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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) Firing Pin Alloy? (Read 21336 times)
harry_eales
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Re: Firing Pin Alloy?
Reply #30 - Jul 5th, 2010 at 3:11pm
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Mr. Joe Feldman,

Hey Joe, give out mutual friend Al Sledge a call and ask his opinion, if anyone knows the best steel to make a firing pin from, he will.

I agree with other replies though, no square corners on 'cut outs' for the firing pin retaining pin, and a high polish on the part before carrying out any hardening.

Harry
  
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Mike_Hunter
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Re: Firing Pin Alloy?
Reply #31 - Jul 7th, 2010 at 10:17am
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My 2 cents…probably all it’s worth. 
Original firing pins were most likely made out of case hardened 1010/1018 or 1020 low carbon steel.   
The socket head cap screws are normally made out of 4140 steel (if they are made in the US, if made in China …possibly bubble gum).  Nothing special about them. 
If I were making it I would use 8620 and case harden or pre hard 4140. 
Either can be gotten from Enco 
Just my thoughts

V/R

Mike

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wesg
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Re: Firing Pin Alloy?
Reply #32 - Jul 8th, 2010 at 6:17pm
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Pre-hard 4140 is about Rc 32, plus or minus. A socket head, or grade 8, screw is substantially harder than that. High 40's, maybe low 50's, I think. Probably much more durable for a firing pin, but quite a bit harder to machine. And a whole lot easier to source Wink
  
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Mike_Hunter
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Re: Firing Pin Alloy?
Reply #33 - Jul 9th, 2010 at 2:07pm
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wesg

Yup my bad, just looked up the industry standard for Grade 8 Hardness, Rc 33-39.   

And yes a lot easier to source

V/R

Mike
  

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38_Cal
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Re: Firing Pin Alloy?
Reply #34 - Jul 10th, 2010 at 10:08am
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I've been pretty happy with LaSalle Fatigue Proof steel for firing pins...also known as AISI 1144M.

David Kaiser
  

David Kaiser
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John Taylor
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Re: Firing Pin Alloy?
Reply #35 - Jul 11th, 2010 at 11:53pm
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1144 is not very hard at C17 compared to 4140 at C32. It does machine very well. If you get the stress proof I believe it is a little tougher.  I used a lot of it when making pins for heavy equipment. Not sure if it would hold up to well for firing pin without case harden.
  

John Taylor   Machinist/gunsmith
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