Re: So talk to me about M1 Garand firing pins!

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I have never seen an M1 firing pin break in that fashion, but I replace mine every 5000 or so rounds.

That part of the M1 firing pin interacts with a portion of the receiver to keep the firing pin retracted until the bolt is essentially closed. Take your rifle out of the stock and study the interaction of that firing pin tail with the receiver, and make sure the receiver has not become worn, eliminating this safety feature. There is a shop manual for the M1 and M14 by a gunsmith named Kuhnhausen which has a lot on this.

The guys that taught me to shoot Service Rifle taught me to replace the firing pin on an M1 or M1A when I replaced the barrel, which was necessary every 5000 or so rounds.

Having that tail actually break off makes me wonder if you have a seriously out-of-spec receiver, which can be though wear or through the receiver being welded together from two cut-up halves. I have one Garand which was built up on a receiver welded up from two deMilitarized halves, but done by professionals and re-heat treated afterwards.

Re: So talk to me about M1 Garand firing pins!

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Finally got around to stripping the rifle enough to get the bolt out. While working with the bolt is not difficult getting the tool into the head was a bit of an effort. A little twist and the tractor comes out as well as the pin and springs. One thing I noticed on the broken pin, the sides of the heel part seem to be worn or perhaps filed down on each side. Two of my spares appear to be similar, but clearly not filed or worn. Just visually it looks like the broken pin was a bit worn on the tip side as well. I am a bit puzzled why someone would file the sides and I don’t think it was wear.
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"Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated!" Loquacious of many. Texas Chapter Chief Cat Herder.
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Re: So talk to me about M1 Garand firing pins!

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Marlene wrote: Mon Dec 03, 2018 6:13 pm Looks like that one might have been repaired previously by welding? Probably improper heat treating led to the breakage.
I was leaning to that idea, but then I thought who the hell would bother to weld that pin and grind it. :beer2: I think you nailed it.
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"Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated!" Loquacious of many. Texas Chapter Chief Cat Herder.

Re: So talk to me about M1 Garand firing pins!

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Marlene wrote: Mon Dec 03, 2018 8:05 pm I’d have done something similar back before internet searches and credit cards and modern fast shipping. Why wait a month for a part after you finally find out where to order one (probably involving multiple long distance phone calls) and mail them a check? Your rifle could be out of the running for a month or two easy.
True. And this was probably done overseas considering it was most likely a lend lease.
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"Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated!" Loquacious of many. Texas Chapter Chief Cat Herder.

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