Another question aboit my early 760...

[tommag]

Back again with another question. My 760 is an eyarly model. Looking at the schematic from gpc, it shows a firing pin spring. I didn't have one. I received one from Jack First. It slips into the bolt carrier, but I can't get the bolt to seat all the way in the carrier with the spring in place.
Did the earliest ones not have a spring? This is a serial #69630.
Thanks in advance.

[tommag]

Oops, I used the wrong terminology. It's called a bolt carrier spring, not firing pin spring.
When I measure the depth of the carrier vs the length of the bolt, there is only .005 difference, not enough room for the spring. I think it wasn't supposed to have the spring, but I welcome input from someone who knows, as opposed to me just guessing.

[knifemaker]

tommag; I checked my Numrich Gun parts corp. catalog and checked their schematic for the Rem. 760. They do list and show as item # 9 a bolt carrier spring. They sell it for under 2 bucks. You can go to the Brownells web site and they have schematics that you can bring up on your computer and check it for the parts you are interested in. Numrich Gun parts Corp. also has a web site you can check. Could their be a possibility that you have the wrong spring and that is the reason it does not fit?

[tommag]

The Numrich catalog schematic is what I have, too. The diameter of the inside of the carrier matches pretty close to the diameter of tspring. The rear of the bolt won't fit inside the spring, so if the spring was the wrong one, the wire size of the spring would have to be VERY small in order to go over the rear of the bolt. There isn't enough room for the spring to fit below the bolt in the carrier.
Since there wasn't a spring there when I bought it, and there appears to be a few changes over the years to this model, I'm thinking this one wasn't designed to have the spring.
I think I have it figured out, but would like to know for sure.

[CJR]

Tommag,

My 760 did not have a firing pin spring. This is what happened to me with my 760. I was deer hunting alone from a remote cabin in very cold temperatures. At the end of hunting one day, I decided to unload my rifle and lock it into the back of my 4x4 so that it wouldn't fog up the next day coming out of a warm cabin. I remember placing the 760 into the 4x4 with the muzzle slightly down before I locked the 4x4. Next morning, single digit temps, I removed the rifle and loaded a mag, pointed it in a safe direction and chambered a round. Bang! What the h---! I thought maybe I had hit the trigger. Chambered another round and Bang again. I then realized the firing pin had gone forward as the 760 was placed, muzzle slightly down, into my 4x4 and then froze forward because of residual oil. Put the 760 in the cabin to thaw out and hunted that day with my revolver. That night I cleaned out any residual oil.

After hunting, I pulled the 760 down and realized it had no firing pin spring to keep the firing pin back until fired like a 1911. Contacted Remington and got no response. Then I fitted a spring to the firing pin and all was well with my "meat gun". IIRC I used a spring either from a 1911 or Charter Bulldog and had to slightly ream for the spring. But it works perfectly and I feel a lot safer. Lessons learned? Safe muzzle direction always apply, always clean out all oil and use dry lubricants in cold conditions, and never use a gun with a free floating firing pin in cold conditions. Hope my 760 experience helps you.

Best regards,

CJR

[tommag]

The spring First sent me actually doesn't seem to do much for the pin, it is the same diameter as the rear of the bolt. I do have a spare lightweight main spring for a bulldog. Too many light strikes with it, and I put the stock one back in. I'll take a look when I get back home and see if I could make that work.
Thanks for the benefit of your bad experience.

[Wolfer]

I too appreciate that story. I hunt a lot with a first year manufactured 760. Never had an issue but this is good to know.

[John Boy]

Mine is a 458xxx and don't have a clue if it has the spring. Still works