Ok, this may be Overasked Question #9 but I couldn't find a reference sooooo....

 After less than a thousand rounds out of a new Bushmaster 20" I've noticed that the rear of the firing pin (the fat ring that meets the bolt) looks chewed up around the outside edges.  A buddy just picked up an Armalite, put near 1k rounds through it in a week or two, and is noticing the same thing..
 Is this normal wear, are we improperly lubing something, or did two rifles from two companies just happen on the same malfunction?  As always, any help is _greatly_ appreciated!

The hammer is cocked by the firing pin head and collar, and gets marked up a bit this way. Common. Do not worry over it.

Without the cut in the carrier, if the hammer was not caught by the sear, the rifle would go full auto. Now full auto is bad, but this full auto could occur without any assurance of the bolt being in battery - KaBoom - a bad day.

Great news, thank you very much Billski!  I see what you mean mechanically.  It's not as if the pin looked dangerously chewed up, but definitely better safe than sorry on My New Baby..

i'm sorry, full auto is not "bad" in 34 of 50 states... there its just taxed and restricted.... and expensive

Full auto is very bad on non NFA stuff, in any state.

uhhh, yeah... but it's a matter of a $200 tax stamp... that and being able to afford the go fast goodie of your desires once you find it.

my point is that contrary to what many people believe, full auto is legal... once you jump thru the hoops.

Full auto on my postban Bushmaster would be a Very Bad Thing.  Besides being blatantly illegal, it would come as quite a surprise and most likely throw my group all to hell ;)

 As to the original thread, at 1400 rounds the Bushie is starting to smooth itself out real nice, the firing pin hasn't gotten significantly worse, maybe it was jsut teething.  My buddy traded the armalite in on a 16" Bushie.  The Armalite firing pin seemed to show the wear mentioned more severely than either Bushmaster. Maybe the armalite firing pins are softer, or maybe it's the luck of the draw.  Screw it, she goes *bang* every time I've asked her to..