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Joined: Feb 2005
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Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 533 Likes: 2 |
I recently receiver my Boswell (I think is was made by C&H) back from the gunsmith after a clean and blueing. It has not been shot yet although I have dry fired it without shells in the chamber and everything seemed fine. Today I purchased some wooly snap caps and tried those for the first time. After dry firing the first time I can not open the action. The action opens just far enough that I can see the firing pins are still sticking out. Now what?
Tom C
�There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot.� Aldo Leopold
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Joined: Jan 2002
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Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,703 Likes: 103 |
I'd take the fore end off to open the gun and push the stuck caps out of the barrels with a rod. Then I'd dry fire it again to see if the firing pins were not retracting. Could be the new wool snapcaps are binding...Geo
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 137 Likes: 24
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 137 Likes: 24 |
If the gun still won't open with the fore end off, take a thin butterknife or puttyknife, round the edge, and slide it down the opening to ride over and push back the pins into the frame. the barrels should come off. I had to do that with an LC Smith where one pin was oversize and stuck in the hole. Good luck.
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,553
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,553 |
Tom, Did you dry fire it with no snap caps in it? I have heard that's not good for the pins or tumblers.Perhaps some damage was done??? Just an idea is all, hope it's an easy fix cheers franc
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Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 533 Likes: 2 |
The barrels do not open with the forend off and do not open far enough to slide something between the barrels and action.
Tom C
�There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot.� Aldo Leopold
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,703 Likes: 103
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,703 Likes: 103 |
Back to the guy who cleaned it or maybe someone else who knows how to screw it back together...Geo
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,271 Likes: 202
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,271 Likes: 202 |
Is it a sidelock ? If so, you can remove the lockplates and then remove the firing pins if it does not have disc set strikers.
If you can open the gun enough to see the firing pins , then try using a single edge razor blade to push the firing pins back into place.
Last edited by Daryl Hallquist; 05/26/17 09:50 AM.
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 7,718 Likes: 479
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 7,718 Likes: 479 |
Some snap caps are real tight in the chambers. They might be hanging up there and not on the firing pins. I'd try a wooden dowel down the bores as you try to open tap gentle and see if it helps.
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 5,533 Likes: 169
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 5,533 Likes: 169 |
If Daryl's single edge razor does not do the trick
Close the gun completely.
Place a soft pad on the action.
While holding the gun muzzle UP Use a soft wooden rod (pine) to gently vibrate ( light taps) the action, tapping the soft pad.
This should allow the firing pins to move back into retraced position.
Gently try to open the action
Mike
Last edited by skeettx; 05/26/17 10:28 AM.
USAF RET 1971-95
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Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 12,743 |
"IF" this gun has non-rebounding hammers, which most inside hammer guns do, then the firing pins are locked in by the hammer tension, thus they're not apt to shake down. Can you get something on the cocking levers to cock the gun. Lacking that I would guess you are going to have to remove the locks. First movement of the barrels should start retracting the hammers, sounds like this one is Lagging & there is not enough tension on the snap cap springs to push the hammers back, thus the pins are locked into the cap.
Last edited by 2-piper; 05/26/17 03:05 PM. Reason: correct typo
Miller/TN I Didn't Say Everything I Said, Yogi Berra
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Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 4,463 Likes: 207 |
I think 2-piper's advice will be the method that works, and note that dry firing w/o snap caps sometimes cause firing pins to stick forward. Mike
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Joined: Feb 2005
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Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 533 Likes: 2 |
Thanks guys. I sent it back to the gunsmith today. I believe 2-Piper is correct. It's covered by the warranty.
Tom C
�There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot.� Aldo Leopold
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 363 Likes: 16
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 363 Likes: 16 |
Having seen this exact problem before, My quess is that what you need to do is open the top lever bounce the action on your knee to open it. The problem I have encountered is with non-rebounding locks, the firing pin is pushed into the "primer" of the snap caps, and won't let the gun open as the pin is protruding. What I had to do was break the edge around the "primer" in the snap cap. Actually, this is a problem with a lot of snap caps and some are so modified. Not your gunsmith's fault, fault of the snap caps. Again IMHO
Dennis Potter
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,982 Likes: 106
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,982 Likes: 106 |
I'm guessing the firing pins are a bit too long and sticking. I bet the 'smith' just uses added pressure and forces the gun open and sees what happens..... probably nothing? I have an old beater Lang SLE 16b that sticks with most shells. I think the firing pins are a 'hair' too long, but I'm no gunsmith. I just pry it open....maybe I'm a dumbass?? Likely so, I guess. But it keeps shooting after prying it open. :-)
Socialism is almost the worst.
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Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,149 Likes: 1147 |
My bet is that Dennis is on the money with his diagnosis. Not insignificant that the owner had no problems until he put a new set of snap caps in it.
SRH
May God bless America and those who defend her.
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 533 Likes: 2
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 533 Likes: 2 |
I thought about what Dennis suggested but was worried about breaking the tip of the pin. It was really stuck. In any case it's already in the mail. I hope I get it back before the MEC shoot in Meford, WI this year. It was gone for over a year.
Thanks for all the ideas. I learn something new here everyday!
Tom C
�There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot.� Aldo Leopold
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14,122 Likes: 198
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14,122 Likes: 198 |
We're all men here. Push the lever over and force the gun open. Dennis is on my side, I notice. I guess it's too late now, but I bet the gunsmith uses this method.
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 533 Likes: 2
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 533 Likes: 2 |
Now I have shippers remorse.
Tom C
�There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot.� Aldo Leopold
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,982 Likes: 106
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,982 Likes: 106 |
Now I have shippers remorse. I wouldn't be too remorseful...you may have made the right decision.
Socialism is almost the worst.
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 610
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 610 |
Don't think a thing of it. My Scott locked up on me and I manhandled it open. When the breech separated a piece of wood fell off one of the fillets by the trigger. It drove Trevallian nuts gluing the damn piece back in and cost me me a bundle. Turns out the lever spring had broken,so ya never know.
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