Date with an old girl today

[dverna]

She is 56 years old. Hadn’t touched her for at least 15...maybe 20 years.

An Anschutz .22 sporter. My second rifle. Nearly sold it once....but so glad I kept her.

Shot a bunch of 3/4 to 1 1/2 inch groups at 50 yards using old cheap ammunition. Most about 1 inch. But she is showing her age....remember now why I had left her in the safe long ago.

I got a lot of misfires. Firing pin not making a good dent on the rim. Sent an inquiry to Anschutz to see if they have a firing pin for her. Asked if they have a better trigger group, but not holding out much hope for that.

No model number on her...just a serial number.

Sure brought back a lot of memories of a simpler time. Like the first young girl who shot it. Wonder where Sharon is now.....

[NyFirefighter357]

Mines pre war they don't have any info on it. She still shoots good but she's not pretty.

https://i.imgur.com/xBoFluf.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/sfQecIq.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/wJviQQf.jpg

[elmacgyver0]

Why not just make a new firing pin? Lacking a lathe you could spin it in a drill press and use a file.

[Winger Ed.]

Did you take the bolt apart and clean inside it real well?
I've heard of the grease on the spring also turning hard and slowing the firing pin down.

[NyFirefighter357]

I remember this happened 35 years ago to mine, a friend took a file to the pin. I think he must have brought the shoulder back a little. It's been fine ever since.

[LawrenceA]

Nothing better than playing around with old guns.
Had the privilege of shooting an 1838 Purdey in 70cal a little while back and what a treat!

Anyway be careful of altering the firing pin at all. Especially making it protrude further out as this will only help if it does not already protrude enough and may lead to over protrusion which can/will damage the chamber especially if dry fired. Making it thinner can help but it depends on everything else.
As already mentioned above take a the bolt apart and give it a really good clean. You can check the firing pin protrusion once the bolt is cleaned up but if it used to be reliable I would be hesitant to alter.
Inspect the firing pin especially for cracks or other damage such as burrs (which can slow the strike).
Inspect the spring as this has been under tension since it was first assembled and may have set making it weaker or fatter (rubbing the bolt and slowing the strike) and is the first part to replace if everything else is good. Stretching the spring may get a little more life but probably not a lot and this can cause other issues.
Just remember all the parts work together and a spring that is too heavy can cause undue wear elsewhere.
If the firing pin is flat then a replacement can be made from an old mower blade. Awesome steel and cost usually nothing. Just be real careful as a face full of gas and gunk is no fun.

Good luck with a follow up date!:D

[dverna]

Thanks for the advice guys.

Will give the bolt a thorough cleaning first. Then try filing the pin down a bit to get a sharper edge at the tip.

Here is a picture of it:

250362

And a closer look at the "claw" part.

250363

I doubt I have the skill set to make a new one.

[lead-1]

Went to shoot my old 540x once and the trigger wouldn't pull, actually it was already in the fired position and gummed up tight as a drum. I removed the trigger group and set it in some enamel reducer and by the time I found a small brush it was free as new just from soaking, my two cents would be clean the works out real good and it may work as new.

[Rich/WIS]

Anschutz made and still makes top of the line rifles. Second tour in Germany (88-91) picked up an "Achiever" model youth training rifle with an adjustable butt stock (spacers to lengthen or shorten pull). My kids learned to shoot with it. Came with standard open sights, ramp and bead front and folding rear. Muzzle was also milled parallel to the bore to accept a dovetail target sight if the regular ramp was removed and a target type rear on the dovetail. Forend is wider type and ventilated on the sides. Put a cheap Tasco 1" 4X on it and it is a one holer at 25 yards and not much bigger at 50. Still in my gun safe for the grand kids. Trigger is a bit odd, sort of a two stage with adjustment to lighten the second stage. IIRC got it at the Canadian R&G in Lahr for just over $100 US.

[303Guy]

I would be very hesitant to modify the firing pin in any way. That rifle was designed and built by experts and it did work when it was younger. The firing pin spring was younger too. Replace that first, even if it now fires after cleaning - and having checked the protrusion. It must not contact the breech face. I have an Anschutz 22 hornet with a very light strike. I get around it by using soft/sensitive primers but I should really be replacing the firing pin spring. My gun is also old.

Having said that, I once had an Astra Cadix 22 revolver that did not fire the ammo I had on hand reliably and I did 'sharpen' the firing pin and it did solve the problem. That was a new gun but it never worked well with the brand of ammo I had. It might have work Ok with some other more expensive brands but .... I reduced the firing pin face by grinding it from the bottom, not the sides, so as to concentrate the impact area toward the rim edge. It never misfired again.

[LawrenceA]

What 303Guy said