Diamond Jake Posted January 18 Posted January 18 Today I had a mechanical issue with my Pietta revolver that I'd not heard of before. I thought I post it here for y'all to have one more thing to think of. Basically, something was blocking my hammer, so that the firing pin wasn't reaching the primer. At first we thought it was the cylinder pin being set in too far, but that wasn't it. It turned out to be the little pin that holds the firing pin in the hammer had backed out just enough to hit the frame, blocking the hammer from completing its travel. Fortunately it happened on the last shot of my second pistol, and I was shooting pistols last. So it only cost me 5 seconds. And I had a spare revolver with me! 1 2 1 Quote
Hawkeye Kid Posted January 18 Posted January 18 Had this happen years ago on a pair of Eliminators. You need to peen both sides of the pin. Quote
Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903 Posted January 18 Posted January 18 I was the TO and definitely didn’t see what it was at the time!🤠 Randy Quote
Abilene, SASS # 27489 Posted January 18 Posted January 18 Tends to make a ding in the back of the frame, too. Quote
watab kid Posted January 18 Posted January 18 have never seen that before , thanks for sharing it with us , Quote
Kid Rich Posted January 18 Posted January 18 Take that pin out and make sure it is not broken. kR 2 Quote
Ozark Huckleberry Posted January 18 Posted January 18 BTDT. Fixed it IAW with this: SASS Forum, 2/15/2022 1 2 Quote
Diamond Jake Posted January 18 Author Posted January 18 11 hours ago, Abilene, SASS # 27489 said: Tends to make a ding in the back of the frame, too. Mine too...you can see it in the first photo. This revolver is relatively new and only used in a few matches. I have another pair of Piettas that are several years old and dozens if not hundreds of matches and no issues (yet). Quote
Doc Moses Posted January 18 Posted January 18 My only pietta did that to me. Brand new pistol. Unfair to pietta but I don't buy them anymore. Ruger guy anyway. 1 Quote
SGT. ELI 35882 GUNFIGHTER Posted January 18 Posted January 18 Had my 75 Remington do that at Guns of August Midwest Regional years ago....it cost me a little more than 1 miss. 1 Quote
Colorado Coffinmaker Posted January 18 Posted January 18 Never ceases to amaze me. Folks do something dumb and then lay off the blame for gun damage on the the gun/manufacturer. Never admitting they did something really dumb. It has only been known for decades in the Single Action community, dry firing Colt Pattern SAs without good Snap Caps is a NO NO. And, NO, fired cases are NOT acceptable as Snap Caps. 1 1 Quote
Oak Ridge Regulator Posted January 18 Posted January 18 Just be glad it wasent 100 years ago in a real gunfight 👍 2 Quote
Ozark Huckleberry Posted January 18 Posted January 18 2 hours ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said: Never ceases to amaze me. Folks do something dumb and then lay off the blame for gun damage on the the gun/manufacturer. Never admitting they did something really dumb. It has only been known for decades in the Single Action community, dry firing Colt Pattern SAs without good Snap Caps is a NO NO. And, NO, fired cases are NOT acceptable as Snap Caps. My firing pin retainer pin worked out while I was dry firing with snap caps. In a pistol I had never dry fired without snap caps. And I replace my snap caps regularly. Sometimes, it IS the gun. 4 Quote
doc roy l. pain Posted January 18 Posted January 18 You can see how soft the steel is in that revolver. Just look at the ding it put on the frame. 2 Quote
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted January 18 Posted January 18 Replace it with a roll pin in both guns. Quote
Abilene, SASS # 27489 Posted January 19 Posted January 19 The only one of my guns that has ever done that was one of my Richards-Mason conversions (they use 2 cross pins). This was after shooting it for years. Fortunately did not happen during a stage. I have a pair of Piettas, one has been shot in one match and one hasn't been shot yet. I think I'll go check them. 1 Quote
Ozark Huckleberry Posted January 19 Posted January 19 14 hours ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said: Replace it with a roll pin in both guns. Sounds like a good idea -- would a roll pin stand up to the punishment (does the firing pin bottom out in its hole in the hammer, or does the retaining pin have to absorb the impact)? Quote
Captain Bill Burt Posted January 19 Posted January 19 21 hours ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said: Never ceases to amaze me. Folks do something dumb and then lay off the blame for gun damage on the the gun/manufacturer. Never admitting they did something really dumb. It has only been known for decades in the Single Action community, dry firing Colt Pattern SAs without good Snap Caps is a NO NO. And, NO, fired cases are NOT acceptable as Snap Caps. Sigh. If I want to read a post that slams fellow shooters you’re my go to guy. Perhaps you could point out the part where the OP states he was dry firing without snap caps? 2 1 Quote
Marauder SASS #13056 Posted January 19 Posted January 19 (edited) Thanks for posting. Something else we can check out to hopefully avoid a relative rare problem. Sounds like especially needed for some brands. Interesting timing: Edited January 19 by Marauder SASS #13056 Quote
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted January 19 Posted January 19 2 hours ago, Ozark Huckleberry said: Sounds like a good idea -- would a roll pin stand up to the punishment (does the firing pin bottom out in its hole in the hammer, or does the retaining pin have to absorb the impact)? They should 1 Quote
Captain Clark Posted January 19 Posted January 19 (edited) It’s an issue as old as time. I’ve had 2 original COLT SAA do the exact same thing. Neither Colt were used for CAS. One was a BP 1880s gun, and the other a smokeless 1900s gun. Also happened with an early ASM clone gun that was used for CAS. Edited January 19 by Captain Clark Clarity 1 Quote
Texas Jack Black Posted January 19 Posted January 19 1 hour ago, Captain Bill Burt said: Sigh. If I want to read a post that slams fellow shooters you’re my go to guy. Perhaps you could point out the part where the OP states he was dry firing without snap caps? Long winter for some😉 Quote
Colorado Coffinmaker Posted January 19 Posted January 19 Capt. Bill Burt. OK. MY SLAM was generated 'cause the OP was dry firing without Snap Caps. THAT is a well known NO NO. Ignorant folks been breaking guns that way for years. Doc Pain. Hate to tell ya this but it makes no difference the manufacture. You whack the recoil shield with an extended cross pin a couple of times, you get a divot. And as noted above, that issue can happen with any of the SA manufacturers. Don't single out "one" just 'cause you wanna appear knowledgeable. Must also remember, the original design was never expected to survive the abuse we heap on them. 1 1 Quote
Eyesa Horg Posted January 19 Posted January 19 (edited) I'm missing where the OP said he was dry firing. Edited January 19 by Eyesa Horg Fricken otto 3 1 Quote
Shawnee Hills Posted January 19 Posted January 19 Or where Doc identified a particular manufacturer as being defective or if he considered the steel "defective" at all. Of course, now we know that all are expected to be experts with every firearm used in this sport. Those exhibiting less than that can be expected to receive any number of derogatory labels. Good grief! I wish I could find a horse as high as some seem to own. 😒 2 Quote
Captain Bill Burt Posted January 19 Posted January 19 3 hours ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said: Capt. Bill Burt. OK. MY SLAM was generated 'cause the OP was dry firing without Snap Caps. THAT is a well known NO NO. Ignorant folks been breaking guns that way for years. Doc Pain. Hate to tell ya this but it makes no difference the manufacture. You whack the recoil shield with an extended cross pin a couple of times, you get a divot. And as noted above, that issue can happen with any of the SA manufacturers. Don't single out "one" just 'cause you wanna appear knowledgeable. Must also remember, the original design was never expected to survive the abuse we heap on them. See below posts. 3 hours ago, Eyesa Horg said: I'm missing where the OP said he was dry firing. 2 hours ago, Shawnee Hills said: Or where Doc identified a particular manufacturer as being defective or if he considered the steel "defective" at all. Of course, now we know that all are expected to be experts with every firearm used in this sport. Those exhibiting less than that can be expected to receive any number of derogatory labels. Good grief! I wish I could find a horse as high as some seem to own. 😒 2 Quote
Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903 Posted January 21 Posted January 21 On 1/19/2025 at 10:24 AM, Colorado Coffinmaker said: Capt. Bill Burt. OK. MY SLAM was generated 'cause the OP was dry firing without Snap Caps. THAT is a well known NO NO. Ignorant folks been breaking guns that way for years I looked back through all the posts and I failed to see where the OP said he was dry firing? I was the TO in the match when this happened. Randy 2 1 Quote
Colorado Coffinmaker Posted January 21 Posted January 21 OOPS!! My oops. thought I saw something about Dry Firing. My apology to the OP. 1 2 Quote
Fretless Posted January 22 Posted January 22 What I want to know, from folks who have experienced this problem: Were there any clues that you can identify in hindsight? Maybe an uptick in failure to fires? Did it make a line on the inside of the channel the hammer travels in? Quote
Diamond Jake Posted January 22 Author Posted January 22 (edited) 44 minutes ago, Fretless said: ...Were there any clues that you can identify in hindsight? Maybe an uptick in failure to fires? Did it make a line on the inside of the channel the hammer travels in? I had one fail to fire on an earlier stage; worked around the cylinder and it fired. It may be that the pin started to come out then went back in. Or it might have been the other revolver. And yes, I'm the OP and hadn't done dry firing without snap caps. And it's a relatively new gun; I was treating it as a backup and only shot it in 3 or 4 monthly matches. My other three Piettas seem to be good and tight. Edited January 22 by Diamond Jake 1 2 Quote
JackSlade Posted January 22 Posted January 22 On 1/18/2025 at 2:19 PM, The Original Lumpy Gritz said: Replace it with a roll pin in both guns. Dang, that's a really good idea as I had this happen on one of my piettas. Also, on their blued (not CCH) hammers you can order from EMF, they swore to me that they don't spot weld those pins in, but they do, so heads up for anyone wanting to do a preemptive replacement on their firing pin retaining pins. Quote
Colorado Coffinmaker Posted January 23 Posted January 23 Take the Hammer out of the gun. Lay it on a solid flat STEEL surface. With a pointed punch, center punch the pin ON BOTH SIDES. Or, with the pointed punch, Peen BOTH SIDES of the hammer to the pin, then dress smooth. 1 1 Quote
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