I'm new to the board, hopefully someone here can help me out! I have searched the board and couldn't find this specific area addressed anywhere.
I have been turkey and duck hunting with my 835 "Ulti-Mag" for around 12 years now, and it has been a great gun until last year. I have been having an issue with it not firing every time. Last year I clicked on a turkey at 25 steps and I almost left the gun beside the tree I was leaning on! After the turkey flew off, I ejected the shell and noticed that the primer had only a very small indentation on it where the firing pin hit it.
Cooler heads prevailed, and I took it home and removed the bolt and soaked it for several hours in Hoppes #7 solvent to try to get rid of any grime that might be impeding the firing pins action. I cleaned it up and reassembled the gun and shot 16 rounds through it just fine. All of the primers seemed to have a relatively deep indentation. Round number 17 clicked and upon my inspection I noticed it had done the same thing - left a small indentation in the primer. Round number 18 fired, but round number 19 did not.
I am planning to replace the firing pin and possibly the firing pin spring if I can get the bolt disassembled. I have been researching the removal of the firing pin all over the internet, but I have not been able to find much help. I am having trouble removing the bolt lock pin and the firing pin retaining pin. The only help I have been able to find is this video on the disassembling of a Mossberg 590 bolt:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyU5egptBIw
I have tried using a punch and hammer on both of the pins as he shows in the video, but I have not had any success in getting either to budge. I am worried that if I hit it too hard it may mushroom on the end. Has anyone ever successfully accomplished this and can offer any suggestions/tricks? If so, do you think that my problem lies in one of these two parts: the firing pin itself or its spring? If not, any ideas on what might be causing this malfunction?
Thanks