doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Sudden Safety Problem

I think I'll follow that last bit of advice and disable the auto safety (don't like it anyhow)and try to SLIGHTLY increase the spring tension on the safety button. As others have suggested and I thought initially, I could be inadvertantly moving the safety with my hand or thumb during recoil, but its not like I am not used to shooting sxs's and it doesn't happen with any other gun I have and didn't with this one till I messed with the length of pull. I think maybe something got jarred loose in process of shortening the stock. Maybe a look inside will answer the question, but I think the answer is going to be mechanical...Geo

First try some duct tape over the safety to see if it is you or the gun.

If you, you are on your own.

If gun, try a gunsmith who works on sxs. It is quite probable that even if you are touching the safety too much, the safety isn't performing as it should. Recoil is likely not the issue. Makinson has done a few of these and says there is probably a bit of metal slippage or wear that can be easily fixed. This seems to be more of a problem on subgauge guns for me so give it a try.

The choice of an auto vs a non auto is a very personal one, but don't expect that to reduce the problem. I "Note" the inertia weight on an "Infallible" SST of mine, which is designed to elimanate the involuntary pull by sliding over the trigger blades during recoil, slides "FORWARD" not to the rear. Recoil drives the gun rearward, loose parts with mass thus shift forward in their relative positions in the gun, not rearward (the gun actually moves, the inertia of the parts make them try to remain stationary). Removing mass from the safety is not going to prevent it moving rearward to the safe position (the recoil movement of the gun is much more forceful than the return). I strongly suspect you are holding the gun in such a manner that after the recoil your thumb is dragging it back, as your hand slides back to position.

Well, I can tape the safety, but I don't see how that's going to tell whether the problem is mechanical or operator error. Maybe I ought to tape my thumb instead. Some of my guns have auto safety and some don't. That has never really been an issue for me, though my preference is non-auto. I do appreciate everyone's thoughts on the problem...Geo

Just try it and see what happens by observing the gun after firing but before opening. Use a wide enough tape that the entire safety button on "not safe" and its surrounding area are covered. The idea is that inadvertent movement by you will be prevented as your thumb will slide over the tape.

I know I must be slow on the uptake on this tape business, but help me understand. If I tape the safety button so that it cannot move back to the safe position, it will prevent my thumb from inadvertantly resetting the safety, but if there is a mechanical problem, the tape will also prevent that from showing up, won't it?...Geo

In theory, the tape is set up so your thumb slides over it and does not engage the safety button. If the problem is mechanical, it should pull the safety back as the tape isn't going to be stuck so strongly that the safety button cannot move. You see, the safety can move but not be moved "inadvertently" by your thumb which is intended to slide over the tape. I guess you could make it even more interesting by putting a matchbox or something over the safety like a little shelter and then applying the tape.

BTW, you realize you should just take the gun to a gunsmith and have him tell you what is happening? A safety isn't safe but a safety that doesn't work as you intend is really not safe imo.

Why don't you just wrap your thumb around the stock away from the saftey and try it, surely a 20 can't kick that hard that it would move your hand far enough forward to go over the safety and then slide back unless your thumb is still on the safety when you fire it.

I think I want the problem to be operator error because I don't want to give up my gun into the hands of a gunsmith and not see it again for months. However, I've tried several different times to consiously keep my hand off the safety while firing and it still resets. This particular gun has an exceptionally small wrist. I'm going to try Montana's tape trick, now that She's explained not to tape it so the safety can't move, but just to keep my hands off it and see how that works, but I'm pretty sure now that the guns gotta go see a pro...Geo