Apex J Frame Firing Pins

[tomcatt51]

You might if it caused your Sig to malfuntion.

This is a perfect example of how internet nonsense snowballs. Please point out where anyone on this thread has said they've had a malfunction.

 

[ogilvyspecial]

This is a perfect example of how internet nonsense snowballs. Please point out where anyone on this thread has said they've had a malfunction.

I can safely say that I didn't, and I know, for an absolute fact
that an Apex product won't ever cause me a malfunction, ever.

Thanks for posting those photos Bob.
My 5 Apex Pins didn't have that coloration right out of the package,
they were much darker and the "oxide" was much thicker / heavier.
This heaviness was why I said, in a previous post, that they had a "grippy" type of feel to them.
Your pins look like mine did after about a minute of polishing and since you mentioned in a previous post
that you hadn't fired your gun much, this confirms my thinking that this "oxide" wasn't going to stay on my pins long.
At least some of it wouldn't........

Here's why I checked the "oxide" on mine to see how it would fare in a firing pin channel.

For years I have cleaned & reconditioned vintage drums (musical type) as well as their related hardware,
working those from the 1930's up 'til today.

While doing this I have to know what type of material I'm working with,
which determines what methods I will use and what my limitations are
so I don't hurt the material, or finish, whichever the case may be, while cleaning & polishing it.

I have worked, brass, titanium, copper, bronze & bronze alloys, stainless steel, die cast,
carbon steel, aluminum (anondized & non), nickle & gold plating, chrome, lacquer, plastics,
paint & painted Drum Co Logo Badges, as well as other types of finishes & coatings.
If it's been used on a drum, or related hardware, in the last 70 or 80 years then I've probably dealt with it.

When I first seen the "oxide" on my pins it struck me as odd and made me wonder
not only what it was, but, more importantly, how robust it was.
When I seen the flakes of "oxide" come off on my paper towel while just working that
first pin lightly by hand I knew that it's adhesion to the parts was minimal and
the first thought that crossed my mind was "where are these flakes going to end up?"

It was then that I decided to remove this "oxide" and when swapping the cleaned pins out for the
two "stock pins" I had already installed I noticed the gouges in the "oxide" down in the notches
that had jagged, sawtooth edges, indicateing a flaking issue.
If these "gouges" in the "oxide" would have had clean, smooth, witness marks then I would
have had at least some indication that the "oxide" was going to wear off in a controlled manner, over time.

Some may not see it this way, that's your opinion, but when I'm putting a part in that's suppose to
increase reliabilty and I know that, based on what I had just seen, part of it is going to flake off
in an area that I try to keep clean, then I consider it a valid concern.
Especially when lives may depend on what I'm doing.

Throughout the course of this thread there have been some who have used
the words, imaginary, overkill & most recently nonsense. Very appropriate terms,
in my humble opinion, when it comes to installing extended firing pins.

I find it nonsensical that I felt the need to address an imaginary problem with a method
that another poster described as, probably overkill.

Sometimes the cure is worse than the disease, and if you don't even have the symptoms........

For the record I'm not sticking with S&W Firing Pins due to the "oxide" issue.
Thanks to Scott it looks as if I removed any concerns I would have had over that.
It was the galling in allglock's photo that took away the added "peace of mind" I was looking for.
When that left, my imaginary need went right along with it.

EDITED to ADD: Where this thread left off, this one begins.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-smithing/233879-s-w-j-frame-firing-pins-frame-mounted.html

 

[photoman]

I just read through the whole thread and realized I've made a good decision all along. I use the stock firing pins in all my Airweights as I have NEVER had a problem with the stock ones.