doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Gun hard to open. Any ideas?

You are cocking both hammers. With no shells in the gun, snap both hammers. Then try to open it. If it feels the same(hard) the firing pins are not sticking in the primers. If it's not hard to open with the hammers cocked but no fired shells in the gun, the hardness is just in cocking the hammers. If it IS hard to open with the hammers cocked, try opening it with the forend removed. If it opens easy now, the forend is too tight. Very common with Browning Citoris. If this is the case, stone a little bit off the butt side of the forend lug, until it opens a bit easier with the forend in place. Do this in a logical manner. Don't jump all over the place on suggestons from people who don't know anything about break-open guns. No offense directed toward anyone.

Sounds to me like you have an internal cocking problem.

Checked chambers, they appear clean. I won't be able to shoot them again for another couple of weeks (spring break). Dry fired both barrels no stickiness, easy to open. With the guns broken apart, I tried to push on the ejectors the affected gun's ejector were significantly harder to break the initial friction before they popped. This was done by hand with just the barrels.

What you've done, so far, sounds like one or both firing pins are sticking in the fired primer, suggesting a timing problem. This means the hammer(s) are not starting to cock soon enough, when starting to open. Again, stay with the logical sequence of trouble shooting. If this is the cause, the cocking lever(s) needs to be adjusted(bent) to start to cock the hammer(s) slightly sooner. Don't overdo it, because if you go too far, it may not fire afterwards. if this is all Greek to you, take it to a doublegun smith who knows what he's doing. This is a little more complicated than changing the oil in your car.

Another thought, with the barrels off the gun, try sliding the ejectors back and forth in the underlugs to see if they are binding there when moved individually and when moved together. Check it against the gun that works properly. Might be a little light oil lubrication there will resolve the problem. If you can take them out of the underlugs (should just be a single set screw holding them) and clean the channel and clean the rods. If there is corrosion remove it with a scotchbrite pad, relube and try again. Check their fit at the face of the breech as well. I had to stone the edge of one ejector to get proper fit and polish with emery the rod on another to make it operate smoothly. This is a lot easier than adjusting the timing and you can do it without fear of hurting anything - if you detect a problem there.

I am surprised no one has suggested this, because I have mentioned this issue to various smiths in the past and the immediate question was if the gun was off-face at all, the implication being that if it was, it could allow the primer to "flow" back around the firing pin. I'm interested in anyones thoughts on this.

More recently my own gun was sticking this way with federal primers to the point that it was piercing a few and the firing pin was distorting the primers on others, but I have no issue with winchester, cheddite or CCI primers on similar-pressure/payload reloads (7/8oz 12ga +/- 7000 to 7500psi), same hulls, etc. The gun sticks to the point that I have to knock my hand against the bottom of the hinge to open it with the federals, opens easy as can be with any other brand. Note the drag marks on all of the federal primers.

Shells won't drag in the chambers of an ejector gun upon opening. When the gun is open enough that the ejected shells will clear the standing breech then, only, would there be any friction between the shell and the chamber walls.

Am I the only one who finds that Spanish guns (at least mine) are much stiffer than other guns when new? I have two Uggies and an Armas Erbi and all practically require breaking them open over your knee. None have been shot enough yet to break them in.

How about a little recap? The gun was made for Orvis and little used. It's not likely to be off face or have rim cuts too deep. I would hope Mr. Khanh has cleaned the chambers by now and is not just satisfied that they "look clean". I believe what he's feeling is probably just normal. One gun works easier because it's been used more. My AYA #2 opens and closed easily when cocked. When one hammer has been snapped, there is some resistance to opening AND closing. When both have been snapped, there is considerably more effort required to open(hammers are cocking) and to close(ejectors are cocking). Make sure the hinge, cocking lever tips(or rods), forend iron and locking lugs are cleaned and have a small touch of good grease or heavy oil on them. I prefer grease.

The Lefevers that I love so much require noticeable effort to open, when fired. Mine do not have ejectors. The Parkers I've had are much easier to open when fired. Some guns just have much more mechanical advantage to the cocking mechanism. I think we're looking for the cause of a "problem" that is just normal operation.

Thanks Jim, BTW it's just Khanh. I will take all suggestions into consideration. I have cleaned the chambers, I will remove the ejectors and clean. I confident that the gun is tight and not off face. I will not have time to take the guns out again for a few weeks (family and work duties). I don't buy guns new so the majority of my guns have been used so this may be due to lack of use of the number two gun. I am not confident enough to do any work on the guns myself so they will go off to Jim Greenwood to look at.