Dented primers Maverick 88

[Guest ryates217]

I recently bought my son a Maverick 88 20ga. When cycling the gun I notice small dents on the primer of the shells. Is this normal that the firing pin may come forward in the bolt a bit when it is slammed shut? The firing pin does not protrude when the action is open. Any help would be appreciated.

[Joe357]

If it truly is the firing pin hitting the primer of the shell that is not normal in any firearm, it could cause an accidental discharge. I would call the manufacturer and not use the gun until this is corrected.

[dcloudy777]

Sounds like you may have a bad firing pin spring.  The firing pin will move forward under inertia if the action is worked vigorously, but the firing pin spring is supposed to prevent it.  If it's a new gun I'd send it back to the factory. 

[Guest ryates217]

Took it apart and noticed that there is no firing pin spring. I guess its a free floating firing pin like the AR15, so like the AR15 I'm assuming small dents on primers a normal.

[LngRngShtr]

the diagrams I have seen show no firing pin spring, therefore it would be a free floating firing pin like an M-1 Garand, AR-15, HK91 etc. and if the bolt is closed fast enough the inertia will cause a slight dimple now if it was a 1911 or something with a sprng I would be very cautious about using it and in either case a good cleaning first is called for  old lube and firing debris can cause a sluggish return on a firing pin sometimes.

 

I own a Mossberg 500 and cant recall a FP spring or dented primers but my AR will do so every time.

 

Joe45 most civilian designs have a firing pin spring but the military designs do away with it in most rifles, one more part to break and they usually run harder primers in their ammo so dimpling isn't a concern in their eyes.

[dcloudy777]

I'm reading a little more... apparently older Mossberg 500s didn't have a FPS, and new ones do.  I can't find out which bolt style the Maverick guns use....

[Oh Shoot]

If it truly is the firing pin hitting the primer of the shell that is not normal in any firearm ...

 

Trust you are reading rest of thread or looking for online reference -- numerous firearms can make slight indentation on primer. It's a common "eek!" from new AR owners who notice it.

 

- OS

[Joe357]

I know what you are talking about SKS's if I remember correctly don't have firing pin springs and do put marks on primer caps can they slam fire "yes". I have personally had it happen to me with a Mossberg pump action I think it was a 500 model but don't quote me it was back in the early 80's on a pheasant hunt, luckily no one was hurt. I found out that it was because it doesn't have a firing pin return spring. Don't no if they changed the design because I never owned another.

[Oh Shoot]

I know what you are talking about SKS's if I remember correctly don't have firing pin springs and do put marks on primer caps can they slam fire "yes". I have personally had it happen to me with a Mossberg pump action I think it was a 500 model but don't quote me it was back in the early 80's on a pheasant hunt, luckily no one was hurt. I found out that it was because it doesn't have a firing pin return spring. Don't no if they changed the design because I never owned another.

 

Any gun can slam fire if the firing pin is in full forward position due to crud in channel or mechanical malfunction.

 

However, there are any number of firearms with floating firing pins that can leave indentation on primer upon chamberbing when in perfect operating condition. Softer the primer, the more likely.  Includes SKS, AR, most AK, Garand, M1A, others.

 

- OS

[TMF]

[quote name="joe45" post="1140090" timestamp="1397827745"]I know what you are talking about SKS's if I remember correctly don't have firing pin springs and do put marks on primer caps can they slam fire "yes". I have personally had it happen to me with a Mossberg pump action I think it was a 500 model but don't quote me it was back in the early 80's on a pheasant hunt, luckily no one was hurt. I found out that it was because it doesn't have a firing pin return spring. Don't no if they changed the design because I never owned another.[/quote] No, a firearm will not slam fire simply because is has a floating firing pin. If that were the case, we would have a whole lotta issues from the tens of millions of AR series and M-16 series rifles in circulation, or perhaps the near half-billion AK pattern rifles around the world. I've seen slam fires before. It was unrelated to the firing pin. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[gregintenn]

No, a firearm will not slam fire simply because is has a floating firing pin. If that were the case, we would have a whole lotta issues from the tens of millions of AR series and M-16 series rifles in circulation, or perhaps the near half-billion AK pattern rifles around the world. I've seen slam fires before. It was unrelated to the firing pin. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

What caused the primer to ignite if not the firing pin?

[TMF]

[quote name="gregintenn" post="1140797" timestamp="1398004499"]What caused the primer to ignite if not the firing pin?[/quote] The hammer that was behind the firing pin. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[LngRngShtr]

set off a few high primered handloads in practice (young and dumb) out of my M-1 quite a surprise once when letting bolt fly home on a chambered round (offhand) and others would just double if loaded into the clip  now I just pull those rejects down and single load using a SLED or a 2 rnd. clip

 

always keep em pointed where people ain't  you just never know