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Gunsmithing Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

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Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Dec 30, 2007
244
1
Cascade Mountains
Hi,

I dry fire on a regular basis and the tips break off my Remington 700 firing pins (about every 4-5 thousand dry fires is my estimate). This happened with the factory pin and two replacement pins I purchased from Pacific Tool and Gauge.

Is this normal? I don't see any obstructions, abnormalities, etc. with my bolt.

Thanks...
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

Dude....

That's a LOT of dry firing.
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

I dry fire every chance I get. The clicking sound drives my wife nuts though. I work from home and often dry fire during long boring conference calls.
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

You must be an expert dry fire-er by now......
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

I signed up for the SH online training and they really emphasize the benefit of dry firing. I believe it's helped.
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

Except for the firing pins going tits up every 5K.....
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

Maybe get a snap cap. They do wear out so replace as necessary. Make a dummy load and paint it orange, fill the primer area with silicone or use a pencil eraser trimmed and glued in the primer hole. It will absorb the shock and will help the pin last a while longer.
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Badshot308</div><div class="ubbcode-body">That's good advise. As a kid I used to make snap caps out of empty cases with the tough rubber from hockey pucks in place of the primer. </div></div>

That sounds like a good idea. I dry fire from time to time but I bet I havent done it 100 times in a year.

Good God thats alot of dry firing!
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

I keep the rifle on my desk. I put the phone on mute when somebody is going through a long spiel and I just click away. Or when I get writers cramp, I just dry fire and it clears my mind.

At least I can say I'm in the upper percentage of something!
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: highridge1</div><div class="ubbcode-body">LOL some people wholy sh-t ! </div></div>

Mentioned this to my 15 year old in this exact context:

"This dude on here has dry fired his 700 15,000 times without a snap cap and can't figure out why it's cost him three firing pins....."

The kid shook his head and said, simply, "W..o..w".

Guess I'm not alone in my reaction....

Not trying to be heartlessly "mean" to the OP, but after 5K and the first pin it shoulda started to at least dawn on him what might be going on there. Dry firing doesn't hurt anything within a sensible amount of something called reasonable common sense, but even firing pins have their limits too.....
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

dissed by a 15 year old... stone cold
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

OK...I'm the self-effacing type so I don't mind a bit of ribbing. But I really don't need to know what some 15 year old thinks. I know the inference is I don't have any common sense, am an idiot, etc. When somebody posts a legitimate question and they receive responses like that it dumbs down the forum IMHO.

But seriously: When dry firing was discussed on the SH online training, the conscensus was dry firing would not break anything. There was no need for snap caps. Well, I've broken three firing pins. Either:

1) There is something wrong with my rifle or the replacement firing pins. Should a firing pin last longer even without a snap cap? I don't know - that's why I'm posting here. If somebody out there is dry firing even more than I am and has not had any problems I'd certainly like to know. I already received a PM indicating I may have a bolt timing issue and/or should try a lightened firing pin. So maybe there is an issue with my rifle?

2) Those who say you don't need snap caps are wrong. Or maybe you don't need a snap cap if you only casually dry fire. Well I dry fire a lot.

I'm inclined to believe #2 but posted my experience given the possibility of #1. At the end of the day I'm trying to capitalize on the cumulative knowledge of the SH.

 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sacshooter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">OK...I'm the self-effacing type so I don't mind a bit of ribbing. But I really don't need to know what some 15 year old thinks. I know the inference is I don't have any common sense, am an idiot, etc. When somebody posts a legitimate question and they receive responses like that it dumbs down the forum IMHO.</div></div>

He gets actual real trigger time on a range that is practically in our back yard, and to date has smoked 15 whitetails in only four years of hunting with rifles and muzzleloaders. Just this morning, out coyote hunting, we were above our current 700 yard range running the laser, glassing target locations, and making plans...with a little tree work we found a 1200 yard max for the new range, with many more intermediate options than before. Him tripping a trigger there, more than occasionally, is a given. In a head to head against some desk jockey who dry fires his rifle busted...my money is on the 15 year old.

Just because you invent a question to ask doesn't mean it's legitimate......

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sacshooter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
But seriously: When dry firing was discussed on the SH online training, the conscensus was dry firing would not break anything. There was no need for snap caps. Well, I've broken three firing pins.</div></div>

No doubt the consensus never broke three firing pins in a row....simple logic, that.

Rock on, but I'm betting there's a point of diminishing returns when it comes to dry firing....I'd rather send live rounds down range myself, and not waste ALL my time just clicking a rifle.

YMMV...obviously.
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

Tripwire,

Dry firing is the next best thing to live fire. Its also easy to diagnose problems in your position and technique when dry firing.

Are you contributing to this thread? You obviously have not subscribed to the online training. If you had, you might understand why he dry fires so much.
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

Obviously not contributing what you Super Sniper Ninjas want to read.

Carry on.....
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

Dryfiring is ok, a lot like rubbing one out - but if you do it 50 times a day something is going to brake
smile.gif
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

Tripwire,

I think I will continue to listen to the professionals at Rifles Only who <span style="text-decoration: underline">get paid</span> to teach people how to shoot. When your shooting resume is as impressive as theirs, I'll listen to what you have to say......

That being said, maybe a snap-cap is the solution.
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: shadow4</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Tripwire,

That being said, maybe a snap-cap is the solution. </div></div>

So with that you really are agreeing with me that excessive dry firing without one is likely the cause of the OP's multiple pin breakage.....

My skin is pretty thick so I'll easily look past the insult to my shooting ability, though I see not a hell of a lot of relevance to the subject, in the context of the subject. Last I checked this was a "discussion" about dry firing breaking pins, not the benifit, or not, of dry firing to hone shooting prowess.

But since you wanna play that game, keep moving forward, someday you will reach the point of graduating to live ammo for practice.

It'll be a grand day for you, be sure to take some pics....
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

While I'm lucky enough to live on 10 acres next to the National Forest with my own private 100 yard range, I've learned that it doesn't pay to shoot live rounds if it masks an issue with one's technique. I regularly shoot out to 1K and could shoot every day if I wanted to, but I choose to dry fire.

Why?

In my case, I was simply taking too long to make the shot. When I get the shot off I'm a solid half MOA shooter, but I was taking FOREVER. I realized that it was hesitation due to anticipation of recoil. However, I didn't have the problem in competition when the pressure to make 3 well placed shots at 1,000 yards in 60 seconds overcame my hesitation. I realized the problem was in my head.

Taking the advice of Lowlight and crew I told myself I would dry fire until any hesitation went away - even in a calm environment. Well three firing pins later I can say I've overcome the problem. In one of the online training sessions it was stated that it could take up to 9,000 dry fires to change a bad habit. So that's why I dry fire as much as I do.

In addition to regular dry firing, I also plan to do more small bore shooting with my Anshutz 1813. I also have an air rifle I have not shot in years - need to get that out.

Meanwhile I'll put together a snap cap and see how things go. I'd still like to hear from somebody with a Remington 700 who dry fires as much as I do. Are you having the same problems that I'm having? If you are not breaking firing pins that would tell me something. If you are breaking firing pins, that would tell me that nothing is wrong with my bolt.
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

How much you dry fire, and for what reason, isn't the issue dude...you might want to back off the defensive about that. Not everyone is a natural at shooting, and some absolutely have to work out the head issues to become proficient. It's the same as anything else that requires hand/eye coordination. Shooting is a skill, it comes easily to some folks, some not. If it takes 1000 dry fires, or a million, it's all about how bad you want it. My kid is one of those naturals on the trigger...and he's one hell of a Linebacker too.

That said, the issue I see pertaining to YOUR topic that you queried here, is that you blindly expect a mechanical device to hold up after repeatedly "abusing" it to the tune of around 5,000 times, until it broke. I say "abuse" because a firing pin was ONLY MEANT to strike a primer to ignite it. Despite most folks having enough luck dry firing one, without much if any damage, it wasn't specifically designed to do that...and in my humble opinion certainly NOT THAT much.

A firing pin is a combination of hardened metal, speed, and tight tolerances...it's job is simply to light a primer, which is a cushioned blow not an abrupt hardened metal to hardened metal STOP as happens with a dry fire. Vibration and impact are the worst enemies of metal, especially hard metal. Clicking your rifle 5000 times put all the vibration and impact of one dry fire into that pin X 5000...it's no great surprise to me that it finally broke.

To quantify the number of dry fires a pin can "take" is an exercize in the rediculous...because at some point it's going to break; and that point is far beyond what common sense, and a little preventative thought, would have averted in the first place. What surprises me, and thus generated my response, is that you didn't get it after the first pin broke; and went on with two more firing pins completely oblivious to what might be going on.

I see a wonderful little snap cap on Midway for a measely 10 bucks that would have solved your problem with the first broken pin had you the ability to think for yourself. That you are willing to forgo the cost of one $10 snap cap in favor of the cost of three firing pins ($60+) based on blind allegience to the Dry Fire Gurus tells me (and to your vexation my 15 year old) that you have more money than brains.

Peace, out..........
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

I would use one fire pin assembly for dry firing only and lighten the spring considerably so it dosen't happen again.

After 3 you should know how to change them out.
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

Tripwire,

My response wasn't directed at you. Maybe you're being a little defensive? Your son sounds like a fine boy - seriously. My son is 14 and a good shot and from what you've described your son would make a good role model. However, you brought your son into the conversation - not me.

Yes I understand that dry firing broke my firing pin, but like many of the obsessive compulsive activities associated with precision shooting, I only wanted to find out how my mean time between failure (MTBF) compares with other shooters. All I wanted was a point of comparison. Sure, it's an academic question, and I was hoping to discuss the topic without a bunch of sophomoric responses.

So my small contribution to the cumulative knowledge of the Hide is this: In my experience, the MTBF of a Remington 700 firing pin is about 5,000 rounds of dry firing.
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

Jim,

Excellent idea! I was thinking of dry firing with an already broken pin, but I didn't think about lightening the spring.

It also provides an extra margin of safety for dummy round drills as a live round would never fire. Another reason why this is an excellent idea.

And yes, I'm quite good at changing the pins out. I use the boot lace technique that Lowlight demonstrated on one of his videos - no special tools required.

Thanks!
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

You first took umbrage with my kid likely thinking your windage is off a couple clicks for not grasping the concept before it became a problem. So, if you want to nitpick who's being defensive....

Package this any way you want so you can sleep better at night, but a ten dollar snap cap would have avoided this thread and the need for over sixty dollars worth of firing pins.

Not really sure what your aversion is to snap caps...seems sorta silly to me.

On the bright side, if 15,000 dry fires is what finally taught you how to trip a trigger properly then by all means consider it money well spent.....
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

Interesting the comments here, its my understanding that people like David Tubb & Robbie Latham advocate 60 to 100 dry fires for every live round shot... and that much of their competition practice is done dry. Now I could be wrong, but properly executed dry firing is an outstanding way to build muscle memory.

Building a fresh neural pathway takes about 3000 repetitions, fixing a bad habit takes about 9000 repetitions. Dry fire is the best way to accomplish this.

Now to the OP, give me your address and I will send you a check to replace the firing pins as per our standing offer of replacing any firing pin damaged by dry practice.
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

when you replace the firing pin, keep the broken one and use that for the dry-fire practice... they are pretty easy to change out with a tool, or there are a few methods discussed on here that make it easy with stuff you have laying around.

DD
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

Lowlight,

Now that's a generous offer and quite unexpected. Instead of a check, I need some different ends for my TAB sling. That would be a win/win for both of us and cost you less money. I'll PM you the details.

One of these days I hope to make it out to your facility.
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

Where is the pin breaking? Alot can be out of alignment on a factory bolt. The front flat face of the firing pin should squarely contact the bolt inside. It sounds like your pin may be contacting elsewhere. Mark it up with a magic marker and dry fire it to see where its contacting.

If you want to lessen the impact simply close the bolt partially ( just enough so it will fire and no more ) the cocking piece will ride down the cam on the bolt. Close it too far and the cocking piece will impact and damage the bolt cam surface. If your dry firing this much make sure you put some lube on the threads of the bolt shroud and grease the lugs. The cocking pressure alone can gall the lugs if you let them get dry.

Develop your technique so you know when the rifle will go off without disturbing the sight picture.
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

I've broken two firing pins via dryfiring in the past year. One on my 223ai (right before the bash), and one on my 6.5x47 (since sold). My gunsmith stopped using gre-tan pins on my rifles specifically because of this. Both broke at the same spot.
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

DemoSam,

My pin is breaking right where the tip meets the shaft of the firing pin. The whole tip is breaking off. I'm going to mark my new pin up and see what I find.

Thanks for the input.
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

The red plastic snap caps with spring inside and brass bases are not good, the plastic will crack (on both mine this happened without a lot of use)

Can anyone comment on the dark red aluminun ones, they look like they would hold up better
 
Re: Rem 700 firing pin keeps breaking

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sacshooter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">JPipes,

Where did your pin break? Just the tip?

Thanks</div></div>

Just the tip, right were yours is breaking.
 
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