Question on Tanfo firing pin block

[DenC]

Hello everyone.

Whenever I decock my Stock 1 or MAP1 FS (Combat F), I keep the trigger depressed until the hammer is fully decocked against the slide (as required in production class) then release the trigger.

Question: After decocking the pistol in this manner, is the firing pin block fully re-engaged and is the pistol drop safe again?

Posted this same question on the CZ page as am thinking about getting a Cz75B in the future. 

Thanks in advance for any input.

Edited May 21, 2023 by DenC

[Redhemi]

It's exactly the same as in the CZs. When you pull the trigger the FP block lifter in the sear cage lifts the block so the FP can go forward. Once you move the hammer forward and release the trigger the FP block is back in lock position and should be drop safe.

[SouperMan]

19 hours ago, Redhemi said:

It's exactly the same as in the CZs. When you pull the trigger the FP block lifter in the sear cage lifts the block so the FP can go forward. Once you move the hammer forward and release the trigger the FP block is back in lock position and should be drop safe.

 

Wanted to clarify that on a CZ, the Firing Pin Block gets pushed up by the Firing Pin Block Lifter and out of the way when you pull the trigger. The Tanfoglio is opposite of this. The Firing Pin Block is dropped out of the way of the sear leg when you pull the trigger.  @MemphisMechanic does a great job explaining this in their post about fitting a Extending Firing Pin Block:

 

 

[Redhemi]

2 hours ago, SouperMan said:

 

Wanted to clarify that on a CZ, the Firing Pin Block gets pushed up by the Firing Pin Block Lifter and out of the way when you pull the trigger. The Tanfoglio is opposite of this. The Firing Pin Block is dropped out of the way of the sear leg when you pull the trigger.  @MemphisMechanic does a great job explaining this in their post about fitting a Extending Firing Pin Block:

 

 

Well I guess I learned something today thank you.

[DenC]

Thanks for all your replies.  Makes my mind rest easier knowing the gun is drop safe after decocking it this way.

[Nealio]

The gun isn't drop safe, the Tanfoglio firing pin block is terrible design and only stops the firing pin when the gun is cocked (technically when the sear drops into the sear hooks of the hammer, an arm on the opposite side of the sear goes up and then engages the firing pin block). I removed all of mine.

I'm there there are a few threads on here where I go into more detail.

[DenC]

On 12/16/2023 at 6:55 AM, Nealio said:

The gun isn't drop safe, the Tanfoglio firing pin block is terrible design and only stops the firing pin when the gun is cocked (technically when the sear drops into the sear hooks of the hammer, an arm on the opposite side of the sear goes up and then engages the firing pin block). I removed all of mine.

I'm there there are a few threads on here where I go into more detail

Thanks for sharing Nealio. I have read some of your old posts but not sure if I saw something about the FPB. I also do carry the gun for self defense so if this is the case it would seem better to carry the gun cocked and locked to help ensure it is drop safe? A bit of a bummer as one of the reasons I went with Tanfos is that FPB, something that Shadows dont have at all and an FPB design that I think is superior to the CZ B series. But let the truth be known. Better to be safe and know exactly how your gun works, if it does work in that manner.

Edited December 17, 2023 by DenC

[DBX1987]

Explain to me how the hammer can transfer any momentum to the FP when it is resting against the FP and the FP stop plate when dropped.

The FP is still far from flush with the breach face in that position....

 

I'd pbb carry a cz shadow 2 compact if I could.

 

[Agent #1911]

it wont. its the momentum of the firing pin to the breach face when the gun falls and land on its muzzle. 

[DenC]

Happy holidays to all!

@Nealio is the 2 piece sear also not drop safe or is it just the 1 piece sear?

Saw this while trying to do some research on the matter:

The way I understand it if, in one of your older posts (which I cant seem to find again), if the sear fails so does the fpb lever? So if in a 2 piece sear the fpb lever is independent from the sear then if the sear fails then the fpb lever should not be affected. Much like a series 80 1911?

Edited December 26, 2023 by DenC

[Currywurst]

On 12/15/2023 at 11:55 PM, Nealio said:

The gun isn't drop safe, the Tanfoglio firing pin block is terrible design and only stops the firing pin when the gun is cocked (technically when the sear drops into the sear hooks of the hammer, an arm on the opposite side of the sear goes up and then engages the firing pin block). I removed all of mine.

I'm there there are a few threads on here where I go into more detail.

In addition, if the fpb does not move freely it will trip the sear when the slide goes forward. Gun goes bang when you rack the slide. Nasty on the range, potentially deadly in an empty chamber carry/home defense scenario.

[DenC]

Sorry for this very long post. 

 

After thinking about it a bit, is this the way the FPB works?

*In all scenarios a round has been chambered.

 

1. If the slide is out of battery, the FPB wont be blocking the firing pin as there is nothing holding the FPB in the "up" position, so by firing pin inertia alone, in an very unlikely fall scenario - you can have a gun firing out of battery.

 

In the following scenarios the thumb safety is not engaged (2,3 and 4).

 

2. If the hammer is fully cocked:

 

2a.-If the slide is in battery and a one piece sear fails or trips (dont know which is the more accurate description), the FPB wont be blocking the firing pin as the arm thats holding it in the "up" position will be "down" together with the sear - the gun will fire

2b.-If the slide is in battery and two-piece sear fails or trips the FPB will still be blocking the firing pin as the arm for the FPB is independent of the sear. - the gun will not fire

2c.-If the gun falls on its muzzle and slide remains in battery as long as the sear (either one piece or two piece) does not trip the gun should still be drop safe as the FPB will remain in the "up" position. -  the gun will not fire

 

3. If the hammer is at half cock

 

3a. If the slide is in battery and a one piece sear fails or trips, the FPB wont be blocking the firing pin as the arm thats holding it in the "up" position will be "down" together with the sear, eventhough the  hammer should not have enough force to ignite the primer but if there is enough firing pin inertia (maybe pluas the little force added from the hammer falling from half-cock) - the gun may fire

 

3b. If the slide is in battery and two-piece sear fails or trips the FPB will still be blocking the firing pin as the arm for the FPB is independent of the sear - the gun will not fire

 

3c.-If the gun falls on its muzzle and slide remains in battery as long as the sear (either one piece or two piece) does not trip the gun should still be drop safe as the FPB will remain in the "up" position. -  the gun will not fire

 

4. If the gun is fully decocked - in this scenario I do not know what the position of the sear or the FPB arm will be. Will the FPB arm be in the "up" position, meaning the FPB is blocking the firing pin, or not? Of course, in this scenario hammer fall should not be an issue unless you have an extended firing pin.

 

4a.-If the slide is in battery and if the gun is fully decocked but the the FPB arm is not holding the FPB "up" then you can have an inertial firing pin discharge.

 

4b. If the slide is in battery and if the gun is fully decocked but the the FPB arm is holding the FPB "up" then you cannot have an inertial firing pin discharge.

5. As for Currywurst's scenario wherein the FPB is stuck in the "down" position when you rack the gun, this will allow the gun to go off if its a one piece sear, as the sear will trip along with the FPB arm. However on a two-piece sear even if it trips the arm that holds the FPB up, it should not trip the sear itself so the gun should not fire.

 

Please feel free to correct me in any point if my understanding erroneous.

 

6. As an additional question, if the thumb safety were engaged, whether in full cock, half cock of fully decocked mode, would this make a difference in any of the above scenarios?

 

Thanks very much for all your replies and thanks in advance for anything else you may share.

Edited January 5 by DenC