[retrodog]

I had the tip of a firing pin break off the other day. Afterwards I realized that it was from a Coharie that I purchased back in 2008. Upon closer examination of break, it looked like weak metal. So I replaced it with another one I had from another gun. When browsing around and looking for a quality replacement, I ran across a titanium version (US made) on HKParts.net. Kind of expensive but states that it is strong enough to last a lifetime, maybe two.

Does anybody have any personal experience with this. Is it on the up-and-up or just snake oil? I'd like to keep the stock FP with the whole bolt assembly that came with the SP5k so I wanted to get something to use with the altered FA group that I'll be using in the gun most of the time. I located a nice replacement last night, digging through my parts that I got from HKParts.net a few years back. Don't know if it's US or German made though. I'm sure it's better quality than the one that broke, but not positive. Looks like stainless steel. But that's the color of the Titanium version too. So I weighed it to see and it's just as heavy as the other steel one I have, so no.

 

[hkshooterusp]

Ti is not a good idea for a firing pin in spite of what marketing will tell you. Most of the marketed benefits are true (and subsequently useless to a MG) until you get to the longevity claims.
Ti does not lend itself well to the type of hammering, beating, work hardening that firing pins go through. I recommend sticking with good old HK steel German firing pins for all MG applications.

And yes, I've seen a broken Ti pin that had less than 40 rounds on it. Heard of but not seen a couple of others.

 

[K5GHOST]

From a personal and mechanical experience working on Aircraft, I would NOT want a titanium as a firing pin (requires constant and rapid punching, metal again metal). Its too soft of a metal when there are steel options. If weight is a selling point, don't be fooled. Your already talking about a part on a gun that weighs hardly nothing no matter the material its made from.

 

[AGG]

Quality component/processed steel!!! :biggrin:

Tony

 

[K5GHOST]

Quality component/processed steel!!! :biggrin:

Tony

Off subject, "Roll Tide"!

 

[AGG]

Off subject, "Roll Tide"!

Exactamundo!!! :biggrin:

Tony

 

[GPSIG]

The reason to make a firing pin out of titanium is weight, when you don't want it to have enough inertia to overcome the firing pin spring if the weapon is dropped on its muzzle and there isn't a positive FP safety -- think 1911 vs Glock. Or when you want faster lock time. Ti is weaker than steel and heavier than aluminum, so good for specific tasks (but not generally firing pins). As others have noted, in this case quality steel is the answer.

 

[K5GHOST]

The reason to make a firing pin out of titanium is weight, when you don't want it to have enough inertia to overcome the firing pin spring if the weapon is dropped on its muzzle and there isn't a positive FP safety -- think 1911 vs Glock. Or when you want faster lock time. Ti is weaker than steel and heavier than aluminum, so good for specific tasks (but not generally firing pins). As others have noted, in this case quality steel is the answer.

well said and good analogy.

 

[leibstandarte10]

I too had the tip of my Bobcat Weapons firing pin break off. I replaced with HK German, all has been well since.