storing O/U shotgun (broken down)
I store my O/U shotgun broken down. Obviously the hammers are cocked when you open the gun. Is there a way to drop the hammers? I can't believe having the gun set for months at a time with the springs compressed is good for them. It's a Beretta 687. After 45 years of being around guns one would think something as simple as this I would know but I don't and amazingly none of my shooting aquaintances know either. Of course they all shoot autos or pumps so have never given it a thought.
BEER IS PROOF THAT GOD LOVES US AND WANTS US TO BE HAPPY!
BEER IS PROOF THAT GOD LOVES US AND WANTS US TO BE HAPPY!
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I normally don't store my O/Us broken down, but I do use snap caps in all my firearms to release the firing pin before placing them in the safe. If I plan to transport my O/U,I remove it from the safe, check it to ensure it is unloaded, close the action and release the firing pins on the snap caps, lower handgard and slowly open the gun letting the barrels slip away from the receiver without cocking the firing pins...works with my Turkish O/U. 0 -
1. Coil springs are not affected by staying compressed (flat and "V" springs are).
2. It's the fore end that provides the cocking action. Removing it after dropping the hammers and before opening the action will leave the hammers uncocked.
Some guys like a mag full of lead, I still prefer one round to the head.0 -
this is how i ship guns back to customers. take down your gun. store the bbl. store the forearm. look inside your receiver watertables or breech face. there should be a lever that is actuated by the forearm iron. push it in or slide it in and get the breech lock lever to go to center. at this point the gun will think its in battery. take off the safety. get a hard plastic or rubber mallet and hold it flush against the firing pin hole to simulate a shell. make sure you know which one fires first. hold the mallet tight against the pin hole and pull the trigger. repeat for second shot. viola! now...before you hook the bbls up to use on your next outing, make sure you see the firing pins retreat back into the breech face when you cock the gun before assembling it. pins should not be stuck out where the ejectors can snag them and bend the pins. this is a sign of an abused gun that has been dry fired without snap caps. ALL SHOTGUNS should never be dry fired. period. as the pin flies into the breech pin holes from the hammer side of the receiver, (guts,) it causes the pin holes to get bigger over time. (like trying to make a larger hole with an oversized round rasp file.) once this happens, the pins stay stuck in the holes and wont retreat. they must retreat to clear the ejectors, bbls, tube sets, shotgun shell casings, etc... if that happens, its new pins and 'smith' time! ching!!$$ hope it helps!
former air operations officer SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2. former navy skeet team, navy rifle/pistol team member. co-owner skeetmaster tubes inc.. owner/operator professional shooting instruction.0
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