[wiseone 910]

Howdy y'all, I just got a Stevens, Springfield double barrel 12 ga. After I shoot it's hard to open the barrel to eject the shells. I have to bang the gun on my hand, underneath at the pivot point to get it open. Anyone got any ideas of what my Problem is? Gun has no problems opening with no shells or before fireing the shells only after you shoot.

 

[packetsplace]

Does one of the spent cartridges have a firing pin drag mark on it?

 

[Helix_FR]

Like said above, protruding firing pins can cause this problem. Also the stevens use a extractor and if the shells stick in the chamber, this will cause the hard open problem. Best way to check is once you get the shells out, put them back in and see how hard they are to insert. An erroded or deformed chamber will cause them to stick or a erroded rim in the barrel will cause the same issue. If the shells come out easy once you get the barrel open, could be the pins, could be the extractor is sticking, could be the lock not fully unlocking.

 

[Jim K]

There could be several causes, but a lot of the time it is just lack of lubricant on the hinge pin, cocking cams and levers and hammers and sears.

Jim

 

[Treeman53]

Not sure if it applies to your gun, but same thing happened on a 16ga I refinished for a friend. Turned out it was chambered for the 2 9/16 shells, rather than 2 3/4. I happened to have 2 1/2 shells for my 1925 Winchester Model 12. Loaded these in his old double, and it performed flawlessly.

 

[wiseone 910]

Didn't notice any marks on the spent shells. Also checked to see if I was shooting the right length shells, 2 3/4 marked on barrel and shell. Someone said I might have a head space issue, could someone explane what head space is? In the mean time I will tear it down and give it a good cleaning, after all it had been sitting in a closet for no telling how long when I got it. Thanks for help guys.

 

[Helix_FR]

they mean head space issue but the shells would be deformed at the rim. That also does not cause a sticking problem in break barrels.

 

[Jim K]

In referrring to cartridges and shot shells, the "head" is the back end (hence "head stamp). Headspace in any firearm is the space between whatever supports the cartridge in the chamber and the breechblock, that is the room for the "head" of that cartridge or shell. Shotgun shells are rimmed, that is they have a flange at the rear that supports the shell. If a shotgun has excess headspace, it will show in bulged shell heads, usually looking rounded rather than flat. It may also show in misfires or in swollen cases that are hard to extract, which is the reason for the headspace suggestion.

Jim

 

[BulletArc47]

Like said above, protruding firing pins can cause this problem. Also the stevens use a extractor and if the shells stick in the chamber, this will cause the hard open problem. Best way to check is once you get the shells out, put them back in and see how hard they are to insert. An erroded or deformed chamber will cause them to stick or a erroded rim in the barrel will cause the same issue. If the shells come out easy once you get the barrel open, could be the pins, could be the extractor is sticking, could be the lock not fully unlocking.

I have a russian Bikal SxS that has a similar problem. After I fire it: opening it is like trying to brake into a federal bank safe. It's hammerless with an extractor; I haven't fired it in awhile, but when I did, I noticed that the primes were dented at the edge not the center. I've heard that hammerless double barrels a little harder to open; but do you have to use your knee to brake it open?