Stuck base pin?

[jphendren]

I went out and shot the Ainsworth today, and came home to clean her up.  I removed the base pin retaining screw, and the base pin will not come out.  I have taken this revolver apart 5-6 times, and it always came out fairly easily, but this time it is stuck.  I do not want to mar the finish getting the pin out, so I am curious if anybody has used one of the Brownell's base pin removal tools?  Any other ideas?

I'm not sure why is got stuck this time, nothing has changed, same load, same everything.

Jared

[Pettifogger]

The Brownells tool is very good quality blued steel.  It has a groove that slips around the base pin and gives you a good surface to pull on.  To get it out right now, just cock the hammer and use a brass drift on the BACK of the pin.  It is visible in the hammer channel.

[jphendren]

Will the blued steel tool mar the blue on the base pin or anywhere else on the gun?  Also, I don't own a brass drift either.

Jared

[Pettifogger]

Here's the puller.  Anytime you rub one piece of steel on another piece of steel there is the possibility of marring the finish.  If you use the tool correctly there should be no problem.  You can get a piece of brass rod at any hobby shop.  Just cut it to the appropriate length.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=10997/Product/COLT_SAA_BASE_PIN_PULLER

[jphendren]

Update:

Last night I got desperate and decided to try one last thing before ordering the tool.  I remembered that steel shrinks when cold, so decided to put the revolver in the freezer for a few minutes and see if that helped.  Well, one problem, cold steel collects condensation.  Anyways, I pulled the cold revolver out of the freezer, and the pin still would not budge    But after a couple of slaps with my palm side of my fingers on the side of the cylinder, it came right out.  I'm not sure why that helped, but it did.  Was it the cold, or the slaps that worked?

Also, I wonder why they did not make the pin puller tool out of something softer than steel?

Jared

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

  Glad to hear you got it out, but I would advise anyone that shoots SAA's to get the base pin puller, I've had mine for years, and use it all the time.

[Pettifogger]

"Also, I wonder why they did not make the pin puller tool out of something softer than steel?"

The lip on the puller goes into one of the grooves on the base pin.  The lip is less than .040" thick.  Softer materials simply wouldn't have the strength to pull a really stuck pin.

[St. George]

When you reinstall - use a light grease like 'Pro Gold'  or 'Lubriplate' on the base pin and you'll likely fix any sticking problem for the future.

And get yourself a brass rod - it'll come in handy.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Adirondack Jack]

You probably had grit like a flake of half burnt powder wedged in there, and yer slap broke it up.

One of the trade-offs of a very preicise cylinder/frame/base pin fit is they  get married easily.  Sloppy ole worn Rugers don't do that.

[Cutter Carl]

I have a small pair of needle nose pliers that have the tips at an angle, wrapped a bit of electrical tape around the tips. Pulls the base pin if needed without any damage to the pin.

[jphendren]

"When you reinstall - use a light grease like 'Pro Gold'  or 'Lubriplate' on the base pin and you'll likely fix any sticking problem for the future."

I always wipe the pin down with some Hoppe's grease before I re-install, and usually it comes out relatively easily.  The flake of powder theory makes sense.  I also have noticed that when I fired bullets lubed with SPG that the pin comes out very easily, compared to after firing bullets with the hard red crayon style lube.

Jared

[Doc Sunrise]

My gunsmith has said be light on the lube because lubricants act like adhesives.  I have used pro gold with great success, and also break free wipes.  The wipes are nice for a very thin coating of break free for firearms being used periodically, but becareful for long term storage, break free will slightly film up after about two years.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

I switched over to Gun Butter a few years ago, and have been more than happy with the results, Gun Butter doesn't attack dust and dirt like most oil's or lube's and it will last for a year before having to be redone, it has smoothed up all the actions on my guns, they also have a lube that is a little thicker that I use on my base pin, and I don't get any stuck pins, but I have gotten use to using my base pin puller, and still use it when taking down my gun, got tired of broken finger nails.


     tEN wOLVES

[Fox Creek Kid]

My gunsmith has said be light on the lube because lubricants act like adhesives...

For general storage that is correct. However, before shooting real BP loads I lube the pin VERY generously with a non-petroleum grease. Bumblin' Bear Grease from October Country works great for this.