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Posted

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!

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Posted

Had this happen years ago on a pair of Eliminators. You need to peen both sides of the pin.

 

Posted
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).

Posted

My only pietta did that to me.  Brand new pistol. Unfair to pietta but I don't buy them anymore. Ruger guy anyway.

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Posted

Had my 75 Remington do that at Guns of August Midwest Regional years ago....it cost me a little more than 1 miss.:rolleyes:

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Posted

 

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.  

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Posted

Just be glad it wasent 100 years ago in a real gunfight 👍

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Posted
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.

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Posted

You can see how soft the steel is in that revolver. Just look at the ding it put on the frame. 

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Posted

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.

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Posted
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)?

 

 

Posted
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?

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Posted (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 by Marauder SASS #13056
Posted
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

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Posted (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 by Captain Clark
Clarity
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Posted
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😉

Posted

 

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.  

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Posted (edited)

I'm missing where the OP said he was dry firing.;)

Edited by Eyesa Horg
Fricken otto
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Posted

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.  😒

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Posted
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.  😒

 

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Posted
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

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Posted

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?

Posted (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 by Diamond Jake
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Posted
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.

Posted

 

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.

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