Got a free Cobra Derringer - Firing pins seem to be hitting the rim.

[TnShooter83]

Yeah it was free, the owner of a local pawn shop tossed it in with a rifle.

He said he had sold it, but the the customer came back in saying it wouldn't fire.

He refunded the money, and gave it to me.

I wouldn't buy one, but free is all ways good, Right?

Now, the problem was that someone had taken the firing pins out of it.

I figured they took it a part to clean and couldn't get them back in.

But once I started looking the previous owner might have had a good reason to "take it apart".

It looks like the firing pins are off alignment and striking the barrel/breech face each time it's fired.

So after repeated firing the firing pin would peen causing firing issues.

I ordered 2 firing pins. ( took Cobra 2 times to get the order right)

I haven't had the chance to shoot it to see if it functions, but I can see that the firing pins

are still going to hit the breech face to some degree.

Notice Dent in bottom barrel at 5'Oclock

Different view

Top barrel is starting to dent at 2'Oclock

Take it for what you want.

But I'm not buying a Cobra firearm any time soon.

But I take a free one....LMAO

Edited June 28, 2011 by TnShooter83

[Guest NashvegasMatt]

eehhhh thats not good

[Patton]

Davis / Cobra will replace it no questions asked. It doesn't matter if your the 20th owner.

[Guest NashvegasMatt]

Davis / Cobra will replace it no questions asked. It doesn't matter if your the 20th owner.

i had one but never used the warranty... i did find a manual though and it reads: "It covers all owners of the firearm, if at any time you are experiencing difficulties with your gun you may send it in for repair. They will not be responsible for corrosion, abuse, neglect, or unreasonable use. "

Based on your pictures... unreasonable use might keep it from being warrantied

[Guest NashvegasMatt]

Davis / Cobra will replace it no questions asked. It doesn't matter if your the 20th owner.

I guess it's worth a try

[TnShooter83]

i

Based on your pictures... unreasonable use might keep it from being warrantied

What is unreasonable use?

Another term for "At our discretion"?

And H3LL yeah, it's unreasonable to use something that doesn't work?

As far as the pics go...

The finish looks bad, but in my opinion it's a bad finish.

It looks like paint (from a spray can).

The outside still looks new how ever.

Honestly, I have no intentions on sending it in to be fixed.

The next time it needs fixed, I'll fix it to the bottom of a trash can.

Or give it to someone else who likes "fixing" things.

I could NOT sell it or trade. I'd have to give it away, or throw it away?

I'm not complaining. I got what I paid for..... Nothing.

I haven't tried it out yet, but will this weekend.

I feel sure it will fire, but for how long? Who know?

Maybe for ever. (doubtful)

All I'm saying is if you have one. You might look to see if yours

is having this same issue. And if it is, I'd fix it before you need it.

Edited June 28, 2011 by TnShooter83

[TnShooter83]

Yeah, they told me that the warranty stays with the gun. Not the owner.

And they did send me the parts for free. Great customer service.

I think that if they put as much effort in to the gun(s) as they do customer service, they might have something.

[Patton]

If you ever decide to quit messing with it, I would be intrested in it possible to build a shodow box for my Dad as he loves those things.

[Guest TnRebel]

What is unreasonable use?

Another term for "At our discretion"?

And H3LL yeah, it's unreasonable to use something that doesn't work?

As far as the pics go...

The finish looks bad, but in my opinion it's a bad finish.

It looks like paint (from a spray can).

The outside still looks new how ever.

Honestly, I have no intentions on sending it in to be fixed.

The next time it needs fixed, I'll fix it to the bottom of a trash can.

Or give it to someone else who likes "fixing" things.

I could NOT sell it or trade. I'd have to give it away, or throw it away?

I'm not complaining. I got what I paid for..... Nothing.

I haven't tried it out yet, but will this weekend.

I feel sure it will fire, but for how long? Who know?

Maybe for ever. (doubtful)

All I'm saying is if you have one. You might look to see if yours

is having this same issue. And if it is, I'd fix it before you need it.

If you decide to get rid of it , send it my way .. I am just starting to get into gun repair as a hoby and would love to give thatone a try .

[Guest nysos]

Yeah it was free, the owner of a local pawn shop tossed it in with a rifle.

He said he had sold it, but the the customer came back in saying it wouldn't fire.

He refunded the money, and gave it to me.

I wouldn't buy one, but free is all ways good, Right?

What pawn shop did you go to? I've been trying to get a list of a couple pawn shops that carry a decent selection of firearms and prices to frequent on a regular basis.

[wjh2657]

I have a Davis Cobra in .38 Spcl and it functions perfect. It does have the trickiest trigger I haver felt on a gun though. It is possible to pull the trigger back and not actually actuate the trigger mechanism. You have to "stroke" the trigger. I don't carry anything that doesn't function simply and every time (I carry a J Frame) so it is just a curiosity in the gun safe.

[Oh Shoot]

Unless firing pin channels are worn out, I'd wager those marks are simply from dry firing with no shell in chamber. I doubt there are precise firing pin stops in them, and the firing pin probably extends farther than the shell rim itself, and without a shell in there, the pins just go as far as they can (ie into chamber wall).

That's the way my Cobra .38 pins work, but of course they simply go into chamber without touching edges since it's not a rimfire.

My guess is if you don't dry fire it without a spent shell in chamber it'll work fine indefinitely with the replacement firing pins.

- OS

Edited June 29, 2011 by OhShoot

[bigwakes]

OS always has the best advice. Never dry fire a rim fire gun. My dad gave me a .22LR revolver because of a similar issue. Looks like it was dry fired plenty on all chambers. I have not tried to shoot it yet.

[Oh Shoot]

OS always has the best advice. Never dry fire a rim fire gun. ...

Well, depends on the gun and how it's made. Many rimfires are fine to dry fire. Anything Ruger makes is, for example.

Cobra makes a pretty crude derringer though; my pins on the .38 don't even extend the same distances into each cylinder --they simply go until they run out of travel, preferably that travel ends at the .38 primer; or in the OP's case, on the rim of a .22 round and not slightly past it into the chamber wall.

And yeah, some older .22 revolvers do the same, ie some of the ones with the firing pin built into the hammer.

- OS

Edited June 29, 2011 by OhShoot

[TnShooter83]

OS always has the best advice. Never dry fire a rim fire gun. My dad gave me a .22LR revolver because of a similar issue. Looks like it was dry fired plenty on all chambers. I have not tried to shoot it yet.

Yeah, I know not to dry fire a rimfire unless the manufacturer says it's ok.

But thanks for the info anyways.

One of the main reason I like Ruger as they thought this out.

Back when I built my custom Ruger 10/22 (Sold now) I bet I had 100's of dry fires on it.

To learn a trigger you have to pull it....Many times.

[TnShooter83]

Unless firing pin channels are worn out, I'd wager those marks are simply from dry firing with no shell in chamber. I doubt there are precise firing pin stops in them, and the firing pin probably extends farther than the shell rim itself, and without a shell in there, the pins just go as far as they can (ie into chamber wall).

- OS

You are correct, they go until they hit something. (shell/ or chamber rim).

There are no blocks that I can see. the firing pins are one piece. No return springs, ect.

They free float in the gun, you can point it down and the pins are in the fired position.

One thing I did notice is that if a person were to close the barrel with the hammer down,

the firing pin(s) will contact the rim. You can actually see the hammer move ever so slightly.

You should have it in the half cocked position when reloading.

Yeah it might say that in the manual. But I don't have a manual.

I'm not a Derringer person, so my knowledge on their working is little.

[Oh Shoot]

...

One thing I did notice is that if a person were to close the barrel with the hammer down,

the firing pin(s) will contact the rim. You can actually see the hammer move ever so slightly.

You should have it in the half cocked position when reloading...

Yes, it's absolutely possible to fire the round by jamming the gun closed if it's not on half cock.

- OS

[LayNLow]

I have recently been given a davis derringer in 22 mag. I noticed the firing pins stuck out at different heights so I took it apart to clean it. When i put it back together it wouldnt close on me. Anyway, long story short I found out the firing pins and the pockets they are in have to go in a specific barrel. Where the case sits has a slit in it for a flathead screwdriver. Mine had to go back together a specific way. That is what I would check first. Try swapping the cups top to bottom (check the firing pin first, see if they poke out equally, if they do keep them on the barrel they are in) and see if it will fix the issue with it hitting the rim of the chamber/barrel.

[TnShooter83]

Update:

I shot it last night. Bottom barrel is a no go, the top worked.

I managed to get the bottom to fire once.

Shot 7 rounds through it and now it doesn't work at all.

You can polish a turd all you want, but in the end it's still a turd.

It's officially labeled : JUNK (or turd)

I shot it at my Grandfather house (only place close to shot)

He saw my throw it in the trash. Now he has it.

But I warned him....hahaa

When it did work, it had a "fareball" come out the end according to my grandfather...

Edited June 30, 2011 by TnShooter83