Remington #4

[cwtebay]

Howdy all, I have a Remington #4 that I recently purchased for not a lot. It's in pieces, but it's all there. Question is : has anyone ever made a convertible firing pin for a rolling block? I would really like to be able to still shoot 32 RF but also 32 Colt in it if possible.
Thank you.

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[pietro]

.

Yes. BT, DT - But me & Frank DeHaas (aka: Mr. Single Shot) recommend doing so only on a soild (not a takedown) frame.

You will need a 2nd .32RF firing pin to alter from RF to CF.



First, mark the bore C/L onto the breechblock face via dropping a Sharpie down bore.

Second, remove the BB, and then remove the RF firing pin from the BB before drilling the new FP hole through at the mark with a 1/16" (IIRC) bit.

Third, grind the face of the 2nd FP flat, then install it in the BB.

Fourth, using the same 1/16" drill bit through the new center hole you just drilled in the BB as a guide, run the drill in deep enough to (only) mark the newly flattened face of the 2nd FP.

Fifth, while the flat FP is still installed, measure the depth of the hole you just drilled from the BB faced to the flat of the 2nd FP, add 3/16", and write the total measurement down for later.

Sixth, remove the 2nd/flat FP and deepen the marked hole about 1/4" deep for the new CF firing pin.

Seventh, grind the shank off that same (sacrificial) 1/16" drill bit, leaving the shank long enough to equal the measurement you just wrote down.



Before soldering or epoxying the new CF firing pin into the 2nd FP, test fit it to ensure there's FP protrusion from the BB face with the 2nd FP forced forward manually.


It's OK if the tip protrudes from the BB face some, as it will need to be dressed down for the proper protrusion ( about 1/16", IIRC)


With the CF firing pin installed, a .32 Short Colt (Winchester makes some each year) will readily chamber/fire.


.

[cwtebay]

.

Yes. BT, DT - But me & Frank DeHaas (aka: Mr. Single Shot) recommend doing so only on a soild (not a takedown) frame.

You will need a 2nd .32RF firing pin to alter from RF to CF.



First, mark the bore C/L onto the breechblock face via dropping a Sharpie down bore.

Second, remove the BB, and then remove the RF firing pin from the BB before drilling the new FP hole through at the mark with a 1/16" (IIRC) bit.

Third, grind the face of the 2nd FP flat, then install it in the BB.

Fourth, using the same 1/16" drill bit through the new center hole you just drilled in the BB as a guide, run the drill in deep enough to (only) mark the newly flattened face of the 2nd FP.

Fifth, while the flat FP is still installed, measure the depth of the hole you just drilled from the BB faced to the flat of the 2nd FP, add 3/16", and write the total measurement down for later.

Sixth, remove the 2nd/flat FP and deepen the marked hole about 1/4" deep for the new CF firing pin.

Seventh, grind the shank off that same (sacrificial) 1/16" drill bit, leaving the shank long enough to equal the measurement you just wrote down.



Before soldering or epoxying the new CF firing pin into the 2nd FP, test fit it to ensure there's FP protrusion from the BB face with the 2nd FP forced forward manually.


It's OK if the tip protrudes from the BB face some, as it will need to be dressed down for the proper protrusion ( about 1/16", IIRC)


With the CF firing pin installed, a .32 Short Colt (Winchester makes some each year) will readily chamber/fire.


.

Thank you for your description / instructions. I have done exactly what you have described on one rifle! I am actually trying to make a convertible firing pin like Marlin did, I have a fair supply of 32 RF and would enjoy being able to use both RF and CF on this project.

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[uscra112]

Um..., the firing pin of a #4 isn't anywhere near big enough to do it that way! It's virtually identical the the Stevens 1915 Favorites which I have converted.



Only practical way is to modify the breechblock by boring the firing pin channel out to .280, while at the same time offsetting it upward by .040. Now you can make a centerfire firing pin the tip of which is almost tangent to the O. D. The boring-out job requires a boring bar in a milling machine, and has to be done rather delicately. Given how easy it is to swap breechblocks in a #4, I'd do it to a spare, rather than risk the breechblock that's native to the gun. Make a second firing pin for rimfire with a .280 OD if you must have a "convertible". You'd have to lift the breechblock out of the receiver anyway.

"Dropping a Sharpie down the bore" LOL! The way to find the spot for the CF firing pin is to make a bushing that fits the barrel thread, with a 1/16 hole on center. Use that to mark your breechblock.

You can certainly do all this to a takedown model, if you plan to turn it into a solid frame by cross-drilling and reaming for taper pins top and bottom, or soldering it in, or both.

I have not converted my #4, nor will I ever. If I run out of rimire ammo, I will use adaptors which accept 6mm acorn blank as the primer.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/888330018

or search <299153> which is the Lyman mould number from which Jack casts his bullets.

[Drm50]

Right, what he said above. I did a RB 32rf by using another breechblock. It was 32rf also and drilled for CF. I didn’t want to convert a near mint gun with a very nice bore.

[uscra112]

Actually it's worse than I first thought. Laying it out properly in CAD, the offset from .32 rimfire to centerfire is .173", not .140". Measure twice, cut once Glad I never tried to do one from that first sketch.

New drawing, with the conversion of a .22 block added. The offset is only .125", and the firing pin channel becomes .265":

[John Taylor]

I have converted a few #4s to centerfire as well as a few Stevens rifles. My own was a 32 rimfire solid frame with a bad bore so it got a liner and chambered for the 32 S&W short. I started by filling in the old firing pin hole with a piece of steel soldered in place and then drilled for a new firing pin. I use a transfer punch to mark the block for the new firing pin hole. Made a tool to help with the angle for boring. New firing pin was made from spring steel ( part from an old car). The old retainer pin was filled in at the same time as the firing pin hole so a new hole could be drilled for it.