Broken firing pin

[hughree]

I decided to resume carrying a Smith & Wesson Model 60-9 that I haven't shot in a while. Its getting colder and I prefer the steel frame .357 over my EDC Airweight .38 when the heavy coats come out. I removed it from the safe, rubbed it down with Ballistol, and function checked it prior to loading it for carry. I thumbed the hammer back, focused on the sights and pressed the trigger on the unloaded revolver. I head a faint "ping" that sounded like metal hitting a wooded chair across the room. Sure enough, close examination revealed that no firing pin protruded from the frame when the hammer fell. An inspection with a bright light revealed what appears to be the rough end of a firing pin below the bushing in the frame. VERY glad it didn't happen when I needed it most.

Smith and Wesson service is closed until after the first. I will be calling them to arrange repairs. This revolver has not seen a great deal of dry firing and I don't recall any mishaps with pierced primers. Stuff happens.

I mention this as a experience-based reminder that even revolvers can fail and function checking a firearm carried for defense is as important as choices on how, what, and when to carry.

God bless.
Hugh

[bulasteve]

Thank You for posting the above.

[bradshaw]

Dec 30, 2016 21:08:11 GMT -5 hughree said:

I decided to resume carrying a Smith & Wesson Model 60-9 that I haven't shot in a while. Its getting colder... prefer the steel frame .357 over my EDC Airweight .38 when the heavy coats come out.”

“... pressed the trigger on the unloaded revolver. I head a faint "ping" that sounded like metal hitting a wooded chair across the room...” (Broken firing pin.) ----Hugh

*****

Might as well give Service a call when S&W opens after Christmas. Not all floating firing pins are equal. Ruger holds the summit for durability. When ranked for dry fire, Freedom Arms ranks very low for firing pin durability. Colt Python very far below Ruger. I won’t live long enough to dry fire contemporary floating firing pins of S&W. However, the brilliant Model 17 .22 LR has had a floating firing stretching back farther than my memory. Lord knows mine has been dry fired; when S&W went my M-17 some years back, all they did was replace a worn out cylinder stop and a couple of other parts. Nevertheless, it is my practice to dry fire the M-17 on fired cases, rotating the brass to bring fresh cushion, until the rim is peppered. The old “hammer nose” firing pins of Smith & Wesson have an exemplary reputation for durability. Rare is the time we’ve seen them broken. More often, the rivet holding the firing pin in the hammer broke, and for whatever reason this seemed more an issue on cop guns.

I typically dry fire once or twice on fired cases in all manner of rifles and revolvers. On the Freedom Arms Model 83, one dry-fire per fired case is plenty. These revolvers want live fire or a very strong snap cap.

You are correct, Hugh, things made by man can break. In the days of silhouette, I cleaned and lubed guns not just for the same of religion, but as an opportunity to check for wear and incipient failure. Firing pin breakage, of course, doesn’t give warning. Therefore, it is important to know that some are better than others. I appreciate hearing of your experience as a cautionary tale.
David Bradshaw

[hughree]

Update - I called Smith & Wesson customer service on Monday, January 2nd, and told them my firing pin story. I received a shipping label via email within 10 minutes of the call and, today, the little .357 is headed home for inspection and repair. Customer service like this is why I buy products from Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Springfield Armory and Dillon Precision. My problem is fixed on their dime and, in my case, to my satisfaction every time. I admit that I have purchased some NIB Rugers that had canted front sights and rough actions. One of my Lipsey .45 Flattops had a clocked front sight and several areas where the stainless metal had not been polished. Ruger ended up replacing it with another as the first had to be "destroyed". But the replacement and the repairs have, without exception, met my expectations. One of my early Springfield XD's developed rust in the bore of a clean barrel; Springfield paid shipping both ways and had my pistol with new barrel back in my hands in less than a week. I have ordered spare parts from Ruger and Smith & Wesson and thoroughly enjoyed talking a joking with the friendly voices on the other end of the line. My calls to Dillon to get replacements for worn out parts don't take long. Customer service usually interrupts my explanation about why the part "wore out" to ask for my mailing address and tell me replacement parts will go out that day. I recently purchased a Mossberg that wasn't quite right and customer service bent over backwards to fix it quickly. And even though I purchased a couple of the Remington manufactured Marlins that were, shall we say, lacking in fit, finish and functionality, the customer service guys quickly offered to pick them up at their cost and fix them until I was happy.

So, while I love my CZ's and even a Bersa or two, and have never had a problem with service, you will generally find me laying out my money for a product from a manufacturer whose policy is to make things right at THEIR cost. In a time when most of my purchases are made online and, therefore, without inspection, it is comforting to know that the manufacturer will bear the cost and responsibility of ensuring my satisfaction with their product. In return, I'm just sharing my endorsements to members of this forum who, I suspect, could share their own similar experiences.

So when the SHOT show rolls around, and I'm eagerly waiting like a kid at Christmas to see what new mousetraps will be built, guess whose products I look at first?

Yep. Them.