Help Ruger mini 30 firing pin

[Gabbro571]

Hi everyone and thanks for let me join your community.
I am a recent owner of a Mini 30 and am trying very hard to purchase an oversized firing pin; my problem is that unfortunately living in Germany, no US store ships beyond the US. I know I am asking a lot, but would there be anyone among you willing to purchase the part and ship it to me? Of course, I would pay for everything up front.

 

[DGW1949]

My suggestion would be to buy the appropriate ammo as described in the Ruger owner's manual. Other than that a qualified gunsmith would be able to add enough length to the tip of your present pin to set off the deeper (Berdan) primers which are commonly found in steel-cased 7.62x39 ammo.....If all else fails, look around for some brass-cased Belom, PPU, S&B, or Igman (boxer primed) ammo. Either of those work great in the Mini-30........Hope this helps.

DGW

 

[hittman]

This is why so many of us took a hard pass on the Mini 30 but continue to enjoy things like a MAK-90. Getting one that will reliably cycle all types of ammo is a crap shoot. No pun intended.

 

[DGW1949]

This is why so many of us took a hard pass on the Mini 30 but continue to enjoy things like a MAK-90. Getting one that will reliably cycle all types of ammo is a crap shoot. No pun intended.

As much as I like my own Mini-30, I completely understand what you are saying. There's no telling how many sales Ruger's stubborn refusal to fix that particular shortcoming has cost them over the years. I mean really, it ain't like they have to redesign the whole dern gun. What we are actually talking about here is a mere .007"-.008" increase in firing pin protrusion. Individual owners have addressed that on their own for years without a single negative side effect that I've ever heard of.

DGW

 

[Gabbro571]

My suggestion would be to buy the appropriate ammo as described in the Ruger owner's manual. Other than that a qualified gunsmith would be able to add enough length to the tip of your present pin to set off the deeper (Berdan) primers which are commonly found in steel-cased 7.62x39 ammo.....If all else fails, look around for some brass-cased Belom, PPU, S&B, or Igman (boxer primed) ammo. Either of those work great in the Mini-30........Hope this helps.

DGW

I had also thought about a similar solution, but unfortunately adding material to an original firing pin by welding would go to alter the heat treatment. The only solution would be to find someone privately to ship me the part.

 

[NikA]

I had also thought about a similar solution, but unfortunately adding material to an original firing pin by welding would go to alter the heat treatment. The only solution would be to find someone privately to ship me the part.

No one is going to violate ITAR regulations to ship you a part. ITAR is the reason manufacturers/sellers are not willing to deal with you directly. Only large businesses can afford to be registered to do international business; MidwayUSA and Brownells are two you might check with.

Heat-treating the welded pin might be an option. So would drilling and hard soldering in a new tip.

 

[DGW1949]

I had also thought about a similar solution, but unfortunately adding material to an original firing pin by welding would go to alter the heat treatment. The only solution would be to find someone privately to ship me the part.

A qualified gunsmith will know how to properly re-harden the pin afterwards.

DGW

 

[hittman]

Or pony up the $$ for quality factory BRASS cased ammo if you're having problems with the steel cased stuff.

 

[Gabbro571]

It's not a question of money; it's that I have access to a huge amount of steel-cased ammunition, which is already in my possession. It would bother me a lot if I couldn't use them.