Question about shotgun, one barrel not firing

Reba

Reba

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I have a side-by-side shotgun. I've had it for at least a couple years. I've never had a problems with misfires or jams. Yesterday, we went to the outdoor range to practice. (We wanted to be warmed up for a clay shoot this coming Saturday morning.)

Several times, the forward trigger to my right barrel ("first" shot barrel), froze. No movement at all, and of course, no firing. The back trigger and left barrel fired fine, no problem. It didn't happen every time, just every third time or so. I triple checked my safety, and it was in the proper position. I even switched it on and off again, just to be sure, but it still wouldn't fire. It would finally fire if I would open it up, take out the spent shell, replace it, and then try again.

What would cause one trigger to freeze up?
 
Need to be taken apart and cleaned. Shifting debris.
 
That is dangerous. Get it fixed before the trigger fails and goes off on its own, especially during a cease-fire on the range. You might get in trouble if the range officer finds out you have a malfunctioning firearm and you don't get it fixed.
 
deafdrummer said:
That is dangerous. Get it fixed before the trigger fails and goes off on its own, especially during a cease-fire on the range. You might get in trouble if the range officer finds out you have a malfunctioning firearm and you don't get it fixed.
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I use it only at an unsupervised public range, or at the hunt club clay shoot.

I load only two shotgun shells at a time, right before I shoot. If it doesn't fire, I crack open the gun and remove the shells, so there's no way for it to shoot then. I don't leave it loaded.
 
Sounds like you still need to take it apart to find out which part either needs to be lubricated or needs replacing. It could be a small grain of sand, rust, or a stinkbug. Those things are in everything I own.
 
is it oiled? If its dry it can hang up as well. Re-Clean it and check for anything that might be loose inside, screws/spring/dirt.... you could also have a cracked/broken spring...check everything. Im sure your action can be removed and inspected, cock it and pull the trigger watching everything as it moves for defects... If you still cant see it, a gunsmith will look at it and repair cheaply.
 
green427 said:
Sounds like you still need to take it apart to find out which part either needs to be lubricated or needs replacing. It could be a small grain of sand, rust, or a stinkbug. Those things are in everything I own.
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Yes, we're going to check it again.
 
I am gonna take a guess here...assuming it is the type that you need to open by "breaking it in half," maybe there is something preventing it from closing completely after loading. That might cause it to refuse to fire.

If this sounds completely ridiculous, it is because I am not a gun owner. However, I am familiar with mechanisms designed for safety.
 
saywhatkid said:
I am gonna take a guess here...assuming it is the type that you need to open by "breaking it in half," maybe there is something preventing it from closing completely after loading. That might cause it to refuse to fire.

If this sounds completely ridiculous, it is because I am not a gun owner. However, I am familiar with mechanisms designed for safety.
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My idea was similar to yours. Reba does not close it up very firmly. Every time I tried her gun I locked it with a hard snap. No problems.
 
TinCanSailor said:
My idea was similar to yours. Reba does not close it up very firmly. Every time I tried her gun I locked it with a hard snap. No problems.
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Made sense to a gun novice like me. I have worked in metals machining for many years, and the safety mechanisms are often a source of bafflement and frustration.

Maybe have Reba start hitting the gym. :lol:
 
PROBLEM SOLVED.

It was operator error. :Oops:

We went to the clay shoot today. I had zero problems with my gun. It worked perfectly.

Apparently, the other day at practice, I wasn't closing the barrels with enough force each time I loaded. Today, I made a conscious effort to close it with more strength each time. It worked!

TCS thinks that part of the problem was because of the place where we practiced. It was the usual range but we were at a different station. Instead of standing at a table-height position, we were at a chest-high (for me) bench. He thinks I couldn't get the correct position of my left arm to get enough leverage for a strong lift. (I'm kinda weak anyway.)

Anyway, now I know what to do.

Thanks for all the advice. The brainstorming helped. :)
 
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