Solid Plunger Firing Pins
 

I am trying to see if early solid plungers had springs, my guns up to 50000 do not above that they do, Austin has noticed the same with his guns. I tried to put a spring in a 36000 gun not enough room even with just one coil of spring the firing pin would not contact the primer in the shell. I wonder if the later pins are longer? I am checking my guns maybe some other hammer gun guys can too! see my post on Springs for lifters.

Gary, See my post on the other thread, As far as I have seen the solid head plungers themselves were of the same length. Maybe Austin has observed differently.

All I have measured 3 so far all below 50000 are exactly 1" I am hesitant to check my 90000 was just refurbished 2yrs ago at turnbull, B grade titanic, hammer, You might have hit the nail on the head with deeper drilling of the hole, I will check that, You know I just have to know

You are probably right about the deeper drilling

Gary, Just pulled the pin on #51092. 1in with a spring.

Robert thanks now I know what the spring should look like! how far does the firing pin travel past the face of the breach? how deep is the seat for the pin? Gary

Gary, Please excuse the sloppy art work (was still on my first cup of JOE when I threw this together):rotf:. So as not to pull the hammer loose measurements were take with a stiff piece of wire probed down the bore and carefully marked,drawing is NOT to scale!,should be close enough for Government work?:) Also noted the spring in full compression, is shorter than the depth of its pocket,something you'll want to keep in mind when you cut your spring so as not to have "coil bind" when the hammer falls.

I find it interesting that guns have been noted without firing pin retraction springs. One wonders what kept the pins from sticking in the primers? I noticed on this gun the firing pin bores are angled down and in toward the guns center line. Does your 36000 gun have them bored the same way? Could the angling of the pin be what allowed it to retract without a spring on early guns, or was it just to reach the primer because the frame is so wide?
I guess I could pull the spring and see if the pin has a tendency to hang up.
A little more research and this might make a nice article for the Parker Pages?

Firing Pins
 

Who would have guessed the firing pins were two pieces? I had a frame inthe 36000 range purchased here on the forum a few years ago. One firing pin slid easily, the other would not move. When I removed the screw the hammer end came out but I had to give the exposed pin a tap. There is no sign of a weld; the two parts appear ro have been swaged together.
The 36000 pin is also 1 inch overall.
Parker (King) apparently thought the camming action as the barrels separated from the breech sufficient to let the primer push the pin back.

Best, Austin

Austin,That's an interesting discovery. I removed the spring from my gun and the pin moves away very easily as the action is opened. So I guess we can assume the spring was added later to make the "Old Reliable" even more reliable!