Double action firing pin system
A firing pin system for a firearm, including a breech block, a firing pin slidably disposed in the breech block and a single firing pin coil spring adapted to both urge the firing pin toward a cartridge in a barrel of the firearm when the firearm is fired and, subsequent to firing, to urge the firing pin back away from the cartridge such that the firing pin does not protrude through a breach face of a breach block of the firearm subsequent to firing.
1. A firing pin system for a firearm, comprising:
(a) a breech block;
(b) a firing pin slidably disposed in the breech block, comprising:
(i) an elongated body portion having a first end and a second end;
(ii) a head section integral to the first end of the elongated body portion and having a larger cross sectional shape than the elongated body portion, said head section having a first end and a second end, said first end having a firing pin nose integral thereto, the second end to receive a first spring stop; and
(iii) a cocking piece integral to the second end of the elongated body portion;
(c) a coil spring surrounding the body portion of the firing pin;
(d) the breech block having a first aperture of a first cross sectional area to slidably receive the firing pin nose, the breech block having a second aperture of a second cross sectional area to slidably receive the head section of the firing pin, coaxial to the first aperture and of a larger cross sectional area such that a first shoulder is formed between the first aperture and the second aperture, wherein the shoulder prevents the firing pin from exiting the breech block;
(e) the breech block having a third aperture of a third cross sectional area to receive the head section of the firing pin and the coil spring, the third aperture coaxial to the first aperture and the second aperture and having a larger cross sectional area such that a second shoulder is formed between the second aperture and the third aperture; and
(f) a first spring stop and a second spring stop, the first spring stop slidably disposed on the elongated body portion of the firing pin adjacent to the head section at the second shoulder, the second spring stop slidably disposed on the elongated body portion of the firing pin adjacent to the cocking piece, the coil spring positioned between the two spring stops to urge the first spring stop against the second end of the head section of the firing pin and to simultaneously urge the second spring stop toward the cocking piece.
2. The firing pin system for a firearm of claim 1 , wherein the first spring stop and the second spring stop are washers.
3. The firing pin system for a firearm of claim 1 , wherein the first, second and third cross sectional areas are generally circular.