Help with a REM 721 firing pin spring

[bomberodevil]

Hi all, I recently inherited my father's 1952 Remington 721, in .270. I actually did some load development and it's shooting Nosler BT 140 gn sub .500 moa. My goal is to have my grandkids, his great-grandkids, use this for their deer rifle.

Although it shoots fine, I thought I would put a new spring in the bolt, being the original is 70 years old. I bought the spring from Brownell's, and watched some videos on how to replace the spring. The steps look fairly easy but I can't get the pin out. I haven't used a lot of hammer force but it certainly isn't just tapping out. Any thoughts before I turn to an expert? Thanks in advance!

 

[swe123]

Try some Kroil.

 

[shortgrass]

You need to remove the firing pin assembly completely! That includes the bolt shroud. Unscrew the bolt shroud out of the bolt and the firing pin comes with it. After removal, the simplest way is to use a spring compressor and slightly compress the spring enough that the pin that holds the cocking piece on shows where you can get a pin punch on it, and then drive the pin out. If you don't have the spring compressor, you're screwed. Seek professional help that has the proper tools.

 

[bomberodevil]

You need to remove the firing pin assembly completely! That includes the bolt shroud. Unscrew the bolt shroud out of the bolt and the firing pin comes with it. After removal, the simplest way is to use a spring compressor and slightly compress the spring enough that the pin that holds the cocking piece on shows where you can get a pin punch on it, and then drive the pin out. If you don't have the spring compressor, you're screwed. Seek professional help that has the proper tools.

I've got the spring compressed, and I've got access to the drift pin. You can see on my second and third photos attached. I just can't get the pin to budge. I've soaked it with penetrating oil, and I actually broke a pin punch already.

 

[Monster Toms]

Have you tried driving it from both sides?. Some will drive one way easier than the other.

 

[shortgrass]

I've got the spring compressed, and I've got access to the drift pin. You can see on my second and third photos attached. I just can't get the pin to budge. I've soaked it with penetrating oil, and I actually broke a pin punch already.

You MUST remove the entire assembly from the bolt! I see your pics. It will not work the way you are trying to do it. Take my word for it! I am a graduate of Montgomery Community College 2yr gunsmithing program and have 30yrs of bench experience, and I've assembled/dis-assembled a gagillion Rem 721 and 700 firing pin assemblies. If , by some slim chance, you should ever remove that pin the way you have it, you'd never get it reassembled again without the spring compressor and the bolt shroud/firing pin assembly removed from the bolt........ I see the 'nice' hammer hits on the bolt shroud, too! The way you're trying to go about it, you're just peeing in the wind and will do more damage than you've already done.

 

[bomberodevil]

You MUST remove the entire assembly from the bolt! I see your pics. It will not work the way you are trying to do it. Take my word for it! I am a graduate of Montgomery Community College 2yr gunsmithing program and have 30yrs of bench experience, and I've assembled/dis-assembled a gagillion Rem 721 and 700 firing pin assemblies. If , by some slim chance, you should ever remove that pin the way you have it, you'd never get it reassembled again without the spring compressor and the bolt shroud/firing pin assembly removed from the bolt........ I see the 'nice' hammer hits on the bolt shroud, too! The way you're trying to go about it, you're just peeing in the wind and will do more damage than you've already done.

I'll take a look at it tomorrow, thanks. I'm following the instructions I found online, but it's not working so something is different. Btw, those aren't my hammer hits on the shroud, I do have a bit more skill than that. Not much, but more than to miss the punch.

 

[ShtrRdy]

I'll be interested on how to do this.

 

[shortgrass]

First, I am going to use this tool, that fits across the bolt shroud and hooks on the cocking piece, to remove the spring tension so I can back the firing pin assembly out of the bolt. It has a right hand thread (the bolt shroud).

 

[shortgrass]

Here is my home made spring compressor. There are several versions of this tool and they may not all look alike, but they all serve the same function.

 

[shortgrass]

Here's the firing pin/ bolt shroud assembly removed from from the bolt body. The second pic is the firing pin/bolt shroud assembly screwed into the spring compressor.

 

[shortgrass]

Using the spring compressor, compress the spring enough that the pin holding the cocking piece on the firing pin can be driven out. I use a short, "starter punch", to at least get the pin moving. After the pin is out remove the cocking piece. The cocking piece should be a snug fit on the firing pin.

 

[shortgrass]

And there it is in parts, where the spring can be changed out for a new one. Assemble in reverse order.

 

[shortgrass]

Some gunsmithing tasks look to be simple, and they are if you have the proper tools. Not everything can be done with a punch, hammer and a few screw drivers. IF you could ever get the pin out that holds the cocking piece on with out the use of the spring compressor (Like show in your pics), it'd be near impossible to get the assembly back together again without the spring compressor. I did try to not use the tool I showed in the 1st pic, and just hook the cocking piece on an edge, pull on the bolt and use a dime between the cocking piece and the shroud, but even with the firing pin fully compressed there was no gap to insert the dime (or anything else!) so the firing pin/bolt shroud assembly could easily be removed from the bolt body.