MK IV Blued Hunter, firing pin question

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Eclectic

Bearcat
Joined
Nov 29, 2024
Messages
3
Location
Las Vegas, NV
Hello!
Over the years I've had countless MK IIs and a couple of MK Is. I got away from shooting for a while and ended up selling them.

I'm getting back into it, and I'm just waiting for the background check to pick up a MK IV Hunter, blued. I've been reading that the firing pins are now titanium and can be prone to light strikes and peening to the back where the hammer hits it.

Do Ruger gurus currently recommend replacing the titanium firing pin with either an original steel or a Volquartsen steel firing pin? If so, which is preferred?
 
I don't recommend modifying any gun.
If a problem arises, the mothership willi fix it for free.

Others here will disagree. A lot LOL.

Welcome to the forum
 
Thanks, I usually limid modifications to changing grips if I don't like the originals, but a firing pin, particularly just changing to an OEM MK I / MK II firing pin seems pretty easy.
 
Welcome to the Forum!!!!!! (And back into guns! :D )

I have to agree with hittman,, in that if there is a problem,, Ruger will fix it. But I'm not sure the firing pins are titanium. If I understand things correctly,, titanium is more expensive than steel, and as such,, would cost Ruger more to use them. With all the cost saving features they prefer,, I have to wonder.
Maybe someone a bit more educated about them than myself can answer that.

But I've not heard of issues with the firing pin.
 
The early mkiv production used steel firing pins that had 2 holes. These were very prone to breaking at the front of the second hole. Bad design that Ruger tried to correct by making lighter weight pins out of Titanium. No breakages that I've heard of, but light strikes are more likely.

The real breakage problem with the original mkiv pins is that they rounded the lower front edge where the hammer hits. This would have been fine if Ruger had extended the rear support in the bolt. But they didn't. So a hit firing pin would drop over the edge of the support and the nose of the pin would lift. Then the fired casing would drive the pin back and the rear moved upward to get back on top of the support. In turn, the front of the pin was slammed down onto the front support. This "back up, front stop" action created stresses that the second hole couldn't absorb.

My personal preference is to use an original mk1-mk3 firing pin. A Volquartsen pin is my second choice. Any Ruger mk4 pin will not be used in my pistols. Breakage is never acceptable, and light strikes are an unneeded nuisance.
 
The early mkiv production used steel firing pins that had 2 holes. These were very prone to breaking at the front of the second hole. Bad design that Ruger tried to correct by making lighter weight pins out of Titanium. No breakages that I've heard of, but light strikes are more likely.

The real breakage problem with the original mkiv pins is that they rounded the lower front edge where the hammer hits. This would have been fine if Ruger had extended the rear support in the bolt. But they didn't. So a hit firing pin would drop over the edge of the support and the nose of the pin would lift. Then the fired casing would drive the pin back and the rear moved upward to get back on top of the support. In turn, the front of the pin was slammed down onto the front support. This "back up, front stop" action created stresses that the second hole couldn't absorb.

My personal preference is to use an original mk1-mk3 firing pin. A Volquartsen pin is my second choice. Any Ruger mk4 pin will not be used in my pistols. Breakage is never acceptable, and light strikes are an unneeded nuisance.
Thank you!
I found and ordered a firing pin used in the MK I, II, and III. After ordering I noticed it didn't say whether it's new or used. Have you heard of Wirthwein Guns? They seem to have a bunch of Ruger MK stuff.
 
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