Steel grade for sxs firing pin?

[Big Mat]

I've just bought a gun with a broken firing pin, have got all the dimensions from the other pin and can easily get one machined at work. 

I don't know what grade of steel or stainless to use? I was thinking of one of the harder steels, we've got quite a variety in stock. 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks

Mat

[Ferretlurcher1970]

Silver steel 

[ditchman]

i would suggest using an O1 tool steel.....cut and turn it down....check for fit then harden...quench in oil.....polish then heat it gently to nearly a blue colour....it will be nice and hard but not too hard and will allow a tiny bit of flex...and not too hard to damage the hammer

[Old farrier]

To heat your fireing pin get a inch square block of mild steel heat it up to red hot remove heat source and place your pin onto the block darkened room you can see the culor far easier hope this helps 

all the best 

of

[old'un]

I have made a few firing pins out of Silver steel, works perfectly so long as you get the hardening and tempering correct, as ditchman said, after hardening polish and temper to a blue colour, use the suggestion by old farrier but don't get your tempering block to hot as you want a slow temper, if you have access to a furnace you can do a proper job on the heat treatment and tempering.

[London Best]

As old’ Union, I have always made firing pins from silver steel by this method.

Never known one break.

[Big Mat]

Thanks, I'll get onto it next week when I'm back in.