Firing pin safety, how important?

M

Mike P. Wagner

New member
I have a CZ-52, and it's really a fun pistol, but it's got a heck of a trigger pull. I have a question about a pretty popular firing pin kit that disables the firing pin safety.

The stock CZ-52 has a spring loaded "retractor lock" that fits into a notch in the firing pin. A little finger on the sear pushes that lock up, disengaging it from the firing pin, when the trigger is pulled. When the trigger is not pulled, you cannot move the firing pin.

For a picture, see

http://www.makarov.com/graphics/cz52/cz52part.jpg

The firing pin replacement kit has a different "rectractor lock", which does not lock the firing pin. It is spring loaded, but you can push on the end of the firing pin at any time, and the pin moves forward.

So I'm looking for advice. How important is a firing pin safety? This one is likely not to have been inspired by litigation, the pistol is a 1952 Caech military weapon. Do most modern SA autoloaders have firing pin blocks?

The trigger pull is allegedly much better with the new kit, since the sear doesn't have to move the lock up and out of the way. And my finger was pretty sore after firing 150 rounds on Friday. But in general, I'm a little paranoid about disabling any built in safety. What's the tradeoff folks see?

Thanks,

Mike P. Wagner


[Edited by Mike P. Wagner on 03-26-2001 at 11:22 AM]
 
Hello,

I am not an expert, but I have been looking into single action 45s, on the 1911 platform. Most of them do NOT have a firing pin safety. It seems that is a primarily double-action pistol design [with exception of Colt series 80 and Para-ordinance]. From all of the advice I've been given, it seems a firing pin safety's importance depends on use. If you will only be using the pistol at the range, and never for carry or around house, I wouldn't be TOO concerned. The firing pin safety keeps the pin from moving forward, which is only relevant if there is a round in the chamber. Some argue about the safety of hammer down versus 'cocked and locked' [or just cocked] without a firing pin safety. Hammer down/chamber loaded, w/out a firing pin safety, is NOT a good idea. Hammer up [unless you can lock the trigger, like a 1911] without a firing pin safety and with a loaded chamber is also not a good idea for carry purposes. So the use of this pistol, after the modification you mentioned, with a round in the pipe, and a full mag, on your belt for the day is not good. BUT, if you are only loading it at the range, using it at the range, and NEVER lowering the trigger [decocking] on a live round, you are probably ok.

A simple analogy is this: If you convert your pistol, you will be carrying the safety equivalent of an old Colt Single Action revolver [which was always carried hammer down on empty chamber, unless in middle of fight]. There is a thread [probably a week or two old] at talk.shooters.com about how a old Ruger blackhawk killed two people and wounded a third in one family, all over about 12 years, due to neglegence. I think the title of the topic was something about 'darwin awards for family in New Mexico', or 'pistol brings tragedy to family in New Mexico': something like that. I only mention it because a Single Action revolver requires a lot of awareness that a modern double action one doesn't, and which most da/sa autoloaders don't- only sa autoloaders require as much awareness. These are NOT dangerous guns, that is not my belief or point. My point is that you can't relax your guard while operating them [which you shouldn't be doing anyway, with ANY firearm].

for what it's worth, this is my two cents on converting the firing systems. Good luck, whatever you do.

jason

oh, have you thought about trying to get a reduced strength spring kit from Wolff gunsprings? http://www.gunsprings.com is their address. I don't know if they'll have anything, but you might try them. Also, e-gunparts.com might have parts.
good luck
 
Mike,

If you never intend to use this pistol for defense, I don't see the problem. If you do intend to use it or may have to, then you could potentially run into legal problems by modifying your weapon to eliminate a safety feature in order to make it more efficient.

Good Shooting
REd
 
A friend of mine recently had a KB with his Kimber. No major damage to either him, or (more importantly) the gun. As best we can tell, it was a slamfire. We traced that to a flacid firing pin spring. This WOULD NOT have happened with a firing pin block.

I understand that Kimber is developing it's own version of a firing pin block to prevent this problem. Otherwise, always replace the firing pin spring whenever you replace the recoil spring! Wolff DOES include one with each recoil spring, after all.


Yr. Obt. Svnt.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top