[j beede]

My first try at 5-stand was stalled today when my gun decided not to play nice. I just now pulled the stock off and the fault was easy to find, see the photo below. The pin (dowel rod?) that you see sticking up in the air is supposed to be flush with either side of the trigger mechanism just below the main spring. It is a loose fit and I see nothing missing that would otherwise keep it from migrating out of place. I pushed it back in place with my finger and I was instantly back in business. Is there a standard practice for re-creating a proper friction fit for a hardened, solid pin like this? There is no axial pressure on the pin to force it to move; I assume it vibrated out of position. Ideas? Maybe anneal, slightly bend, re-harden and tap in place?

 

[ShootingStar]

Would a properly sized roll pin serve as a suitable substitute? You'll find just about every size imaginable at a good hardware store.

In a pinch, I've also made a pin like that by picking just the right, slightly oversized drill bit from a set of number drills.

You also might try a little Locktite, and one other possibility is to remove the pin, and with a hammer, peen one end of the pin until it's slightly out-of-round, then drive the pin back in for a snug fit.

 

[j beede]

Thanks for the reply Mark. The pin is super hard as you might imagine, I don't think I can flatten it at all. I just tried it on 1/16" drill bit as a surrogate--no luck. Maybe I can anneal the end, then flatten it. I'll try it, thouhg I have never tried to anneal a drill bit.

I could "tin" one one of the pin with silver solder to achieve a similar effect. I just wonder how permanent that repair would be.

 

[ShootingStar]

The pin is super hard as you might imagine, I don't think I can flatten it at all.

I would think that using the anvil end of a sturdy vice and a hammer, you should be able to peen just the end of the pin (the last 1/16" to 1/8") enough out-of-round to keep it secured when reseated. It doesn't take much really.

 

[Curly N]

You can put a small punch mark close to the edge of the hole on one side and that will distort the hole enough to hold it. If you try to crush the hard pin it might shatter. Blue loctite should hold as long as you want and it will easily release with a pin punch.

 

[mike orlen]

What makes you think that the pin is "super hard"?....I seriously doubt that it is hardened.

 

[j beede]

I ended up using a piece of 0.063" blue piano wire--fairly hard stuff but slightly "peenable". My son Dremel'ed off a short length or wire, beveled one and 3-4 good whacks with a 16 oz. Estwing "pin flattener" :wink: and voila. It tapped into place nicely and securely. I think I am good to go--trap shooting this time.

Curly: I tried annealing and deforming drill bit. As you predicted it shattered.

Mike O: I never attempted to flatten the fatory pin, I thought it would be prudent to do experiments on other 0.063" stock since "flattening" too often includes lots of hand-and-knee-searching for the flattened bits. I did test the relative hardness of the pin with an exacto blade. It is quite hard; technically it may not be "super hard".

 

[Ulysses]

If I understand correctly, you have a pin which goes from one side of the receiver to the other. With the stock in place, how could the pin go anywhere? :? It can't possibly get out with the stock in place.

I'm also puzzled by how you diagnosed the pin as the "problem". In fact, I'm not even sure from the discussion exactly what the "problem" was, except perhaps the gun didn't fire. But I have no idea of the details of when, how, what happened, what preceded it, etc? :? :?

If the gun is properly designed (and I assume that it is), then the pin should be short enough to easily fit between whatever is blocking it on either end, but long enough that it would be impossible to slide out either side with the stock (or something) present to hold it in place. So if the pin is in fact the problem (whatever that may be), I can think of only 3 possible reasons. 1. Some part inside is broken. 2. Some part inside is missing. or 3. Somehow the gun was assembled incorrectly. :?

Wondering :?: :?

 

[j beede]

Just got back from the range with the new pin in place. Gun worked well through target #70 (had a great round going) and the trigger froze again. This time I had my 12mm socket wrench with me so I pulled the stock and---I couldn't believe it; my new, flattened-end-pin had extracted itself. Since this pin is under near-zero load so I was confident that this problem had been totally and permanently solved. Not the case. I am tempted to tap the hole and use a socket head cap screw or a grub screw with blue locktite. at either end to capture the pin. The trigger is also very hard, maybe too hard to safely tap. Until I can find a split pin that will fit I will put a 2-56 socket head cap screw through the hole with a lock washer and nut. Ugly.

 

[PROWLER 67]

Just out of curiosity what kind of gun did this trigger assembly come out of. It's also possible that you have to stake that roll pin in. You could also check with the manufactor.