Thread: Stirling Model 20 .22LR rifle - maximise buyback price.

Hi everyone.

Was at Waitaki Engineering this lunchtime. He is kindly doing a batch of tool steel firing pins for the Stirling Model 20 rifle. These are very apt to break and if so the rifle will only fetch $150 at the buybacks, but 550 or thereabouts if the rifle is functional.

He will part with these for $50 a piece, need hardening if to be used long term in a converted rifle but not needing hardening if just to make gun work for the buyback.

I will post an image.

Originally Posted by muzza

so - how would the goons at the buy back know that the firing pin was broken unless you told them? They don't test fire anything .....

Good question.

Can't predict what they'll do as there has been differing levels of scrutiny at different events. You'd be some $300 short if they find they can't dry fire the gun, a very basic test.

If you hand in your gun via a dealer they'll likely also have and take more time to check it more thoroughly at the later tyre-kicking, sorry, valuation stage.

Tool steel is pretty hard... Unless they've annealed them to machine, why would they need hardening??

All they did when I handed my mini 30 and marlin model 60 in was open and close the action.

Originally Posted by mimms

Tool steel is pretty hard... Unless they've annealed them to machine, why would they need hardening??

Mark told me the tool steel is better steel than the steel used for the original firing pins (hence them breaking).

It may well be that these unhardened tool steel firing pins will outdo the originals. Especially, as you will note from the photo, since he has properly radiused the weak spot on the inside corner to spread stress. I guess this is the common break point of the factory ones.

From other dealings I've had with Mark he's the type of engineer who'll only turn out the best or not at all, and his recommendation was that for long term use he'd harden the firing pin.

Originally Posted by Cordite

Mark told me the tool steel is better steel than the steel used for the original firing pins (hence them breaking).

It may well be that these unhardened tool steel firing pins will outdo the originals. Especially, as you will note from the photo, since he has properly radiused the weak spot on the inside corner to spread stress. I guess this is the common break point of the factory ones.

From other dealings I've had with Mark he's the type of engineer who'll only turn out the best or not at all, and his recommendation was that for long term use he'd harden the firing pin.

Yes, Mark would not even let a part go out the door he thought might come back broken, even if its sole purpose is to be crushed.

You can get a 10 shot mag for these, so why hand them in?

Originally Posted by Lewie

You can get a 10 shot mag for these, so why hand them in?

because you can get $550 effectively for a piece of .................... and replace it with something useful, their system their rules

didnt check our rifles for firing pins most would dry fire without a pin or broken one in them anyway wouldnt they if i was thinking clearer i would of seen if it appeared to function without the bolt head in it and hand it in seperatley there was no price for just the bolt head buy its self so they gave me complete bcg price for a fuked bolt head could even hand pin in seperatley

Yep once we got past the fact i wasnt negotiable it went quite well i seem to have a knack for that kind of thing

From my experience they don't check function just appearence. The only time the action is opened its by you to put one of their dinky little chamber fans in that it.

Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

So they gave you bcg price for a bolt head?
Wankers told me they would throw my spare bolt head in the rubbish as it wasn't on the list. Hence I still have it.

Put on a poker face take it back if they refuse it just remind them that by law as its a part that only fits a prohibited firearm you have to hand it in and by law they have to pay compensation its not your problem it not in the list you didnt write it

Originally Posted by Lewie

You can get a 10 shot mag for these, so why hand them in?

Do you happen to know where I can get one for a workmate?

pretty easy to shorten a 15 to 10