doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Sluggish Ejectors

I had an Ansley Fox AE grade out for a bit a week or so ago and noticed that while the ejectors work they were somewhat sluggish and not kicking the empties out all that far. This gun apparentely had not been fired in quite some time and never previously by me. Is there some cleaning or recommended maintenance I should do?
Hmm: I noticed I down to one star as well. I guess telling the truth in an OT thread will garner this.
Jim

Jim, several things can make ejectors look sluggish. One is that the ejector exrtactor [is that the right term] can be worn or wobbly in the barrel letting the case rims slip by the ejectors a bit. Another is that the grease between ejectors is old and hardened and that area may need lubing. I have also seen the screw that retains the ejectors being just slightly too tight, but am not sure , on a Fox, if this is the "Fox" way. After lubing between the ejectors, try another type of shell and see if it acts the same.

Assuming all is mechanically sound with your fox it is likely time for a strip and clean to remove thick old oil and grime. In addition the ejector springs on your fox are coil type springs which, if left cocked, can take a "set" over the years and loose power. Although I doubt that weak springs are the problem it is a possibility

Jim
remove the forend iron from the wood, soak the forend iron in mineral spirits or other solvent of your choice, spray out the springs and guides with compressed air, relube. Do the same to the barrel ejectors. Check the ejectors for freedom of movement.

Dan,
it's interesting about your comment on coil springs taking a set. While driving up to hunt yesterday, my friend related an experience with a Spanish sidelock with flat/hatpin springs and commented about leaving them cocked. Leaving any of them under stress isn't good, some take it better than others, IMO.

Many ejector problems can be caused by corroded/ dirty chambers and also cheap cartridges may have thin plastic cases that can 'fireform' to the chamber and take a set.This is especially true of 20 bores.
Hope that may help.

As salopian said, I have found the number one cause of ejector problems to be dirty chambers. Go at them with an agressive and tight fitting bore brush. I use at least a 10 ga. brush in a 12 ga. chamber. Chambers get dirty from normal use and must be cleaned well regularly, if you shoot a lot. Good luck.

Stan

On dirty, plastic contaminated, or lightly rusted chambers, I've used a brush wrapped with some Scotchbrite in an electric drill, and flooded with mineral spirits or Stoddard solvent.

I removed the ejector mechanism from the forend wood,cleaned it thoroughly,lubed and re-installed. Note: This gun is over 100 years old and I don't think these had ever been removed and cleaned before. I scrubbed the barrels as well including the chambers. The ejecters are now a lot more robust.
Jim