Fixing loose double

[Alex Johnson]

What's the usual fix for loose actions on double barrel shotguns, ie. slight gaps between barrels and standing breech. Can it be fixed by building up material in the locking lugs and refitting followed by redrilling for a new hinge pin? I'm curious, never have tried working on them, but am thinking of doing some work on an old beater simply for the experience.

[George Stringer]

Alex, the correct way is to install an oversize hinge pin. Brownells sells the reamers and pins. George

[James K]

You can build up the lock or the locking lugs on the barrels. A good way is to cut away some of the barrel lug and silver solder a thin piece of harder steel to it. That can then be cut or ground down as needed.

Be careful though when heating any part of the barrels. Make sure you use a good heat sink, as the barrels are soft soldered together and the lug soft soldered on. Too much heat can leave you with two single barrels and a real problem.

The real problem is that most of the older guns that have those kind of problems are just not worth the work of fixing.

Jim

[Badger Arms]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by George Stringer:
Alex, the correct way is to install an oversize hinge pin. Brownells sells the reamers and pins. George[/quote]

George, how would you hold the barrels and receiver together so that they would be tight when locked up? I know that on the AR-15, I just clamp 'er together in a padded vice. I've also seen Czech Pistols that had the holes around loose pins peened to tighten them up. I've never really worked doubles before.

[JimWolford]

Badger:

Padded vice works for double guns too, just be gentle &lt;BG&gt;

Basically it goes like this-

Strip the receiver

Punch out the old hinge pin

Place barrel and receiver together like they would normally go and place in the vice-bottom of receiver on one jaw-top of barrels against the other.

Tap muzzle end of the barrels with a rubber or rawhide mallet to ensure the rear of the barrels are tight against the face of the breech.

Ream out hingepin hole, tapered reamer & pin

Fit new pin

Dress off ends of new pin

Reassemble gun and test for function

Now you know it aint gonna be that simple &lt;VBG&gt; but that is a bare outline of the job.

If you are trying to fix a really valuable gun, it would pay to pick up a couple of junker doubles at some gun show to practice on &lt;s&gt;

Good Luck

Jim

------------------
Lay up some blackpowder and flints
The rest we can build, if need be

[Badger Arms]

Nobody would dare let me touch a prized double. Still, I might try this myself. I'd want to make the hinge pins too. I might just try this on a cheap single-shot action too. I buy tools at the Boeing Surplus Store to save money. They have TONS of reamers with only moderate if any wear. Fun place if anybody is ever in Kent, WA.

[This message has been edited by badgerarms (edited August 12, 2000).]

[George Stringer]

Thanks, Jim for saving me the typing.

Badger, I do them the same way Jim does. I particularly liked the one very correct statement he made--"Now you know it ain't gonna be that easy." George

[Badger Arms]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by George Stringer:
Badger, I do them the same way Jim does. I particularly liked the one very correct statement he made--"Now you know it ain't gonna be that easy." George[/quote]

I really know the feeling. My most interesting experience with gumsmithing was looking at a Browning BLR that wouldn't cycle right and saying to the customer, "Hmmmm, you know.... This Ain't gonna be easy." That's sorta like when you are numbed up at the Dentist and you hear the Dentist say, "OOPS!" Turned out that the BLR had a pin sticking out the side of the bolt that was binding. Those guns are a bugger to get back together right.

[Juan Hunt Greer]

Thanks for the info, guys. I expect to come into an"experienced" hammer double in a couple of weeks and it needs just that don to make a good CAS gun.
crankshaft
nralife, goa, jpfo, fcsa, smvfm
paranoia is a great thing to have when they are actually out to get You!!

[2shots]

Please remember that may older hammerguns had non-replacable hinge pins (typically, Birmingham guns). The only solution is to build up the lug. Brownells sells shim stock that works beautifully for these older guns.