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Source for Tokarev firing pins

5K views 20 replies 9 participants last post by  UPdownLoAD 
#1 ·
My dad joined the Tok'r club recently but is having to pull the hammer back on his Romanian Tok at least once per magazine worth. I took it completely apart for a full cleaning and saw that his firing pin is MUCH shorter than mine (that doesn't sound right to me for some reason lol!). His is also a grey color while mine is black.

So he needs a firing pin. Good sources? I might even purchase a few extra if it's a common problem.

Thanks!!
 
#4 ·
#3 ·
A good gunsmith could easily make one. Call around your area.
 
#6 ·
No dice. He fired off 100rds today and almost every other round didn't go off. We tried different ammo previously, in fear of hard primers, but that didn't help.

When I installed the new firing pin, it looked just a double-hair length longer, so I guess it wasn't enough. I hate returning anything to Numrich since they've never done me wrong, but this may go back.

Any other suggestions? The firing pin spring looked in great shape and I made sure that the well where the spring/pin sits was clean and lubricated.
 
#7 ·
With both pins side by side, does the notch for the "firing pin retaining pin" line up on both? Could the notch be not wide enough and be stopping the foward travel of the firing pin? I have two pins, one chinese, one made in America that I hope to try soon. Just have not had the time to replace and test fire. Let us know what you find out, and good luck.
 
#10 ·
I will be getting the slide back from my father probably later today, so I will compare. All I can tell you now is that the pins seemed identical prior, with the new pin only but 2 hair lengths longer. Both were made out of a grey material, similar to the color of a non-refurbed CZ-52.
 
#11 ·
My dad joined the Tok'r club recently but is having to pull the hammer back on his Romanian Tok at least once per magazine worth.
My Romanian has been doing the exact, same thing. It wasn't doing it for the first several trips to the range. Have ordered that $19 firing pin.
 
#12 · (Edited)
I have done some work with Tok firing pins, I made a new one shorter so that it operates as an inertia pin as in a 1911, this worked very well with reloads using CCI550 Magnum primers, it worked marginally with M42 military small pistol primers, all fired but small primer indents, would not fire small rifle primers.

I don't see much data on capabilities of various primers to hold high pressures, but the 42000 psi pressure is pretty high to use small pistol (commercial) primers, being intended to use in small handguns (32ACP, 380ACP) normally using 18,000 psi pressures. The M42 primers are to a military spec for the NATO 9x19 which is loaded to 38,000 psi, probably OK for the Tok loads.

I have been able to verify that the firing pin length, that is the amount it penetrates into the chamber, is fairly critical. I think this is because the cartridge headspaces on a rather poorly defined shoulder rether than on a rim or sharp case mouth, and is typically driven further into the chamber by the firing pin, The original Tok pin (Russian) penetrates .065, a new pin having the stop groove limiting penetration to .035 doesn't fire any primers.

I am going to try moving the edge of the retaining pin groove to permit the pin to penetrate further to see if it will fire on inertia, that would not be a true inertia pin, so is only an experiment. I also need to point out that all these tests were on new or once-fired resized primed Starline cases with primers only, the added weight of a bullet in the case might affect the way it fires. I was hopeful about the inertia only, but thinking obout the 1911 45 caliber, I realized that it is an 18-20,000 psi cartridge and the large pistol primers might not be suitable for high pressures either. So probably using an inertia pin with really high pressure cartridges is not desirable.

The short version of that is that if one really wants to carry the Tok, the only practical option is to depend on the half-cock stop, I have no contact with any of the aftermarket addded safeties, but what I have heard about them doesn't inspire confidence
 
#14 ·
I installed the firing pin I got from Numrich and tried the pencil test. The pencil barely moved, whereas on my other handguns it pops out of the barrel completely. I also think the groove in the pin doesn't extend back quite far enough.

I'm also eagerly awaiting the results of your test.

Bryan
 
#15 ·
Quick update:

First off, I spent about an hour Googling firing pins, and from seeing the difference, I'm convinced that Numrich is sending Chinese firing pins. So I was thinking it's time to bring the dremel out.....

Took the pin out and looked down the hole- cosmo still in there. Took a bit, but I think I got it all out of there. So I didn't do anything with my dremel and I assembled and test fired with a spent cartridge and it's defiantly pushing the primer further. Tomorrow will be the test if I have time.....
 
#16 ·
Tried to order the FP from Numrich, but it looked like they're out of them -- that's why I ordered from Gun Parts Warehouse.
 
#19 ·
No dice.

Fired it today, made little to no difference. Out of 40 rds, it only fired 2 rounds consecutively without having to pull the hammer back.

So I have two quick ideas to make this firing pin work (because it looks like it SHOULD when the firing pin spring and retaining pin are not inserted): either shortening slightly the firing pin spring or dremel the back part of the groove slightly. Short of that, I give up.

A buddy made me an offer on my dad's Tok the other day when my dad was having problems, and I think my dad is going to sell it tomorrow. So this mess will be behind us, but I really would like to sell it to him working or at least know what can be done for future reference (other than ordering a new production pin from GPW, of course).
 
#21 ·
Yup, my dad got the problem taken care of by selling it :) He told the buyer it needed a new firing pin. And then he purchased a hand-picked Tok from a local dealer with 2 mags and holster for $220 OTD :)3

I sent the firing pin back to Numrich last week....
 
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