Small Firing Pin

[Ram]

From what I understand, the small firing pin (0.0625) is preferred for SR cases such as the 6.5x47 and 6BR. Are there any disadvantages for the LR cases? Is there a greater chance for piercing a LR primer with the small firing pin?

 

[JohnKielly]

Not an issue. There are a number of actions used with LR primers by, for example, Palma shooters which have the small firing pin. The trick is to have the hole in the bolt face precision drilled for the pin. Slop there irrespective of firing pin size is not desirable.

 

[Robert]

Rem,

The smaller firing pin requires some 33% less energy to strike, or otherwise said, makes better use of the available enrrgy.

Piercing/cratering is a direct result of the gap around the firing pin tip,allpwing metal to flow and this also play in favor of the smaller diameter.

As John says, the fiting pin hole is o be drilled accordingly wirh rhe smallest posiible gap.

R.G.C

 

[DHD]

Your question is one I have had for a while myself. I have wondered why any custom action even comes with the standard firing pin. To me, an non engineering knucle dragger type, there is no good reason to build an action with any pin larger than the .0625"ish pin regardless of action size or bolt face diameter.

I just had my Surgeon rebarreled from 308 to 6×47L. It went from a "never seen any real pressure signs" type of rifle to a "these starting loads must be way over max pressure" rifles. I cannot really start load development until the bolt face was bushed and pin was turned down (Gre-Tan). I sent my 6.5 Creedmoor's bolt (Remington 700) too because I could not think of a good reason not too.

Greg Tannel spent some time on the phone explaining the whole thing to me. I already knew the why, but talking to one of the best (if not THE best) Remington 700 gunsmiths about the firing pins was an education. Yes it is $80 per bolt, but I won't be building any more Rem 700's without sending the bolt to Greg. I still have 2 more bolts to send with one being a LA in 30-06.

 

[dannyjbiggs]

I liked it for BOTH SR and LR primers! My first Palma rifle was the "Anthony W. Gilkes" aluminum action with the small firing pin...actually it was a 2-piece firing pin hit by a spring-loaded striker...which NEVER pierced a primer and NEVER misfired. I predominately shot Remington BR cases with SR primer pockets, but also LR Winchester brass. And, I regularly shot 6.5-.284 LR cases from a switch-barrel. The Anschutz trigger produced the most delicate, crisp little snap as the firing pin fell, and the cutest little dimple was created on the primer face that you ever did see. I could take misfired cases from my team mates and fire them first try with my Gilkes!

Then one day, I experienced a couple of misfires during a 20-shot string? The same thing happened on the next and last string of the day? Was I ever bewildered. I disassembled the bolt when I got home to find that the firing pin had separated from its head, but with enough swell in the break area to keep the pin from falling forward out of the bolt face. So...it appears that for awhile there, I was actually shooting a 3-piece firing pin fairly successful?!!

Still use it...quite a few times in F-TR; right now, it's sporting a 6mm DASHER barrel.

Dan