This is some wear on my firing pin and the firing pin retaining pin on a 20" Colt Match Target 6700. I only have about 500 rounds through the rifle. It has an unshrouded half circle carrier.
Is this normal? None of my other rifles show this kind of wear.
If this is not normal how do I stop it from happening? Thanks.
ETA: This is a factory original Colt and parts. Pics are from right after I cleaned it using Quibs formula of odorless mineral spirits and CLP.
Clearly not a Colt firing pin. What bolt carrier are you using?
I cant see your pics, but I do know that on an un shrouded ar bolt you will get some odd wear on the firing pin and especially on the retaining pin. That happens because the firing pin is actually contacting the hammer and resetting it after every shot, rather than the shrouded part on the shrouded bolt carrier. I believe I read that somewhere on this site, I will have to search and try to find it later, unless others chime in to clarify.
Looks like a ramped style carrier combined with an out of spec hammer (DPMS perhaps)
Years back a lot of guys would get this when they combined ramped/unshrouded carriers and DPMS LPKs.
I have colt carbeans with factory ramped carriers that have no issues. The carriers design WILL work. But if you start getting into the aftermarket parts, you can get damage like this.
I had a Colt Match Target where the firing pin retaining pin looked like yours.
I replaced it and never had a problem afterword. However my firing pin didn’t look like yours.
Just curious bro, how can you tell it’s not a Colt firing pin. I know some of their small parts (like extractors) are marked with a “c,” but how do you know if it is a Colt firing pin?
Yeah. That will sometimes even happen with M16 carriers. 
These are pretty typical signs associated with an “unshrouded” bolt carrier and how it can allow the hammer to hang-up on the FP.
To remedy the situation, you may want to buy a “shrouded” carrier. Try Bravo Company and one of their “M16 carriers”.
Mine firing pin retaining pin looked similar after firing some M855 (green tip) ammo through my AR.
It’s a cheap part, so replace and drive on.
Thank you all for your replies. This is an all Colt rifle. I haven’t mixed any parts. I’ll try a different carrier (auto) and firing pin. Should I/can I use the same bolt?
You should use the same bolt. I view my bolts as being “married till death do you part” to a barrel since they wear together. And while it’s not critical, I prefer it that way.
Carrier can be mixed and matched with no issues.
I had the same issue on an all Colt pre ban lower with Colt semi circle carrier. I fixed by going to a semi auto carrier.
Before going with a full auto carrier, make sure your lower doesn’t have a sear block sticking up a little out of the lower that prevents the use of full auto carriers. If the carrier is shrouded, the same firing pin will work fine.
Good point. Thanks.
Yes, a very good point I over looked. Thanks for bringing that up Andy!
Can I use a Colt AR15 shrouded carrier or does it have to be a half circle carrier due to the sear block. After looking at sear block, I can’t see why a standard AR15 carrier won’t work. All it is is a small bar across the back of the trigger well.
Colt firing pins are chromed and this one is clearly stainless. That firing pin is a Chi Com part from BCM, DPMS, Spikes or one of the many less than legit clone companies.
This firing pin came from the factory with the rifle unless someone at the dealer switched it out. I can’t imagine that happening…but then again who knows. I’ll just order a new factory firing pin although it does cost more. I’m still looking for a shrouded Colt carrier and trying to figure out why half circle carrier is necessary rather than a standard AR15 carrier.
Half circle is not required to work with a lower that has a sear block. You can use an AR15 carrier as well.
Read AR carriers this and search around the site for more info.
I own a LE6920 that will produce the same, identical wear on the FP and FPRP every ~2500rds or so. It has an unshrouded carrier. I have seen it on a number of other Colts with unshrouded carriers as well.
That firing pin is a Chi Com part from BCM, DPMS, Spikes or one of the many less than legit clone companies.
That pin looks just like one I swapped out of the LE6920 above.
OP said that it was a factory gun.
Further, there is insufficient information with which to make any further determination about the composition or origin of the pin from the photo provided.
Same experience here.
To further add, my older AR’s,mainly Armalites, with unshrouded carriers did the same to the firing pin spool and the FPRP.The firing pins are chromed,just polished from wear at the spool.The rounding/chewing of the firing pin spool is from the hammer riding as its cocked.After its rounded off a bit the wear seems to stop to a certain extent.In fact there were some small spool firing pins available a few years ago that had a radius machined on the outer edge of the spool to reduce contact and seen wear.
You can also dress the top face of the notch on the hammer a bit to help reduce damage to the FPRP.
This was the main reasons I upgraded all my older rifles to shouded carriers once they were widely available.Years ago shouded carriers were somewhat hard to find and expensive.
As far as slightly bent or dinged FPRP with shouded M16 type carriers…this is why I prefer the large spool M16 type firing pins as supplied from manufacturers such as LMT and Daniel Defense.They offer more contact surface with the FPRP.
Chicom parts from BCM?
Im pretty sure that would be news to Paul at BCM.
Really, BCM a Chi Com using less than legit clone company? I hope that was a typo, but I know it probably was not. Yes Colt makes good guns, but BCM makes good guns too. I know the SAW/Colt cool aid is good stuff, but don’t let it blind you to the fact that BCM carbines are phenominal weapons.
I have and use daily a Dept. issue Colt M-4 and a personal BCM. You would be hard pressed to tell the difference in quality between the two. BCM firing pins are chromed as well.
And to the OP, sorry for getting off track. It looks like wear caused by an unshrouded bolt carrier to me (a Colt invention/idea by the way).