Taurus firing pin fell out?!?

I

imperative

New member
I had just finished cleaning a Taurus Model 669, and was idly cocking/decocking the hammer, when I heard something fall to the floor and realized the damn firing pin had fallen out!! I don't know where the spring went to, but I'll be down on my knees looking for it.

Has anyone else had a firing pin fall out like this? I must have tilted it at just the right angle.

I didn't think the parts were held in so loosely for this to happen ...

:(
 
Well, I took the thing apart and luckily the spring is still in place.
I'm wondering which direction the notch in the firing pin goes.
It looks like this:
Code: 
      __________
 ____|          |
|____    ____   |
     |__|    |__|

(you get the idea:))

The .PDF from Taurus is rather blurry in the exploded view, so I can't tell.

This seems like a really lame way to secure a firing pin.
I mean, if the stupid thing can just fall out like that, WTF?
 
On a side note, with the side panel off I've been able to observe the inner working of the firing mechanism, and I have new appreciation for the firing pin block device.
I'd always been leery of decocking, because I'd worried about my finger slipping.
But there is this little sliding bar that disengages when you pull both the hammer and trigger so as to decock it, and it slides out of the way so that the hammer can't engage the firing pin, even if it drops full force.
The only way for the firing pin to get struck is if the trigger is pulled and the hammer falls normally. Pretty neat.
Apologies if this is common knowledge, I hadn't seen it before.

Of course, all this is a moot point if the darn firing pin won't even stay in place to begin with! :mad:

I'll stop replying to me own posts for now ... :cool:
 
There has to be a cross pin that fits through the frame and through that notch and keeps the firing pin in place. If it is there and the firing pin can still come out, there is something wrong. Since I don't know, long distance, whether the pin is missing, the firing pin is not properly made, or the frame is not correct, I recommend you take it to a good gunsmith or better yet, return it to Taurus.

No, the firing pin should not fall out, no matter how you hold the gun.

Jim
 
I would let Taurus reinstall your firing pin ,your probably missing the retaining pin. Side note dont dry fire your Taurus to much they dont recommend it.:eek:
 
Ah hah! I see that the retaining pin is indeed missing. I will have to order one forthwith.
It looks like for something this simple I will not need either Taurus or a gunsmith, so that's good.
Thanks for the warning about the dry firing - I'll keep that in mind.
 
I have owned 3 model 85ch's and two of them has faulty firing pin springs. The firing pins would just be lose to protrude through the hole and make contact with the primers. Third one was ok, but I sold it for lack of trust. I now use a S&W M-36 for my 38 snub needs.
 
AFAIK, they "modernized" that one too but I have never heard of an S&W firing pin falling out. Another reason I don't recommend Taurus. Even though there certainly are good ones and some happy customers, their QC is just too spotty.

BTW, I have had an S&W old type firing pin break on my own gun, and have replaced a number of broken ones when working as a gunsmith. It is rare, but they do break and not always when dry firing. So the change may be for the better.

Jim
 
No S&W Priming Nipples

S&W discontinued priming nipples years ago in favor of hammer-actuated striker pins. This is to ensure that only full-drop pressure will discharge the round. I don't know if they got sued or went PC, but it was possible to accidentally fire the gun while cocking the hammer if the thumb slipped off it.
 
No,
Its not possible to fire it if you cock the hammer and your thumb slips off for two reasons.
Number one, the rebound slide comes up as the hammer falls UNLESS YOU ARE PULLING ON THE TRIGGER.
Number two, unless the cylinder has rotated to the point where the hammer locks up, chances are it couldnt fire even then because the round in the cylinder's charge hole has to be in alignment with the firing pin hole.
Even if the cylinder rotated fast enough to lock in place before the hammer is cocked, the firing pin will not go all the way forward unless the trigger is pulled, and the rebound slide will go up and get between the firing pin and the frame.
But dont take my word for it, unload your wheelgun, hold it up to the light and look by at the space in the cylinder window and pull the hammer back and let it go forward.

With Ruger revolvers the transfer bar will not stay up to allow the hammer to strike the firing pin if the thumb slips while being cocked.
The only sort of gun I would worry about discharging this way would be old style Single actions that dont have any sort of modern internal safey mechanisms.
The reason Smith went with the Colt type frame mounted firing pins was one of two reasons.
Number one, to avoid primer material from binding the cylinder
or
Number two, to make a good gun cheaper.
You can guess which version I believe is the answer.


>>>I don't know if they got sued or went PC, but it was possible to accidentally fire the gun while cocking the hammer if the thumb slipped off it.
<<<
 
In one of his books or articles, Elmer Keith pointed out that sometimes a Colt or Smith firing pin would literally crystalize, sometimes when being dry fired.
So it was not uncommon, however it generaly happened to guns that had been used heavily for years.


>>BTW, I have had an S&W old type firing pin break on my own gun, and have replaced a number of broken ones when working as a gunsmith. It is rare, but they do break and not always when dry firing. So the change may be for the better.

<<<
 
Sorry. Your information is absolutely correct. I should have stated that it happened to me on an older, well used 66-1 with priming nipple. I was at the range checking it out for possible purchase when it discharged. I DO know my finger was OFF the trigger. There WAS an extra click every time I cocked it, kind of a Ch-Kkk-Ch. I passed on that one and bought a new Model 66-6. It had the striker pin instead of priming nipple passing through the slot in back. No problems with the new model. That was the only bad S&W I've fired.
 
Like I said, it cant happen for two reasons.
Learn what a firing pin is Mr. Primer Nipple, before trying to convince me you had your finger off the trigger.
 
That's what I suspect

Imperative must be PISSED The guy trying to sell me his M-66 said something about the action, and I thought I was taking precautions by keeping my finger off while cocking it. It discharged anyway when my thumb slipped off. I'm not trying to question Warhammer's knowledge or BS anyone (and this thread is now WAY off-topic!). I'm just relating my experiences with an older gun I passed on because it was unsafe.
 
The rebound slide was installed in the gun back in WWII days when a security guard at a plant dropped his Pre-Model 10 Victory. 38 and had an A.D.
Im not really sure that you can get the gun with the newer lockwork to function without it.
I think that was also about the time that S&W switched to the newer short throw action. I cant say for sure because my library of books on Smith wheelguns is in another state right now....

As Chic Gaylord said once, he never saw an A.D. from a double action revolver that was not shooter related.
Sometimes people want to blame the gun when they violate rule 3-Keep your cotton picking finger off the cotton picking trigger till your cotton picking sights are on the cotton picking target.....
Personally thats rule 1 in my book.
My best friend once swore up and down that his Taurus went off by itself when he was decocking it. The thing is, we were videotaping our shooting session that day and when you look at the video you can see clearly that Doug pulled the trigger and that his finger is on the trigger holding it back when his thumb slipped and the pistol discharged.
 
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