SGW Gunsmith
Moderator
The previous Ruger Mark pistol "stamped" firing pins are now obsolete! I've been testing one of the new style firing pin in three Ruger Mark pistols, using CCI Mini-Mags:
Two Ruger Mark II's and one Ruger Mark III:
All totaled I fired 50 rounds of CCI Mini-Mags from each pistol using the same new style firing pin in each pistols bolt.
The tip of the new style firing pin has a much better shape to it and it hits the rim in a very precise position that provides for the best detonation possible:
Here are a few of the spent cases I was able to dig out of the snow:
While I'm at it here, there's another thing I'd like to point out that doesn't get much ink in any of the Ruger Mark pistol forums, and something I've noticed during the 45+ years I've been involved with these Ruger Mark pistols. Check out the bottom of the front plate on your recoil spring assembly.
This front half-moon plate is a stamping that is often found to have some hellacious roll-over smears from the stamping process:
Here's the comparison of the 'old' and 'new' style firing pins:
The bottom edge of the new firing pin has much less bearing surface that ride along the bottom face of the recoil spring from plate:
See those shiny marks on the front bottom? That's from the top of the firing pin rubbing against the bottom of that plate. So what? Well, the roughness involved with those burrs will slow down the forward velocity of the firing pin after the hammer hit, and in some conditions where gunk has built up on that rough face, produce erratic firing pin hits.
Now this plate also acts as a control to keep the firing pin from rearing upward during its travel forward and into the case rim. but we do want the firing pin to have a smooth, and consistent trip forward.
So, using a smooth cut file and then #600 emery paper, I like to file and then smooth as little metal away to make it as smooth as possible but without removing a whole lot of metal.
Two Ruger Mark II's and one Ruger Mark III:
All totaled I fired 50 rounds of CCI Mini-Mags from each pistol using the same new style firing pin in each pistols bolt.
The tip of the new style firing pin has a much better shape to it and it hits the rim in a very precise position that provides for the best detonation possible:
Here are a few of the spent cases I was able to dig out of the snow:
While I'm at it here, there's another thing I'd like to point out that doesn't get much ink in any of the Ruger Mark pistol forums, and something I've noticed during the 45+ years I've been involved with these Ruger Mark pistols. Check out the bottom of the front plate on your recoil spring assembly.
This front half-moon plate is a stamping that is often found to have some hellacious roll-over smears from the stamping process:
Here's the comparison of the 'old' and 'new' style firing pins:
The bottom edge of the new firing pin has much less bearing surface that ride along the bottom face of the recoil spring from plate:
See those shiny marks on the front bottom? That's from the top of the firing pin rubbing against the bottom of that plate. So what? Well, the roughness involved with those burrs will slow down the forward velocity of the firing pin after the hammer hit, and in some conditions where gunk has built up on that rough face, produce erratic firing pin hits.
Now this plate also acts as a control to keep the firing pin from rearing upward during its travel forward and into the case rim. but we do want the firing pin to have a smooth, and consistent trip forward.
So, using a smooth cut file and then #600 emery paper, I like to file and then smooth as little metal away to make it as smooth as possible but without removing a whole lot of metal.
