Well I found some interesting, one of a kind type Maxim pieces. I really have not had much time to check them out but here is what I have found so far.
First is pictured in Dolf's Book Page 220. Its what he call a firing pin protrusion gauge. From my quick look it sees to me to measure the firing pin spring. A protrusion gauge would not need spring tension... I don't think. Usually they are just little cuts out of a metal plate to make sure the pin sticks out far enough. This is spring loaded so it seems to be measuring the pressure the firing pin it putting on the primer...
Anyway its got the German proofs and is one solid tool.
Second is an unknown tool for the MG08 waterjacket... I think. Its got some shims with it but it does not seem to before the waterjacket drain or the mounting lugs... Any ideas?
Also German proofed and came with the other tool.
I have not really had time to tinker with this tool to figure out what its for... but I will figure it out eventually!
The firing pin protrusion guage is exactly that, it measures how far the firing pin sticks out of the extractor face. There are limits both too far and too short and the guage allows an armorer or factory worker to determine quickly and precisely whether the pin is in spec. This was very important as a short pin wouldn't reliably fire and a long pin would either break or pierce primers, both of which could have dire consequences for the gun crew and the soldiers depending on them. The springs would have been measured with a completely different guage with a weight scale and springs. Normally springs would be replaced rather than tested.
The other device looks a bit odd and I have no idea of its function....
Why would the firing pin gauge have spring loaded lever with significant spring force? It clearly presses the firing in back into the lock slightly? Maybe I am just not well versed in this area but I am use to see gauges like this were they don't pretty in the firing pin. This systems seems to me like it would be measuring spring pressure as much as firing pin protrusion.
“… corporations have been enthroned, and an era of corruption in high places will follow, … until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed.”
Why would the firing pin gauge have spring loaded lever with significant spring force? It clearly presses the firing in back into the lock slightly? Maybe I am just not well versed in this area but I am use to see gauges like this were they don't pretty in the firing pin. This systems seems to me like it would be measuring spring pressure as much as firing pin protrusion.
Matt,
You have to remember the times were different and the concept of the tooling was as well. The simple guage you pictured for the Brownings didn't come out til the late 30's to the best of my knowledge. It is possible that the guage could have been used for spring testing as well but it wouldn't make sense to have a spring testing fixture in addition to the tool you show. I've seen a spring testing tool as well as the drawings on some of the armorers tool chests. We see the end of the line of development from this end where the hard part has already been done. One other thing to consider is that the Germans (and the Swiss for that matter) tend to overdo things like this too. The Germans always say that anything worth doing is worth overdoing. I think the Swiss motto is something like .....perfect is almost good enough.....
In any case, its possible the tool could be used for other purposes but going by the tool boxes I've seen the tool is listed as a firing pin protrusion guage.
Frank, That is all very true and makes sense. I have wonder if the Germans did not figure out how much energy/protrusion it took to set off a round and made a device that measures both as it seems to me this one does. Also it does not seem to be a production tool but really a repair tool. God knows these locks are a pain in the ass to take apart so maybe this was a easy say to see if the lock was getting the job done. If the firing pin protrusion was less then needed, this device would show it. If the spring was week and did not push the firing pin hard enough forward, this device would show that too. Anyway I don't know if we will ever know for sure. I will have to bring it to the next Chantilly show for you to have a look at (if you will be there).
