Stevens 44 1/2 Firing Pin

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  • Last Post 23 July 2024
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Bud Hyett posted this 23 July 2024

Had a problem with the rifle at the match Saturday. Half way through the match it began having misfires. Needed to  recock the rifle and hit the primer twice or three times to get it to fire. The primer indent looked larger.

A broken firing pin is a common problem with the Stevens and this has happened before. I assumed the firing pin had broken and continued the match. 

Tearing it down today, there was a brass plug in the firing pin hole. It filled the firing pin hole and fell out when I pushed on the back of the firing pin. This plug was cushioning the firing pin and causing the misfires.

Does anyone have any idea how this brass plug formed? 

Farm boy from Illinois, living in the magical Pacific Northwest

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gnoahhh posted this 23 July 2024

The nature of the angled firing pin, and the firing pin not retracting when the breech block is dropped causing drag and shaving brass from the case and primer in minute quantities that built up over time? Dunno, just spitballing.

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Premod70 posted this 23 July 2024

Fractured primer at the firing pin hole, it happens occasionally especially using large pistol primers in a rifle case.

Dale Flinchum

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rhbrink posted this 23 July 2024

gnoahhh is right, I have had the same problem especially with hotter loads and softer primers. I pull the breech block and remove the firing pin housing regularly and fine a surprising amount of brass shaving there.

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Paul Pollard posted this 23 July 2024

How do you know if the firing pin is broken? What is visible?

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gnoahhh posted this 23 July 2024

With the breech open you can push/pull/wiggle the firing pin, and if the back end of the pin moves and the tip doesn't then you have a broken firing pin.

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Bud Hyett posted this 23 July 2024

How do you know if the firing pin is broken? What is visible? - With the breech open you can push/pull/wiggle the firing pin, and if the back end of the pin moves and the tip doesn't then you have a broken firing pin.

I'm grateful for the replies as I had not thought of minute shavings accumulating in the firing pin channel. I'll need to start cleaning the firing pin channel, possibly bi-monthly, as a check. 

I've had the scenario where the primer didn't fire on the first strike, but did on the second. Recocking and firing again did the trick. Getting home and tearing down the block showed the broken firing pin. Frustrating, especially as this first happened at the Nationals.

The Stevens action is notorious for both light firing pin strikes and broken firing pins, especially if you cock the hammer and fire on an empty chamber. I carry extra firing pins to matches but changing a firing pin can take more time than the match allows. This firing pin scenario is the one item I dislike about the Stevens 44 1/2 action. 

Farm boy from Illinois, living in the magical Pacific Northwest

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