Firing pin springs?

[Gary Weaver]

1884 Grade 1 Hammergun.. I noticed that the firing pins don't retract and i need to be careful not to close the barrels with them sticking out..
Aren't they supposed to have springs in them to retract?

I see the small screws on the side where if removed would i'm guessing remove the firing pin.. have not tried that yet as dont want to mess up the screws as one is already not right..
Any information would be helpful.
Thanks.
Gary

[Dean Romig]

The original springs on many early Parker hammerguns are missing due to their having rusted away. Any spring that is not too strong and that will fit properly will work. Be forewarned that the retaining screw may be very difficult to remove because they often become bent from ages of hammer impact.

[Gary Weaver]

FYI - I found an old post about early hammer guns "not" having springs and advice was best to leave them that way. the post is listed here:

http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=5278&highlight=straight+firing+pins%26quot%3B%26quot%3B .

Thanks Smoothbore for that information.

[bruce a lyons]

You can take a spring out of a ball point pen, cut it in half, and have yourself a couple new springs. Be careful removing your retaining screws. You may find a broken firing pin if the guns been closed on them too many times.

[Gary Weaver]

From what i have read in the post above, some of the early guns did not have springs. and if you tried to put them in they didnt work well so they were removed. I think ill leave it alone and just be careful closing the gun.

[bruce a lyons]

I have owned Parker no. 2133. There was remnans of some fine coil springs around the firing pins. They were shot. I have owned some British guns that were floating but the extractors were grooved to push them back. I dont think anyone, let alone Parker, would design a gun with an interfereing pins .I am just and old auto mechanic, maybe a real gunsmith will back me up on this.

[Richard Flanders]

My 1883 0-grade 12ga hammer gun has the straight firing pins and does not have return springs and there's no room to put some in. If I remember right, the contour of the firing pin 'seat' in the breech ball fits the front of the firing pin. ie: the firing pin 'nests' into the breech ball so there's no room for a spring.

[Brian Dudley]

Some of the floating pins had springs and some did not. And you cannot put springs in one that did not have them originally. The cavity for the pin is milled out differently.

Your pins may just be sticking due to dirt and crud in there. However, those retaining screws can be hard to get out withot messing them up if they are stuck.
Some good penetrating oil in there may help.