range and do a live test to confirm but I'm pretty sure that this problem is solved thanks to the input of the members here. Hooo Rah!

 

[hpshooter]

"Ggmac, ok, you told me twice and I finally figured out what you were talking about!"

One of the good guys with many years of experience and willingness to share it! Makes membership on this forum worth every penny.

 

[BoydAllen]

I am interested in one detail of the aftermarket stock. Does it incorporate the barrel band? The reason that I ask is that for this rifle that band, and the bedding of the barrel just in front of and just behind are an integral part of the bedding system.

There is only " action screw", which screws into the bottom of the recoil lug.

Years back I was able to get one of these rifles to shoot very well, considering the rough barrel, by deepening the band mortise, so that the steel block that the band is attached to did not bottom and by making some clearance under the action except for either side near the lug. In effect this resulted in the barreled action being pulled down into two V blocks and floating everywhere else, except the back of the recoil lug.

 

[Papa Charlie]

Glad that you got this solved.

 

[Mike Lee]

I am interested in one detail of the aftermarket stock. Does it incorporate the barrel band? The reason that I ask is that for this rifle that band, and the bedding of the barrel just in front of and just behind are an integral part of the bedding system.

There is only " action screw", which screws into the bottom of the recoil lug.

Years back I was able to get one of these rifles to shoot very well, considering the rough barrel, by deepening the band mortise, so that the steel block that the band is attached to did not bottom and by making some clearance under the action except for either side near the lug. In effect this resulted in the barreled action being pulled down into two V blocks and floating everywhere else, except the back of the recoil lug.

Yes, this is a peculiar bedding system. The front screw and band presented an immediate problem in the new stock. The hole in the forearm was bored way too deep. The front s rew would bottom on the barrel with 1/4" of movement remaining between the barrel and stock i made a bushing out of hollow tubing and that was solved.

I'm probably not going to do anything more with this. I bought this rifle from the original owner who got it as a young kid. It was intended for one of the grandchildren but her big brother just got her a Savage Axis. It's a fun little gun and shoots really well with powder coated Lee 180s but I don't have a use for it myself. I'm mostly a muzzleloader and have other modern stuff that doesn't get used much. I had decided to sell it but could not in good conscience until this problem was solved. So, if it cycles 30 rounds without a glitch ill put it on Gunbroker.com.

 

[Stumpy1]

Mike, glad you were able to fix your problems!

I can't tell you how much I have learned reading this forum regularly.

So many good folks, with so much experience and knowledge make it totally worth supporting.

Frank

 

[Mike Lee]

It's truly a great resource. I've been a member here for a while but this is my first participation. Good experience

 

[Ggmac]

It's truly a great resource. I've been a member here for a while but this is my first participation. Good experience

Mike im glad you got it . Im sorry my typing has been held to short sentences due to a recent accident. I usually would pm you and explain better.
Gary