[Laz]

On a modern but inexpensive side-by-side like a Stoeger or Remington Spartan/Baikal, coil springs are used. Many people store the guns with the action released either using snapcaps or simply dry-firing on an empty chamber in order to release spring tension on the firing mechanism. Other people either don’t drop the hammers or simply keep the shotgun loaded for home defense and don’t worry about spring tension. The Russian version of the owner’s manual for the Baikal says that while one should not dry-fire the weapon unless using spent shells or snapcaps, that it is a good idea to drop the (internal) hammers when storing the gun to prevent “slackening of the springs”.

Once, I had a Stoeger Silverado coach gun for a while and decided to trade it off on something. I had stored it with hammer down on a couple of snapcaps. I bagged it and took it to the shop. At the shop, I disassembled the gun, knowing it was unloaded therefore not opening the action first. When we tried to re-assemble the gun, to my surprise and shock, it was nearly impossible because the released cocking levers would not allow the forearm to be replaced onto the barrels until the action was cocked which was nearly impossible to do with the forearm not attached to the barrels. Fortunately I was in a gun shop and we corrected the problem but it was a lesson for me and I got to thinking and have tried to research the subject on gun forums with little success. I do remember reading a post somewhere (that I can no longer find) from a gunsmith discussing this issue where he recommended people take a disassembled, uncocked double to a gunsmith for fear they would bugger up the gun trying to re-assemble it. (I can believe it after my experience.)

Recently I purchased a Remington Spartan hammerless coach gun. It strikes me that when the gun is received new, in three pieces, the action is already cocked. If one follows the directions of disassembly, the first directive is to make sure the gun is unloaded by opening it, thereby cocking it. Secondly, one is told to remove the forearm, etc. Nothing is said about dropping the hammers anywhere in the process. Following these directions, every time the gun is stored disassembled, would it not be stored with the action cocked? If that is so, why should there be any concern about storing an assembled shotgun with the action cocked, loaded or no? Using coil springs, this should be no problem in spite of the fact the owner’s manual suggests dropping the hammer to prevent “slackening of the springs”.

Am I missing something? Is there a way of safely dropping the hammers on a disassembled gun. If so, is there a proper method of reassembling a gun with dropped hammers when the cocking levers prevent easy re-attachment of the forearm?

Sorry for the long post and I hope I have phrased the question understandably. I would appreciate any information someone could give me on this.