Extended firing pins, are they all the same?

[Wilson Custom Guns]

Hi Guys,
Can anyone advise if there is a difference between the after-market extended firing pins for S&W revolvers?
I wonder if they vary in length or performance.
I have used the Power Custom ones, and they have been OK.

In your experience, is there any advantage in the Apex or C&S versions?

 

[Protocall_Design]

I like the Power Custom ones the best. I have used them for years with excellent results.

I have not used the others much, just have second hand reports on them, so don't know how reliable the info is.

Apex had 2 firing pins, one rounded tip and one pointed tip. They seem to have discontinued the pointed tip one. Apparently it didn't work as well.

C&S had some breakage initially, I think they have that ironed out now.

Any brand of firing pin can break after long enough use, or due to a flaw in the metal. A lot of hammer mounted S&W firing pins have broken over the years, too. It's always a good idea to keep a spare or two in the range bag.

 

[Wilson Custom Guns]

Thanks for the reply,
If i remember correctly there was a thread about the length of the S&W pins, which seemed to vary.
any idea if the extended are all the same length?

 

[Protocall_Design]

They vary from around .500 to around .515. The shortest that works well is .495. Some factory ones are .495, most are shorter. The ideal (to me) is probably in the .505 to .510 range. The Power custom ones are .510 + or - a few thou.

 

[Wilson Custom Guns]

Thanks for the info, I'll see what spec the other ones are.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

The Apex firing pins I've gotten have run .500" long.

The C&S have run .510".

The C&S have been fine in the revolvers I've used them in but on one occasion I had issues with the C&S firing pin sticking in just fired rounds & slow to retract, apparently because it was too long (in that particular gun). A shorter firing pin fixed that problem.

.

 

[Protocall_Design]

All guns are different. There are many variables involved that can affect mechanical performance. Some of them are headspace, endshake, rim thickness, primer seating depth, moon clips, etc. These can all work for you or against you, depending on how all the tolerances either stack up or cancel out. It's the same for all the parts in the gun.

That's one reason it can be difficult to figure out a gun problem over the internet. You can't see what's doing what if it's not on the bench.

 

[Wilson Custom Guns]

In this case the customer's gun is a Performance Center 929 JM, so it has the potential issue of moon-clips.
However, I've tuned up many 625-2 45's and they have always run fine with the same hammer pressure as non-clipped guns. The owner is at the other end of the country so I'm trying to help him at a distance.
I ran out of the Power Custom pins, and need to order some replacements, was looking for guidance as to which to stock.
I'll get a few of each and see what works.
Many thanks for the comprehensive replies