Should the movement of the hammer be stopped by it contacting the block or by it contacting the firing pin?

This was brought up in a different thread a few days ago but, sorry, I can’t find it.

I like the hammer to hit the block, maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t like the pin stopping against the front of the hole or cross screw.  This way the pin does not contact the block at the front, nor does it hit the cross retaining pin, basically just floating. Also, when the hammer hits the block the firing pin should be at full protrusion.
Bob

bobw wrote on May 22^nd, 2023 at 6:04pm:


Yes. There is a bit of a price to be paid however! Here is a hammer that has hit a block many times.

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There is also a burr on the front of the hammer. There is no damage to the block evident at this time, although there may have been at some point.

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The pin has been, long ago, bushed to a 3/16" diameter but the back of the pin is too long; the hammer no longer contacts the block - just the pin.

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I intend to shorten the back of the pin so the block will stop the hammer fall and the pin will float. I will also add a retraction spring. 

Gentlemen, Thanks.

I have seen several guns with broken firing pin from dry firing. The breach block on many guns are not hardened and will mushroom with continued hammer blows. Firing pins should be made out of tough steel, I use spring steel or piano wire which are hard enough to hold up. Firing pin on center fires should protrude about .060", on rim fires about .030". Usually the firing pin stops at a shoulder inside the breach block. The primer on a center fire or the rim of a rimfire acts as a cushion which keeps the firing pin from breaking and the hammer from getting deformed. There are very few guns that can be dry fired without damage, I'm thinking the 1911 which has a spring to stop the travel of the firing pin.