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Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins DESIGN, ANALYSIS

AND MANUFACTURING OF AR-15 FIRING PINS A Report on MINI PROJECT-2

Technical Report · August 2020

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 DESIGN, ANALYSIS AND MANUFACTURING OF
AR-15 FIRING PINS
A Report on MINI PROJECT-2
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the Requirement for the degree of

B. Tech in Mechanical Engineering

By

SULEKHA RAKSHIT (Enrolment No-511018004)

PVSS CHAITANYA (Enrolment No-511018005)

KAUSTAB BISWAS (Enrolment No-511018006)

ASHIS GHOSH (Enrolment No-511018007)

Under the guidance of

Prof. Partha Pratim Dey

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur
Howrah-711103

MAY-2020
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Signature of the students

1. (Dr. Partha Pratim Dey)

2. Signature of the Supervisor
3.

4. ……….........................................................
Signature of Head of theDepartment

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 1

 Forwarding
I hereby forward this mini project on “DESIGN, ANALYSIS AND
MANUFACTURING OF AR-15 FIRING PINS” successfully done under my
guidance and supervision for the partial fulfillment of the required for four-year
B.tech course in Mechanical Engineering in the department of Mechanical
Engineering at Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology,
Shibpur.

Date:24 May, 2020 ---------------------------------------

(Dr. Partha Pratim Dey)
HEAD OF DEPARTMENT
Dept. Of Mechanical Engineering
IIEST, Shibpur
Countersigned By:

-------------------------------------------
Head of The Department
Dept. Of Mechanical Engineering
IIEST, Shibpur

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 2

 Acknowledgement
We hereby convey our sincere respect, appreciation and gratitude to our mentor
and guide Dr. Partha Pratim Dey, Professor of the Department of Mechanical
Engineering for his precise technical guidance and support. This mini project
would not have been complete without his untiring perseverance and constant
encouragement.
We would also like to put on record, our appreciation for all those who came
forward with helpful suggestion during the course of our mini project.
Dated: 24 May, 2020
IIEST, Shibpur, Howrah-711103

……………………………………..
SULEKHA RAKSHIT
(ID:511018004)

…………………………………………..

PVSS CHAITANYA
(ID:511018005)

…………………………………..
KAUSTAB BISWAS
(ID:511018006)

...………………………………………….

ASHIS GHOSH

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 3

 (ID:511018007)

INDEX
1. Introduction
2. Basic Components of an AR-15 Bolt Carrier Group
3. Mathematical Formulation for Recoil Time Calculation
4. Basic Design guidelines for BCG components
4.1. Firing Pins
4.2. Retainer Pins
5. Percussion Caps
6. Analysis of a Standard design of AR-15 Firing Pin
6.1. Material Overview
6.2. Calculation of Opposing Force on Firing Pin during
protrusion of Percussion Cap
6.3. Results
6.4. Fatigue Behavior of Ti6Al4V
7. Analysis of a Standard design of CuZn30 Percussion Cap
8. Probable Improvements on the Design Subject
9. Fabrication of Modified AR-15 Firing Pin
10. Conclusion
11. References
12. Literature Review

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 4

 1.INTRODUCTION
Propellant actuated devices have been in prominence ever since the widespread use of projectiles
in the battlefields of the middle ages. However the potency of this mechanism was yet to be fully
exploited until its use pervaded the various fields where the aspect of indirect controlling and
mobility of firing systems were to be considered. The pressure that needed to be solely produced
by the gases from the burnt propellant to impart the projectile with energy; could now be
transferred to a mechanical component to actuate the mechanism and a greater damage could be
dealt with the use of a much lesser amount of gun powder. This rendered the system a lower
degree of cumbrousness and better safety. This was initiated with the development of firing pins
to revolutionize the contemporary firing mechanisms. The firing pin has been subjected to a
variety of different mechanisms, from being used as a handheld device; to fully automated rifles
where the mechanism has grown from fully mechanical to recoil-gas operated and electrical
priming methods. The firing pin has been the single most important component of firearms ever
since their inception. In its absence the machine will be rendered completely useless, since there
is practically no other way of igniting the propellant mixture other than electrical primers, which
given the diversity of adverse firing scenarios has still not developed for widespread usage. In
the modern firing mechanisms the firing pin is subjected to a number of different deforming
influences; so its design keeping in consideration the effects that its extensive properties may
have on the performance of the system is of priority. Also the current developments in the
science of materials engineering gives us ample opportunity to optimize the design and
manufacturing aspects of firing pins. In short we may resort to more cost effective methods for
the production of firing pins; which in itself is an intricate element both in terms of design and
purpose.

(A) (B)

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 5

Illustration 1: Firing of a handgun: (A) Before the development of firing pins.

(B) After the development of firing pins.

Brief Familiarization with AR-15

An AR-15 style rifle is a lightweight semi-automatic rifle based on the ArmaLite AR-15 design.
The uniqueness of this rifle lies in the fact that it saw the first use of the burst mode of firing in
which the gun fires 3 bullets in succession at a single press of the trigger. This was done to
prevent the wastage of ammunition in automatic sprays; a problem that plagued its
contemporary, the Russian Kalashnikov. This problem has been chosen to be addressed in the
following discussions since the AR-15 had one of the most comprehensive designs of the time
and has been tested in action in a wide range of scenarios from the damp jungles of Vietnam to
the Middle Eastern deserts; where all it has served its purpose with distinction.

2. Basic Components of AR-15 Bolt Carrier Group

An exploded schematic of the AR-15 bolt-carrier group(will be henceforth referred to as BCG) is
shown in the Figure 2.1

Figure 2.1: Basic Components of AR-15 Bolt-Carrier Group

Although the primary function of the BCG is to allow the cartridge locking system to function
correctly, it also functions as firing pin guide and housing. When loaded and locked, the firing
pin is held at a constant protrusion distance in the guide behind the bullet by a retainer pin.
Sufficient allowances are kept in positioning the hind of the pin outside the carrier so that when
hit by the firing hammer, the pin protrudes the primer cap sufficiently so as to impart sufficient
kinetic energy to the primary propellant (primer) which gets ignited and further ignites the gun
powder. The pressure of the gases formed due to ignition, propels the projectile (bullet) through
the barrel. However precautions are to be taken in keeping the allowances for firing pin travel

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 6

within the guide such that it does not breaks through the percussion cap since their reuse is
commercially desirable and it may also cause a significantly greater damage to the pin.

3. Mathematical Formulations for Recoil Time Calculations

The firing mechanism initiates the primer that ignites the propellant in a device. Firing
mechanisms are classified into three general types:

a) gas-operated, in which the driving force for the firing pin is derived from gas pressure
from gas pressure from an initiator or by a pass-port;
b) mechanically operated, in which the firing pin is driven by a compressed spring; and
c) electrically operated, in which electric current fires a special primer directly.

The bolt travel must be sufficient to permit ready cartridge loading and case extraction. The
initial spring force F, is based on experience and, when feasible, is selected as four times the
weight of the recoiling mass. The maximum spring force Fₘ, when the bolt is fully recoiled, is

Fₘ=2Fₐ-Fₒ………………..(1)

The spring force at any time of recoil is

F=Fₒ+ K*x………………(2)

Where K= spring constant

x= recoil distance at time t

At time ‘t’ the energy remaining in the recoiling mass is

1 1 1 1
𝑀𝑏 vᵣ² =2 𝑀𝑏 𝑣𝑓2 − 𝜖 (𝐹ₒ𝑥 + 2 𝐾𝑥²)………..(3)
2

Where, E is the efficiency of the spring system. An inefficient system helps to resist recoil by
absorbing energy.
𝑑𝑥
But vᵣ = , therefore,
𝑑𝑡ᵣ

𝑑𝑥 2 𝑀𝑏 1 1
=√ √ 𝑣𝑓2 − 𝐹0 𝑥 − 𝑘𝑥 2 ………….(4)
𝑑𝑡ᵣ 𝑀𝑏 2 𝜖 2𝜖

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 7

Solving for dtᵣ,

𝑀
√ 𝑏 𝑑𝑥
2
dtᵣ = 𝑀
………………..(5)
1 1
√ 𝑏 𝑣𝑓2− 𝐹0𝑥 − 𝑘𝑥 2
2 𝜖 2𝜖

Setting 𝑣𝑟 = 𝑣𝑓 , the initial velocity at time zero, and integrating,

𝜖𝑀𝑏 𝐹0 +𝑘𝑥 (𝑥=𝐿)

tᵣ=[( √ 𝑠𝑖𝑛−1 )](𝑥=𝑜)……………(6)
𝑘
√𝐹02 +𝜖𝑘𝑀𝑏 𝑣02

This computed time does not include the time while propellant gases are acting. The exclusion
provides a simple solution without serious error. Since
𝐿
𝑀𝑉02 = 𝜖 (𝐹𝑚 + 𝐹0 )……………….(7)

𝐹𝑚 −𝐹0
𝑘= and √𝐹02 + 𝜖𝑘𝑀𝑣02 = 𝐹𝑚 ………….(8)
𝐿

Therefore, the time elapsed during recoil t, from x=0 to x=L is

𝜖𝑀𝑏 𝛱 𝐹 𝜀𝑀𝑏 𝐹
tᵣ = √ ( 2 − 𝑠𝑖𝑛−1 𝐹0 ) =√ 𝑐𝑜𝑠 −1 𝐹0 …………..(9)
𝑘 𝑚 𝑘 𝑚

Design criteria for firing pins are stated in the next section elsewhere but two basic requirements
are essential for all percussion primers. A minimum amount of energy must be transmitted from
firing pin to primer at a minimum striking velocity of 7 ft/sec. The energy is specified in inch-
ounces. An upper limit of striking velocity also is specified to avoid puncturing the primer cap.
Specifying both energy and velocity removes considerable control over the dynamics of a
mechanism; control that normally should be available. For a given firing pin energy, the
corresponding striking velocity is

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 8

 2𝐸
𝑣 = √𝑀 ………………………………(10)
𝑒

Where E = energy available

𝑤𝑒
𝑀𝑒 = = equivalent mass of the moving parts
𝑔

𝑤𝑒 = equivalent weight of the moving parts

A compressed coil spring provides the energy.

𝐹𝑜 +𝐹𝑚
E-𝜖 x …………………………..(11)
2

Where

𝐹𝑚 = 𝐹𝑜 + 𝐾𝑥, maximum spring force (in initial position)

𝐹𝑜 = minimum spring force (in final position)

K= spring constant; X= length of travel

E = spring efficiency

The time elapsed during firing pin action according to Eq-9,

𝑀 𝐹
𝑡 = √ 𝜖𝐾𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑠 −1 𝐹𝑜 …………………………(12)
𝑚

Because 𝑀𝑒 is generally small and E relatively large, the striking velocity v will be large. If v
exceeds safe limits, the energy should be reduced to its lower limit and the weight of the firing
pin increased to proportions that are compatible with good design. Table 7-2 lists various
combinations of design parameters and how they effect the velocity and time. The firing pin
energy will be held constant at E = 60 in.-oz. The efficiency of the firing pin spring system is
also a constant at E= 0.80. By holding the equivalent weight constant and varying the spring
characteristics to be compatible with the distance, the time interval increases with respect to
distance but the terminal velocity remains constant. But when weight varies and distance is
constant, the time increases while terminal velocity decreases. A review of data in Table 7-2
indicates a wide latitude in spring selection exists for any given firing pin weight. The tabulated
data also show that the striking velocity can be lowered only by increasing the firing pin weight.
A word of caution should be introduced here. An increase in weight may not be helpful because
Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 9
the vibration of the firing pin mechanism may be out of phase with the mechanical action. Past
experience has proved that correcting this type of disorder can be achieved only by reducing the
weight of the firing pin; altering the spring characteristics was not effective. The data we are
going to use and those for a standard .30 caliber rifle are tabulated as follows:

Firing Pin Comparisons Remington 700 Long-Action Data Used For AR-15 Burst

Striker Weight 59.28 g 4.703 g

Spring Weight 13.86 g 10.47g

Effective Weight (w) 65.86 g 35.61g

Average Spring Force (F) 97.86 N 106.75 N
Potential Energy (PE) 0.65 J 0.7526 J
Impact Velocity (V) 4.57 m/s 6.46 m/s
Av. Impulse Force (Q) 720.6 N 270 N

Although we avoid a serious investigation of the exact recoil time, it can be derived from
equation 12 that the time of firing pin action for a titanium pin is about 80% that of a stainless
steel pin of same volume and shape as reflected from the data in Section. 4.

Fig 3.1: Sig-Sauer AR-15 Assault Rifle

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 10

 4.Basic Design Guidelines for BCG Components
a. Gas Operated
The firing mechanism should be designed so
that the firing pin develops sufficient kinetic
energy to fire the cartridge reliably. This
reliability is achieved in gas operated designs
by the proper choice of shear pin, firing pin
weight, firing pin cross sectional area, and
firing pin travel.
Under static conditions and seal the gas
under dynamic conditions; tolerances,
clearances, and surface finishes must be
selected carefully. Tests, evaluations, and
modifications are continued until a
satisfactory combination of conditions is
obtained. Some catapults employ a tortuous
path type seal that has proved effective. This
type of seal is essentially a close fitting coil of
wire that fits in a helical groove. The end of
the seal wire is provided with a tang that fits
into a hole in the tube, locking the wire in
position so it cannot spiral out of the groove
and cause the tube to bind.
Figure 4.1: Gas Operated Firing Systems
DESIGN REQUIREMENTS:
The customary starting point in the design of propellant actuated devices is the list of
requirements which detail the size, weight, strength, and performance of the device. A typical
Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins
b. Mechanically Operated
Energy must be delivered to the primer
without exceeding the stipulated range of
lanyard pull. Also, the length of lanyard
travel must provide sufficient over-travel to
assure release of the firing pin and to permit
separation of the lanyard from the
mechanism. The mechanically operated
firing mechanism of a typical initiator
operates in the following manner. The firing
pin is locked to the sear (pin) by three steel
balls. When the sear (pin) is pulled, a spring
contained in the housing is compressed and
exerts a force on the firing pin. As the firing
pin enters the relieved section of the
housing, the steel balls move outward and
allow the sear (pin) to be disengaged from
the firing pin, and the sear(pin)is withdrawn
from the device. The firing pin then is
propelled by the compressed spring against
the cartridge which contains a percussion
primer
Figure 4.2: Mechanically Operated Firing
Systems
Page 11
list of design requirements might include all or some of the following: maximum envelope
dimensions and weight, external loading, method of initiation and ignition delay, open or closed
type system, initial and/or final locking requirements maximum acceleration, rate of change of
acceleration, terminal velocity, stroke, propelled load, gas generation rate, total impulse, action
time, and physiological considerations.

4.1.Firing Pins:
Firing pins are an integral part of both gas and mechanically operated systems and their designs
are critical. Binding of the firing pin in its guide must be avoided, and one method of achieving
this is by maintaining a length to diameter ratio of 2 to 1 or more although ratios as low as 0.9 to
1 have been used successfully. The surfaces of the firing pin and guide must be finished for
protection against corrosion and to minimize friction. In addition, the tolerances for the clearance
between firing pin and guide must be as small as possible.

The firing pin tip is another important consideration in firing pin design. A hemispherical nose
tip is used to transfer the kinetic energy of the firing pin in a concentrated pattern and thus secure
good primer indent. Such a tip, however, requires accurate alignment of the firing pin, guide,
cartridge, etc. or excessive off-centre strikes will occur. Reliable operation demands that the
firing pin not strike more than 0.020 in. off centre of the primer cup.

Figure 4.3: Firing Pin Configurations in Gas and Mechanically operated systems

4.2. Shear Pins:

Shear pins provide a simple means of locking parts together but have inherent disadvantages.
When the unit is assembled or partly assembled there is seldom any way of insuring that the
shear pin was not forgotten, and even if one end of the pin were visible, there would be no
guarantee that the pin was not bent or already sheared. The shear value or shearing force of shear
pins may vary by as much as 20 percent from pin to pin, although all are made of the same
material and are the same size. Retainer pins are special types of shear pins. They may be used in
propellant actuated devices; but in accordance with Military Standards also specify the maximum
and minimum hole sizes in which the various size spring pins may be used. One of the greatest
faults of shear pins is the possibility of failing after a series of light blows, each unable to
produce failure, but in the aggregate causing it.

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 12

 5.Percussion Caps
The percussion cap is a small cylinder of copper or brass with one closed end. Inside the closed
end is a small amount of a shock-sensitive explosive material such as fulminate of mercury. The
percussion cap is placed over a hollow metal "nipple" at the rear end of the gun barrel. Pulling
the trigger releases a hammer that strikes the percussion cap and ignites the explosive primer.
The flame travels through the hollow nipple to ignite the main powder charge. Percussion caps
were, and still are, made in small sizes for pistols and larger sizes for rifles and muskets. Here we
are primarily concerned about the pin-fire priming method. A pin-fire firearm cartridge is an
obsolete type of brass cartridge in which the priming compound is ignited by striking a small pin
which protrudes radially from just above the base of the cartridge. Invented by Casimir
Lefaucheux in 1828 but not patented until 1835, it was one of the earliest practical designs of
metallic cartridge. However, the protruding pin was vulnerable to damage, displacement and
accidental ignition. Moreover, the pin had to be positioned carefully in a small notch when
loading, making the pin-fire's use in repeating or self-loading weapons impossible. The pin-fire
survives today only in a few very small blank cartridges designed as noisemakers and in novelty
miniature guns.

TABLE 5-1: Firing pin protrusions and diameters

PRIMER FIRING PIN PROTRUSION, IN. FIRING PIN TIP DIAMETER, IN.
M29A1 0.025+0.005 0.075
M42 0.025+0.005 0.040
72M 0.030+0.007 0.075
50M 0.058+0.010 0.093
205M(5.56 rounds) 0.015+0.008 0.060

Figure 5.1: Percussion Cap

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 13

 6.Analysis of Standard AR-15 Firing Pin
Since the concerned firing pin functions in a gas-operated environment our design must be
consistent with it. For this purpose we have taken a standard template to model our test pin in
Solidworks 2019. We have done the analysis on two different configurations of the striker head.

Figure 6.1: Firing Pin Reference Template Fig 6.2: CAD model of Reference Pin

We have chosen the material in consistency with that used in the firing pins of the AR-15 series
of assault rifles manufactured by Brownell industries. Ti6Al4V is material used in firing pin,
which is known for the high strength, low weight ratio and outstanding corrosion resistance
inherent to titanium and its alloys has led to a wide and diversified range of successful
applications which demand high levels of reliable performance. In failure analysis several factor
must be predicted from visible and hidden factor, but is needed to eliminate factor for reduce
trial and error in investigation. Finite element was chosen caused more conservative in trial and
error to define optimum parameters. This investigation the effect of impact force and thermal
transfer were chosen in prediction fatigue life of firing pin.Ti6Al4V is the most widely used
titanium alloy. It features good machinability and excellent mechanical properties and thus the
alloy offers the best all-round performance for a variety of weight reduction applications in
aerospace, automotive and marine equipment. Ti6Al4V parts manufactured in the EBM process
have a microstructure better than cast Ti6Al4V containing a lamellar α-phase with larger β-
grains, and with a higher density and significantly finer grain.

Figure 6.3:Microgaph of Ti6Al4V at 500x and 1000x magnifications respectively

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 14

6.1.Material Overview:
The chemical and mechanical properties of Ti6Al4V are listed in the following tables:

Table 6.1: Chemical Properties of Ti6Al4V

Chemical C Al V Fe O N H Ti
Composition
Weight (%) 0.03 6 4 0.1 0.15 0.01 0.003 Balance

Table 2: Mechanical Properties of Ti6Al4V

Elastic Poisson’s Ultimate Yield Thermal Thermal Rockwell

Modulus Ratio Tensile Strength Expansion Conductivity Hardness
Strength
GPa MPa MPa /K W/(m.k) HRC
120 0.342 1020 950 8.6e-06 6.7 33

The fracture condition is influenced by several factor in this investigation, firing pin having
punch by hammer and made the velocity then impact to the primer of the bullet. In the
reciprocating shooting process approx. spend 720-760 bullets per minute with the velocity about
710m/s, and the magnitude of heat that is transferred by exploiting amount 150 - 200 degree
Celsius.
The analysis has been done in ANSYS 2019 R3. In order to model the system to maximum
possible approximation to the actual scenario of the firing pin movement in inside the bolt carrier
from being hit by the firing hammer till sufficient protrusion into the primer cap so as to ignite
the primer, we have taken the following considerations:
1) When the firing pin hits the primer cap, the striking hammer remains pressed against the pin
due to the action of the sear spring, which has been taken as a fixed support.
2) The pin itself is restricted to move in y and z directions while it is free in x direction, so the
displacement settings along the relevant axes have been set accordingly.
3) The temperature settings are changed to a ramped variation from 295K to 373K.
4) The opposing force experienced by the pin during protrusion of the percussion cap is derived
from kinematical relations, in conformation with the reference geometry as shown below:

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 15

 Figure 6.4: Trigger Mechanism and AR-15 Bolt Carrier

Figure 6.5: Geometry and mechanisms of firing pin

6.2.Calculation of Opposing Force on Firing Pin during protrusion of Percussion Cap:

The striking hammer hits the firing pin and drives it towards the percussion cap through the
interior guide of the bolt. The pin hits the percussion cap and protrudes a minute length into it,
sufficient enough to generate enough energy to cause the ignition of the primer material. The
striking hammer remains pressed against the pin during this whole time due to the action of the
sear spring. In the initial condition, the firing pin is offset from the bolt end by 1mm while its
head resides at a length of 0.6mm from the percussion cap. Thus, when the firing pin is hit by the
striking hammer, it protrudes into the cap by 0.4mm. With these dynamic parameters, we use the
following kinematic relations to calculate the opposing force:

𝑣 2 = 2𝑎𝑠…………(13)

𝐹 = 𝑚𝑎…………(14)

Where:
v = velocity with which the pin strikes the percussion cap = 21.2ft/s = 6.46m/s
s = distance of protrusion into the percussion cap = 0.0004m
m = mass of the firing pin = 4.703gm for Titanium pin;=8 gm for stainless steel pin
a= average deceleration of the firing pin during protrusion

F= average force on the firing pin during protrusion

From equatin-13 the average deceleration of the firing pin during protrusion comes out to be
52164.5m/s2.

Putting these values in equation-14, we get the value of the opposing force on the firing pin to be
245.33N for Titanium pins and 417.32N for stainless steel pins which are the values to be used
for modeling the analysis.

It may be noted that the analysis can be carried on in a similar fashion on any firing system; the
geometry of the system will be consistent with almost all the gas operated assault rifle systems.
The key parameters subject to change will be dictated by the primer material used, and the
material of the firing pin itself.

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 16

6.3.Results:

1) Comparison on the basis of striking head configuration:

Hemispherical Head Chamfered Head

a) Directional Deformation a) Directional Deformation

b) Equivalent(Von-Misses) Stress b) Equivalent(Von-Misses) Stress

c) Equivalent Elastic Strain c) Equivalent Elastic Strain

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 17

 d) Maximum Principal Stress d) Maximum Principal Stress

e) Normal Stress e) Normal Stress

f) Strain Energy f) Strain Energy

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 18

We are using the equivalent(Von-Misses) stress for our comparison between the 2 configurations
and evidently, the hemispherical head with a lower value of 224.33MPa provides greater
reliability than the chamfered head, which presents a value of 885.57MPa under the same
scenario, the latter being very close to the yield strength of 950MPa of Titanium.

2) Comparison on the basis of materials on the hemispherical head configuration:

Titanium Alloy(Ti6Al4V) Stainless Steel

a) Directional Deformation a) Directional Deformation

b) Equivalent(Von-Misses) Stress b) Equivalent(Von-Misses) Stress

c) Equivalent Elastic Strain c) Equivalent Elastic Strain

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 19

 d) Maximum Principal Stress d) Maximum Principal Stress

e) Normal Stress e) Normal Stress

f) Strain Energy f) Strain Energy

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 20

The stainless steel pin shows a higher value of equivalent stress (148.63MPa) at the tip of pin
head which is the point of our consideration in this case, than the Titanium pin(99.863MPa)
making the latter an obvious choice over stainless steel.

6.4.Fatigue behavior of Ti6Al4V:

One of the primary motivations for a shift from traditional stainless steel to Titanium alloys for
the purpose of firing pins is the higher fatigue strength of the latter, as reflected by the following
S-N curves:

Figure 6.6: S-N curve of Ti6Al4V Figure 6.7: S-N curve for Stainless Steel

Comparing the stress data of stainless steel firing pins that happen to last around 6000 rounds,
with that of the Titanium firing pins, we can safely assume that the life of pins in the latter case
should extend by 6 to 8 times the previous. This however cannot be mathematically substantiated
due to the unavailability of S-N curves for Ti-alloy in ANSYS 2019 R3 materials library.

Figure 6.8: Fatigue Failure of Firing Pins Figure 6.9: Modified Goodman Diagram

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 21

However, we might make an attempt using the modified Goodman Diagram for the material and
the system combined, since it is a standardized method for examining fatigue failure for
fluctuating stress. The very fact that the pin is subjected to repeated stress allows gives us this
privilege since the modified Goodman diagram is applicable for all kind of fluctuating stresses
other than completely reversed.

The modified Goodman diagram for the firing pin in the given situation where the equivalent
stress is used as the stress parameter is given in the next page. The various associated parameters
are specified as follows:

Ultimate Yield Endurance Maximum Minimum Midrange Stress

Tensile Strength Limit Stress Stress Stress Amplitude
Strength (𝑺𝒚𝒑 ) (𝑺𝒆 ) (𝝈𝒎𝒂𝒙 ) (𝝈𝒎𝒊𝒏 ) Component (𝝈𝒂 )
(𝑺𝒖𝒕 ) (𝝈𝒎 )
MPa MPa MPa MPa MPa MPa MPa
1020 950 529 182.2 20.2 101.2 101.2

The modified Goodman line for design becomes:

𝜎𝑎 𝜎𝑚 1
+ = 𝑛…………….(15)
𝑆𝑒 𝑆𝑢𝑡

Where n is the projected factor of safety

Putting the values as per equivalent stress parameters we get the overall safety factor of the pin
as 3.44. However, here lies the anomaly. In this case, we are considering the stress variations all
over the length of the pin, which may be logically argued, since as per practical data from
practical scenarios and those reflected by the analysis, failure is more likely to occur in the tip
region, which is the point of contact. Thus if we investigate more closely, the minimum stress
must have a value of 91MPa tentatively since the upper and lower bound of minimum stress
distribution are 101MPa and 81MPa respectively. Using these values we get the midrange
component and amplitude stress to be 136.6MPa. The corresponding factor of safety for fatigue
failure of the pin is 2.55 approximately which is twice that of the safety factor for the stainless
steel pin, 1.244. These are the values to be adopted for a conservative design paradigm.

It may be mentioned that although the conservative design methodologies are also offered by the
Sodérberg and Gerber diagrams, we prefer to include the Goodman diagram because:

1) It is a straight line and the algebra is linear and easy.

2) It is easily graphed, every time for every problem.
3) It reveals subtleties of insight into fatigue problems.
4) Answers can be scaled from diagram as a check on algebra.

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 22

 7.Analysis of a Standard design of CuZn30 Percussion Cap
CuZn30 is material of the percussion cap of the bullet, which comprises of approximately 70%
copper and 30% Zinc. . The low conductivity and the outstanding bending proof performance
makes it the favorite choice for the such applications as percussion pins since it houses the
primer, which on ignition generates gases of very high pressure and high amounts of heat
energy.
Table 7.1: Mechanical Properties of CuZn30

Density Thermal Conductivity Modulus of Elasticity Yield Strength

Kg/m3 W/(m-k) GPa MPA
8550 121 114 430

Table 7.2: Simulation of Percussion Cap struck by the firing pin

a) Directional Deformation: b) Equivalent Elastic Strain:

c) Maximum Principal Stress: d) Strain Energy:

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 23

 8.Probable Improvements on the Design Subject
Although the design template of the above analysis considerations is widely accepted and has
been verified in a multitude of strategic situations, there are a few points we would like to
address as probable improvements on the existing template:

1) Sharp Edges: The existence of a number of sharp edges at the rear end of the pin is a
point of concern since that is where the striking hammer hits the pin. So it is imperative
that those sharp edges be removed and replaced with fillets to prevent stress
concentration.
2) Also, in order to prevent any damage to the firing pin being hit by the striking hammer
during every round of bullet fired, the rear end has to be reinforced with more material.

With these considerations we present key aspects of the analysis results of the final design as
follows:
Table 8.1: Important aspects of Improved Design of Firing Pin
a) Directional Deformation: b) Equivalent Elastic Strain:

c) Equivalent(Von-Misses) Stress d) Strain Energy:

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 24

 The improved design weighs about 5.1645 gm, a 9% increase in weight from the previous
design and an 18% increase on the previous factor of safety of 2.14, and a 9% increase
on lock time. But since the firing rate is satisfactory (500 rounds per minute in full
automatic) we go with this design.
3) Material Used: This is the most important aspect of ballistics design. Firing pins have
developed in shape and design over 500 years and eventually the designs are converging
to an optimum level. Thus designers have turned to the material for further
improvisations. Initially firing pins used to be made of stainless steel, mainly in an era
dominated by single shot bolt action rifles. However with the development of the gas
operated automatic systems, the requirement of a material that is better resistant to fatigue
failures at elevated temperatures. From this requirement, came the use of Titanium alloys
for fabricating firing pins. Given its corrosion resistivity high temperature retention of
mechanical properties, the titanium-6% aluminium-4% vanadium(Ti6Al4V) alloy is the
most popular Titanium alloy, accounting for about 50% of Titanium usage all over the
world. However, on the negative side, Titanium and its alloys suffer from vices like high
cost, fabrication difficulties, a high energy content and high reactivity at elevated
temperatures (above 823K). With the developments in material sciences, one group of
materials offering these properties are the superalloys, first developed in 1940s for use in
the elevated-temperature areas of turbojet air craft. These alloys are based on nickel, iron
and nickel, or cobalt and have the ability to retain most of their strength even after long
exposes to extremely high temperatures. Strength comes from solid-solution
strengthening, precipitation hardening and dispersed alloy carbides or oxides. The nickel-
based alloys tend to have higher strengths at room temperature, with yield strengths up to
1200Mpa (175Ksi) and ultimate tensile strengths as high as 1450Mpa (210Ksi). The
1,000-hour rupture strengths of the nickel-based alloys at 815°C(1500°F) are also higher
than those of the cobalt-based material, which have greater ductility and good thermal
stock, corrosion resistance and wear resistance. One of the more common uses of cobalt
is as the binder in cemented carbide cutting tool, providing good strength into and above
the red-heat range of temperatures. Unfortunately, the density of all the superalloy metals
is significantly greater than iron, so their use is often at the expense of additional weight.

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 25

 9. Fabrication of modified AR-15 Firing Pin
As mentioned in the previous section, Titanium and its alloys are difficult to machine. For this
purpose titanium aluminum nitride (TiAlN) coated carbide are usually considered the best choice
for machining titanium. Out of the handful of basic cutting tool coating types, TiAlN is clearly
the best at maintaining its integrity and properties as the temperature in the cut gets hot. In fact,
heat actually drives this coating’s protection. Aluminum that is liberated from the coating
through the energy of machining helps to form a protective layer of aluminum oxide. This layer
reduces both thermal transfer and chemical diffusion between the tool and the workpiece.
Coatings coming soon add even more aluminum to encourage this reaction. However in this
section the main focus on production procedure so the tools used would not be of much
significance.

The following production simulation for the final design template of the firing pin has been
done in CAMWorks 2018, an add-in of Solidworks 2018. The process can be fundamentally
divided into 3 phases which are shown below with their respective toolpaths:

Figure 9.1: Phase 1- Toolpath for Roughing Cycle

Figure 9.2: Phase 2- Toolpath for Finishing Cycle

Figure 9.3: Phase 3- Toolpath for Cut-Off

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 26

The following code has been generated by CAMWorks for a FANUC-2AXIS lathe post
processor and the origin has been set at the tip of the firing pin.

O0001
N1 (CNMG 431 80DEG SQR HOLDER)
N2 T0101
N3 B90.
N4 G00 G96 S1800 M03

N5 ( Turn Rough1 )
N6 G54 G00 Z.3071 M08
N7 X.4421
N8 G01 X.228 Z.2 F.0161
N9 Z-2.668
N10 X.2966
N11 G03 X.398 Z-2.7187 R.0507
N12 G01 Z-2.8937
N13 G03 X.3972 Z-2.8999 R.0507
N14 G01 X.3312 Z-3.1687
N15 X.428
N16 X.4421 Z-3.1616
N17 G00 X.6421
N18 Z.2071
N19 X.1124
N20 G01 X.0983 Z.2
N21 Z.0023
N22 G03 X.13 Z-.0457 R.0807
N23 G01 Z-.056
N24 G03 X.172 Z-.1067 R.0717
N25 G01 Z-.8223
N26 G03 X.223 Z-.8793 R.076
N27 G01 Z-2.668
N28 X.228
N29 X.2421 Z-2.6609
N30 G00 X.4421
N31 Z.2071
N32 X-.0173
N33 G01 X-.0314 Z.2
N34 Z.035
N35 G03 X.0983 Z.0023 R.0807
N36 G01 X.1181 Z.0009
N37 Z.07
N38 G00 X.3181
N39 Z.0678
N40 X-.0455
N41 Z.0171

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 27

N42 G01 X-.0314 Z.01
N43 G03 X.08 Z-.0457 R.0557
N44 G01 Z-.0563
N45 G02 X.0944 Z-.0735 R.0243
N46 G03 X.122 Z-.1067 R.0467
N47 G01 Z-.8226
N48 G02 X.1384 Z-.8408 R.0243
N49 G03 X.173 Z-.8792 R.051
N50 G01 Z-2.693
N51 X.2966
N52 G03 X.348 Z-2.7187 R.0257
N53 G01 Z-2.8937
N54 G03 X.3476 Z-2.8968 R.0257
N55 G01 X.2747 Z-3.1937
N56 X.3966
N57 X.4107 Z-3.1866
N58 G00 X.6107
N59 X20. Z5. M09
N60 M01

N61 (DNMG 431 55DEG SQR HOLDER)

Process Specifications:

PART NAME = Firing_Pin_Final_Design

PROGRAM NUMBER = 0001
MACHINE = 4AXIS GENERIC
CONTROLLER = GENERIC FANUC
MATERIAL = 6061-T6
ESTIMATED MACHINE TIME = 0 HRS. 2 MIN. 22 SEC.
STATION TOOL TYPE DIAMETER CORNER RADIUS DESCRIPTION
------- --------- -------- ------------- -------------------- )
001 DIAMOND 080 00.016 CNMG 431 80DEG SQR HOLDER)
003 DIAMOND 055 00.016 DNMG 431 55DEG SQR HOLDER)
010 GROOVE 00.118 00.008 0.118W CUT-OFF BLADE)

One point to be noted here is that all the specifications above have been evaluated for a PCD
tool, whereas it is more practically viable to use CBN(Cubic Boron Nitride) tools for this
purpose, since they are harder than titanium aluminum nitride tools and way faster and less
expensive than PCD tools. They have a higher operating range, suitable for high hardness non-
ferrous alloys and provide excellent surface finish.

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 28

 10.Conclusion
Differing in mechanism and shape, the main reason for the bullet leaving the barrel of a gun has
always been the pressure of ignition gases emanated due to impact of firing pin on the primer
casing. But with advancements in the science of ballistics and internal priming, attempts have
been made to reduce the moving parts of the gun and enhance the stability of firing action of the
gun. This ushered in the development of alternate priming methods like electrical priming in
which the chemical primer is activated by an electric charge rather than mechanical impact, thus
ensuring a lower lock time. But it is used in heavier firing systems that are stationary. In real-
time combat scenario, such delicate systems can prove to be a setback, so assault rifles still
largely depend on pin-fire priming method. With that idea in mind we present our design as to be
capable of operating with perfection in a wide variety of situations. The higher cost of material
and machining is well covered up with a far greater improvement in performance, fundamentally
due to 36% reduction in weight of moving parts like the pin and BCG group. After considerable
comparison with its stainless steel counter parts we have arrived at the conclusion that although
the titanium pins suffer from vices like surface wear, it serves almost 2.5 times as long as
stainless-steel pins while providing a rapid firing time, which is instrumental in urban combat
scenarios that define modern warfare. This is a conservative prediction substantiated by the
factors of safety for the two pins and the operating stresses as well as the mechanical parameters
of the two concerned materials. The overall reduction in firing time gets reduced by a factor that
is the square root of the ratio of the masses of the 2 firing pins, and the new firing time is about
80% of that of stainless steel pins, that allows an automatic weapon of AR-15 mechanism with a
titanium firing pin to fire about a 100 bullets more per minute, without the fear of physical
damage to the firing pin since titanium can maintain its high strength even at very high
temperatures unlike steel. Thus we can claim that our design is a significant improvement over
prevalent designs as reflected by our analysis results.

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 29

 11.References
1) AMCP 706-260 Engineering Design Handbook: Guns Series: Automatic Weapons,
United States Army Material Command, Declassified: 1972

2) Design Optimization in Stress Distribution of Firing Pin Rifle by Impact Force using
Finite Element Modeling by E.P.Riyanto, I.Yani, A.Arifin, M.Zahir. IOP Conf. Series:
Journal of Physics: Conf Series: 1198(2019) 042009

3) Firing Pin Impact Studies, James.A.Boatright, 2016, Superior Shooting Systems.Inc.

4) Shigley’s Mechanical Engineering Design by Richard G. Budynas, J. Keith Nisbett, 10 th

Edition in SI units.

5) Advances in Laser Materials Processing by L.Xue, Second Edition, 2018

6) Strength Analysis of Ti6Al4V Titanium alloy produced by the use of Additive

Manufacturing Method under Static Load Conditions by Karolina Karolewska, Bogdan
Ligaj, Mateusz Wirwicki, Grzegorz Szala, Journal of Materials Research and
Technology, J Mater RES TECHNOL.2020.9(2).1365-1379

7) Finite Element Failure Analysis on 34CrNiMo6 Firing Pin in Fatigue Fracture by

A.Yusup, A.Mataram, I.Yani, M.Zahir. IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf
Series: 1198(2019) 032007

8) ANSYS Mechanical APDL for Finite Element Analysis by Mary Thompson, Jhon
Thompson, ELSEVIER,1st Edition,

9) The Finite Element Method and Applications in Engineering Using ANSYS by Erdogan
Madenci, Ibrahim Guven, Springer US, Second Edition

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 30

 12.Literature Review
Traces of research on priming methods and their ignition can be found as early as 1267, in the works of
Roger Bacon, a British friar living in oxford, England. As a scientist compiling an encyclopedia, he wrote
“This powder is enclosed in an instrument of parchment the size of a finger, and since this can make such
a noise that it seriously distresses the ears of men, especially if one is taken unawares, and terrible flash
is also very alarming, if an instrument of large size were used, no one could stand the terror of the noise
and flash. If the instrument were made of solid material the violence of the explosion would be much
greater.”
From the matchlock-flintlocks to muskets, firearms have employed the same mechanism in different
forms since the 1600’s. Yet the first comprehensive research literatures appeared mostly in and around
the 2nd decade of 20th century courtesy of WW1, mostly in the form of military research pamphlets.
Since then ballistic science have made great strides forward in order to cater to the needs of the ever
changing combat scenarios, but given the fact that the facilities of such research are offered only by
federal faculties hindered the growth of independent efforts, and the endeavors that succeeded, were
made classified by federal decree. The most comprehensive work has been compiled by Army Material
Command (AMC), US Army in their 1970 Engineering Design Handbook: Automatic Weapons declassified
a couple of years later in 1972. The more intricate details were focused upon in more recent scholarly
papers like “Design Optimization in Stress Distribution of Firing Pin Rifle by Impact Force using Finite
Element Modeling” and “Firing Pin Impact Studies” as mentioned in the references. Articles like “Finite
Element Analysis on 34CrNiMo6 Firing Pin in Fatigue Fracture” and private efforts like “Firing Pin Impact
Studies” by SSS Defense have focused on the service life of firing pins, that called on experimentations
with newer materials like titanium and chrome steel which is the current material of choice for firing
pins. Thus with support from papers like “Investigation of Fatigue Behavior and notch sensitivity of
Ti6Al-4V” and ASM Metal Handbook “Fatigue and Fracture”, 1996 we present our maiden attempt at
documenting a comprehensive account of design, analysis and manufacturing of titanium firing pins for
AR-15, one of the most widely used assault rifles of both the 20th and 21st century.

Design, Analysis and Manufacturing of AR-15 Firing Pins Page 31

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