doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com OFF FACE

RECENTLY I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF OLDER SxS's AT MY LOCAL GUN STORE THAT ARE IN FAIRLY GOOD SHAPE BUT ARE QUIT OFF FACE. WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON CAUS OF THIS CONDITION AND HOW CAN I BEST PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING TO MINE?

Off face is an improper relationship between hinge pin to standing breech and the hook to barrel face dimensions. The most common cause is too many opening and closing cycles for the hook/hinge pin. As the barrels come off face, there will be a "battering on firing" element that accelerates the wear and moves the barrels further off face and with fewer cycles.

The two most important elements are to maintain good, clean lube of the hinge pin/hook joint and to use only loads that produce pressure within the gun's design.

ps: all caps is construed by some as shouting.

pps: If interested, come on down to the Carolinas Vintager's meetings in Charlotte - lot of double talk there!!

main causes of a gun going off face are, lack of lubrication, slamming the gun open and shut and too large cartridges (a good example being 3" mag in a 6 1/2 lb gun - whether the gun has 3" chambers or not

Jonty

not the gun closing thread again?!

Rocketman, When is the Carolina Vintagers show and where ? Would you have any contact info you could supply me ? Thanks, Ken

Not a show, KH. We just get together the first Thrusday evening of every month and engage in some "double talk." There are several chapter organized events each year, also. We usually make a fair showing at the Vintage Cup and at Deep River. Visitors/guests always welcome.

Contact Bill (bill curry <jwwcurry@yahoo.com>) for a more comprehensive description and or calander.

I just had this repair work done on a gun. I had used the "tape method", but decided for a variety of reasons to have a "proper fix" done. In an email exchange with my 'smith (Dave Norin) he stated the follow:

Jonty nailed it for the causes.

Pete

I would like to thank everyone, you have all been a fountain of knowledge.

P.S. Notice I didnt use all caps this time

One of the surest ways of geting a gun off face, is not as common as once was. This was forcing swollen paper cases into the chamber by closing the gun with the hinge improperly lubed at the same time. This put great pressure upon the hinge while it was in a rubbing motion. Much worse than however hard it can be slammed without actual pressure against it. Of course if the forend has a heavy spring forcing the bbl hook against the pin, it always has pressure against it. Also ejectors which are cocked by rubbing down the breech face puts pressure on the hinge.
"Love Those Lefevers"
Very few guns are put off face by actual firing, it's the frictional wear in opening & closing.

Thanks Rocketman, that's about five hours away from me & more traveling than I can take. Guess I'll have to miss it but not because I don't want to come. Ken