Went to the range and set up. Put two cartridges in the chambers of my double 470. Pulled the front trigger and heard nothing but a loud click. Broke the action and tried again. CLICK! Looked at the breach face and saw that the tip of the left firing pin was broken off. Not a good thing to happen with just a few days before leaving on a hunt.

Got on my phone and called a gunsmith in Houston who repairs doubles. He said to bring it in.

Despite having lots of work in his shop he said he could fix it in time for my hunt.

Dustin Mounts made a new firing pin, hardened it, installed it, and checked the other one as well. Went back to the range to test fire the rifle and found it to be working perfectly.

THANK YOU DUSTIN MOUNTS!

I would bring the fellow a good bottle of scotch.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Muletrain:
Went to the range and set up. Put two cartridges in the chambers of my double 470. Pulled the front trigger and heard nothing but a loud click. Broke the action and tried again. CLICK! Looked at the breach face and saw that the tip of the left firing pin was broken off. Not a good thing to happen with just a few days before leaving on a hunt.

Got on my phone and called a gunsmith in Houston who repairs doubles. He said to bring it in.

Despite having lots of work in his shop he said he could fix it in time for my hunt.

Dustin Mounts made a new firing pin, hardened it, installed it, and checked the other one as well. Went back to the range to test fire the rifle and found it to be working perfectly.

THANK YOU DUSTIN MOUNTS![/QUOTE
It could be worse . I had a firing pin break while zeroing a rifle on the first day of a hunt.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
It could be worse . I had a firing pin break while zeroing a rifle on the first day of a hunt.

Ouch

This world is full of good people and as it should be.

quote:

I would bring the fellow a good bottle of scotch.

A most sensible recommendation...

quote:

Originally posted by BaxterB:

quote:

I would bring the fellow a good bottle of scotch.

A most sensible recommendation...

He did more than that with his post he brought Dustin a lot of future business!

Does anyone have a contact number and/or address for Dustin Mounts! That would be a good contact for another double rifle smith in your rolodex!

Good show Dustin!

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:

quote:

Originally posted by BaxterB:

quote:

I would bring the fellow a good bottle of scotch.

A most sensible recommendation...

He did more than that with his post he brought Dustin a lot of future business!

Does anyone have a contact number and/or address for Dustin Mounts! That would be a good coantact for another double rifle smith in your rolodex!

Good show Dustin!

Rolodex? Type DUSTIN MOUNTS into the search window on your smart phone and get all his contact information, a link to his website, and a map to his shop.

I had to google rolodex

quote:

Originally posted by A.Dahlgren:
I had to google rolodex

You used ROLODEX and GOOGLE in the same sentance. Snort.

quote:

Originally posted by Muletrain:

quote:

Originally posted by A.Dahlgren:
I had to google rolodex

You used ROLODEX and GOOGLE in the same sentance. Snort.

...............................................................

I have never done this myself, and I recognize that the OP was about a firing pin on a double, but I have read recommendations about bringing an extra, top quality firing pin for your bolt action rifle, as well as an extra zeroed scope, on hunts in Africa.

Has anyone here done that? Maybe Ken Royce's "Safari Dreams" book mentioned that, or one of Boddington's books, but I could not find it. It is of course a "redundant systems" or belt-and-suspenders concept. Given the cost of a trip, it makes sense to me.

quote:

Originally posted by Anjin:
I have never done this myself, and I recognize that the OP was about a firing pin on a double, but I have read recommendations about bringing an extra, top quality firing pin for your bolt action rifle, as well as an extra zeroed scope, on hunts in Africa.

Has anyone here done that? Maybe Ken Royce's "Safari Dreams" book mentioned that, or one of Boddington's books, but I could not find it. It is of course a "redundant systems" or belt-and-suspenders concept. Given the cost of a trip, it makes sense to me.

Anjin, the practice of taking a rudimentary set of tools and spare strikers is a very old thing with double rifle hunters of old! This is why the old luggage cases for double rifles had a set of turnscrews, and many of the rifles had trap-door grip caps with an extra set of strikers (firing pins) and a front sight bead. This was necessary, in the old days, when folks went on foot safaris hundreds of miles from a gun smith or spare parts.

It is not a bad idea even today to have a spare set of strikers for your double rifle, and the tools to replace a broken one in the field. I’ve never done it but have always wanted to have an extra set of strikers, and a spare front sight bead made for all my doubles. The trapdoor grip cap could hold both items. I would say if I were to order a new double rifle today I would request a spare set to be made for it at the maker. If they were ever needd in the field the couple hundred dollars they cost could save a multi-thousand dollar safari.

On the scope thing, this is something I have been doing for years! All my big bore bolt and single shot rifles are fitted with quick detach scope mounts, and I take a second scope in a set of rings pre zeroed in along in case I need to change in the field because of a broken scope, or to change for a specialty scope for more light gathering. On all my hunting rifle I have quality iron sights as well. This has saved a hunt on a couple of occasions.

.....................................................................

Great that your repair was fast, and that you could make your
hunt with the rifle that you wanted to use!

I would consider yourself lucky

If that happens during the first day of your hunt you will be well pixxed ..

If it is DG even worse .....