Methods of Manufacture

[McCandless]

I'm looking at ads for firing pins and extractors for a pet project and I noticed that one manufacturer uses two different ways to make the same parts. I see some Firing Pins and Extractors are Wire EDM manufactured, and other Firing Pins and Extractors are Laser Cut. If all are made of the same material and finished correctly is there any difference in dependability?? I've sent them an e-mail asking, but didn't get a reply yet.

 

McC

[Nate Kiowa Jones #6765]

It depends on many factors, things like shapes, thicknesses and materials. For instance, If the parts are pre-hardened basically the EDM works better because it doesn't use as much heat

[Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283]

Howdy

 

What type of firing pins are you seeing manufactured by laser or wire EDM? Most firing pins are round parts and are turned on a lathe. You do realize that Wire EDM parts and laser cut parts start out as flat billets, then they are cut to shape? So the thickness will be constant, but the part will have 'geometry' in the other dimensions. For instance, Power Custom cuts their replacement hammers for Rugers by WIre EDM, and the finish is outstanding, much better than standard Ruger hammers.

 

Anyhoo, in another life I used to order parts made by Wire EDM. Of course feed rate is everything, but usually the Wire EDM parts had a finer finish.

[Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L]

I was thinking my 10-22 firing pin is pretty flat but then it's not a cowboy gun either