Hulls Sticking in Chamber

VictoryXC

VictoryXC

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I am hoping someone can provide some insight into a problem I am experiencing with a 12ga sidelock SxS with extractors. It will not extract the hulls after they are fired. They stick in the chamber and then the action will only open part way because the extractors cannot push the spent hulls out. I have to take the forearm off and put force on the extractors to get them to release. I took the extractors off the barrels and spent hulls stick in the chambers.

It works fine with metal snap caps. Unfired shells are no problem either. Any advice on a remedy? Also, let me know if this thread is better suited for the Gunsmith forum.

Thanks in advance.
 
There is probably fine plastic residue in your chamber that needs to be cleaned out. This happened to our 97's after several years of cowboy action shooting.
 
VictoryXC said:
I am hoping someone can provide some insight into a problem I am experiencing with a 12ga sidelock SxS with extractors. It will not extract the hulls after they are fired. They stick in the chamber and then the action will only open part way because the extractors cannot push the spent hulls out. I have to take the forearm off and put force on the extractors to get them to release. I took the extractors off the barrels and spent hulls stick in the chambers.

It works fine with metal snap caps. Unfired shells are no problem either. Any advice on a remedy? Also, let me know if this thread is better suited for the Gunsmith forum.

Thanks in advance.
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While the gunsmithing section might have offered a quicker fix..nothing wrong with asking here.
Have to heard of the Remington Express Chamber polishing process?
Look that up in the shotgun sub or the gunsmith sub section forum and that should help your issue.
Rob
 
Have you tried different ammo or does it do it with any ammo? Winchester cheap field loads are known to give this problem.
 
iceman2 said:
Have you tried different ammo or does it do it with any ammo? Winchester cheap field loads are known to give this problem.
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Thats what I am betting on here as well.
The bases swell a few thousands and result in these partially oversized bases for the tight chamber.
Snap caps do not swell after the trigger breaks.
Polish the chamber and have at err.
Rob
 
Further to my first email, the chambers are 2 3/4" / 70mm. My first thought was also that it was the cheap Winchester field loads as I have experienced that in other guns. What I did was take a few different brands of spent hulls with low brass and high brass, cut some of the plastic off the hull only leaving an inch or two of plastic and tried those in the chambers. They stuck as well. I am going to try cutting the plastic right back to the brass and see if they still stick. At least this will give me a better idea of where in the chamber they are sticking.

I watched a YouTube video on the Remington Express Chamber polishing process (I saw both the Dremel tool method and the finger - 600 grit paper method) and will give that a try and will also try the 000 steel wool on bronze brush with solvent/oil method. It is a nice old sidelock so I hope to get it working.
 
I don't think trying a spent hull is a good test, even if the plastic is cut back. I have fired hulls cut back that I sometimes use for testing firing pins and there are a number of guns I have where I could barely get the fired hull in , if at all. If I did get them in, they would not extract back out and had to be pulled/pried out. Unfired shells went in fine.
 
Please don't use a dremel or sandpaper. Too much risk of removing too much material. My suggested remedy works 99% of the time. Your chambers likely have a build up of carbon and wax from old paper hulls fired years ago.

Darryl
 
gunsaholic said:
I don't think trying a spent hull is a good test, even if the plastic is cut back. I have fired hulls cut back that I sometimes use for testing firing pins and there are a number of guns I have where I could barely get the fired hull in , if at all. If I did get them in, they would not extract back out and had to be pulled/pried out. Unfired shells went in fine.
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This is why one should live in the country.....work on the gun and then step out the back door and test.
 
iceman2 said:
Have you tried different ammo or does it do it with any ammo? Winchester cheap field loads are known to give this problem.
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Winchester Universal garbage shells will make your expensive shotgun seem like a POS. If this is the case, it's the shells - they are absolute garbage.

 
are you sure youre not just using shells that are too long? they will fit in the chamber but when they fire and the front opens tehy will get stuck...
 
The first time it stuck it was the cheap Winchester target shells. I also tested it with Federal and Kent brass.

It is stamped 70mm and I used 2 3/4" shells in all three tests.
 
I polished the chamber with a brass brush & #0000 steel wool 'mop'. Tried it out today with Challenger, Remington and Kent and had no issues at all. Very happy with the results. Thanks for the advice and suggestions.
 
VictoryXC said:
The first time it stuck it was the cheap Winchester target shells. I also tested it with Federal and Kent brass.

It is stamped 70mm and I used 2 3/4" shells in all three tests.
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As mentioned it is usually the less expensive brands that are the bane of the problem.
But, it sounds like your back underway with some custom polishing haven taken place and your now good to go.
Rob
 
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