New member with a firing pin question....UPDATE!

[mmargotta]

Hello everyone, I have a BVSS Model 12 w/o accutrigger.
Have installed a Timney instead.
I was at the range today putting wonderful groupings at 100 yards with Federal .223 "Valuepack" ammo. I have never had any problems with this ammo before; but today 2 out of 30 rounds failed to fire.
The primer strikes seemed to be fairly light, and we all agreed it was probably the gun and not the ammo.
My question is would it be a good idea to replace the firing pin spring, or is there something else that should be looked at?
I did put a new SSS tactical bolt handle on before I took it to the range; though I doubt if that would cause it.
Any ideas? ???

[82boy]

Welcome to the site.
You may be over looking things with the new bolt handle, make sure that it is tight, and the screw has not backed out.
I don't the problem is in the spring, and I have never seen one that needed replaced.

[mmargotta]

Thanks for the reply; I just rechecked the bolt and the allen bolt is still rock solid.....
I'm baffled ???

[82boy]

Could be the ammo.

[MikeCTX]

There are lots of folks here that can help more than I can, but wondering if the new bolt handle cams all the way down? If it does not close completely, might need to take a little off the stock. Just to verify you could replace the new bolt handle with the old one and see if there is a difference.

[mmargotta]

Rechecked the handle and it clears the stock perfectly and goes down all the way....
I have an old mauser that had the same problem until I put a new spring in and presto, it was fixed.
Maybe I'll try a new Wolf spring; ...couldn't hurt.

[Smokepole]

If you do wind up swapping, at least stay at the same rate spring. Don't go up, like in a 'speed lock' kit. It's probably not the spring. There's oodles of other things to check first.

[MikeCTX]

"2 out of 30" - before I replaced anything, think I would just shoot some more first. If you just want to replace the spring because you like to tinker that is different, but if was me...only thing I would do is but the old bolt handle back on and see if it fails after 50 rounds, then place the new one on and shoot another 50. If nothing else you got to shoot another 100 rounds and that is always good.

[Three44s]

I'd also look at your firing pin protrusion.

There is a good article here on this ....... you probably have to be a paid member to get it ...... well worth the 12 bucks for a year I might add.

Three 44s

[BillPa]

I'd also look at your firing pin protrusion.

There is a good article here on this ....... you probably have to be a paid member to get it ...... well worth the 12 bucks for a year I might add.




Try this......
http://savageshooters.com/SavageForum/index.php/topic,22691.0.html

[mmargotta]

Thanks, that is an interesting link, if I can't acomplish the adjustment with that info, I think I'll just take it to my local gunsmith to, at least, check the amount of protusion.
Well thanks everyone, I think I will try the bolt handle change-back first and see what happens...... :)

[sharpshooter]

Put the accutrigger back in and see if it still does it.

[Smokepole]

Find anything out yet?

My vote is that the overtravel may be set too little w the Timney. It would stop/cushion the sear on the way down.

[mmargotta]

I won't get to the range till the weekend, if it doesn't rain.
I will try all the suggestions and report back.
The one about the overtravel is interesting! I did set it pretty close. :)

[mmargotta]

OK, I finally got to the range and had my share of misfires again.......
I had re adjusted the trigger overtravel, and backed it off but that didn't seem to do it.
I took some pictures of the primer indents if I can load the pictures in this post, you can easily see how light the hits are on the live round, and how solid the hits are on the fired cases.
The two rounds on the left are live rounds, the two on the right are empty.

I guess my next move is to take the new sss bolt handle off and put the old one back on.
I really hope it's not the Timney trigger..........The ammo works fine in my AR so I doubt it's the ammo.

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f299/mmargotta/misfires/DSC00833DesktopResolution.jpg

[82boy]

http://savageshooters.com/SavageForum/index.php/topic,3598.0.html

[mmargotta]

Thanks, I got picture thing down now! :)

[allan1066]

I took some pictures of the primer indents if I can load the pictures in this post, you can easily see how light the hits are on the live round, and how solid the hits are on the fired cases.
The two rounds on the left are live rounds, the two on the right are empty.



I'm not sure that tells us anything. I think they may all be light strikes except that in ones that have not misfired the recoil will have slammed them back into the boltface and made them look as if they have had normal strikes.

I would also think about cheacking your headspace, have you had a barrel change recently? I would take a live round and stick a couple of layers of sticky tape on the base and try and see if you can close the bolt. If it does close you may have excessive headspace that might not show up with reloaded/fireformed cases.

[mmargotta]

I will try that! thanks

[dolomite_supafly]

Try loosening up the overtravel screw a bit. I have noticed on factory 3 screw triggers that if it is set a little too tight the sear can drag enough to cause misfires. Because the Timney is nothing more than a suped up version of the factory trigger it might have the same problems. I really do suspect it is in the adjustments of the trigger more than anything else.


Dolomite