M-70 & Titanium Firing Pins

R

RiverRider

New member
M-70 and Titanium Firing pins

I have a Winchester Model 70 in .223 that I believe wants to shoot little tiny groups, but when I dry fire it on the bench, I can see the crosshairs move an inch or two on the target. It's not the scope, I've had a B&L and two different Leupolds on it.

I am wondering if a titanium firing pin would help, and if so, where can I get one?

Thanks in advance!

-RR-
 
Just guessing, but one question which pops up is about your trigger. How many pounds of pull? For bench rest shooting, just your finger motion for anything much over a couple of pounds can twitch you off target a little bit. Set-triggers, with two-ounce pulls, are used for a reason.

Remember, the motion of the firing pin is directly in line with the bore, so its motion should not affect the sight picture. Also, the force of the spring, with the impact of the firing pin as it strikes, will have more effect than the fraction of an ounce of comparative firing pin weights.

FWIW, Art
 
Thanks for the response, Art.

I worked this trigger down to approximately three pounds, and it breaks pretty clean. I have tested my technique in the same way with other rifles. It seems to be just this one rifle in particular that gives me trouble.

I think you're right about the impact of the firing pin possibly being the cause. But then again, a lighter firing pin would have somewhat less momentum, would it not? It seems that it would improve the situation, but I could be wrong...that HAS happened before. Hehehe...
 
No doubt the lighter pin would have less momentum. But like I said, I think the energy-release of the uncoiling of the spring would have more of an effect than the *difference* between the pins' weights.

Remember, the mass of the spring moves, just as does the firing pin; it also stops suddenly, at the same time as the pin. The datum of importance, then, would not be the percentage change in the weight of the pins; it would be the percentage change in spring-plus-pin weights--which is a smaller percentage.

Back when the Springfield was the base for many sporters, people went to lighter pins and stiffer springs to reduce the relatively slow lock-time. This is not a problem in modern designs. (Note that an original Springfield is very easily cocked by pulling on the back of the firing pin; also note the very long travel.)

Instantaneous lock time is the only advantage of the new Remington electronic rifle and its specially-primed cartridge. That way, a target shooter would not jiggle the rifle in the finite time between pressing the trigger and a conventional firing pin's striking the primer.

Such "problems" are of practical and real interest only to target shooters, not hunters. I have a tendency toward "nitpicky-ness", but I attempt to restrain myself. :) I can pick nits with the best of 'em during tuning of a rifle or development of a load, but once there, I revert to slob mode...

Art
 
Picking Nits

*chuckling*

I can relate, Art...

I see what you're saying about the weight of the spring. In thinking about it, I have begun to wonder how one would go about doing the math.

At any rate, I would still like to give the titanium firing pin a try, if I can locate one. If and when I do, I'll submit a written report right here for everyone to check out.
 
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