If you are talking about the new chinesium distributors on eBay and Amazon, who knows. I cannot imagine the gears on those distributors are being marked like GM marked them. If you are talking about a nos distributor, what is the part number.
As for peening a solid pin sufficiently to keep the gear tight, you are quite correct. Instead, use a roll pin for a Ford distributor, 3/16 X 3/4. The Ford pin is the right length, the Delco pin called out in the Delco part books are the same length as the solid pins for peening and are thus too long so take a pass. Use the Ford pins. Has to be for a distributor though, hardened, and then safety wire it.
