I have inconsistent ignition in my '86. About 1 in 20 is a click instead of a bang. The rife has a lawler designed firng pin instead of the original design. It has some sort of inerta/ telescoping kind of deal. I would like to make a new pin that is like the original Winchester/ John Browning design. Any experience with this?

To add some information since yesterday here are some more facts. The hammer end of the firing pin has a telescoping center section that lets a stud rock toward the centerline of the pin. The inside of the bolt has a depression for the rocking stud. Unless the stud is retracted the pin can not move foreward. This spring loaded stud is the only retainer for the rear portion of the pin. No cross pin retainer/stop is used, as on the original '86s and '71s. The center section of the pin is cut away to make a wasp waisted affair. It looks very weak. I am sure this was done to lighten the assembly. It needs to be light as it acts as an inertal pin. It is like a newer M-1911 pistol VS the old style.

My thought is to fabricate a whole new pin, or use an original 86/71 pin, that uses a cross pin through the flat under the locking lugs of the bolt to retain it. The inerta feature will be done away with. Basically reverse engineer it to work as it was originally designed, before the lawyers got at it.

My research indicates this was covered in a back issue of "Rifle" magazine. Might be from as far back as the 1980s. I read issue #210. They are not identified that way anymore so tht makes no sense. Can anyone tell me what issue? I have a buddy with stacks of old "Rifle" magazines.

Nobody has any idea? Can anyone suggest a better forum to post this?

You might want to try the Lever Action Rifles forum here, or at http://leverguns.sixgunner.com/

I have on of the USRAC reproduction with the rebounding hammer, and get light strikes because the hammer starts the rebounding action too soon. I know the fix, but first the house remodel has to get done.