I inheritatad an Ithaca 500 o/u.My question is when the gun is empty or when there are 2 unfired shell in the chambers,I can switch the trigger selector between the 2 barrels.After a shot is fired from either chamber the selector wont move.What could be wrong or is this how they were made?
Ithaca 500
- Thread starter #49
- Start date
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Yeah, there's a selector button that is behind/kind of on the top portion of the trigger.
IIRC, selected to the right, shoots the more open choke first, selected left, shoots the tighter choke first.
These use the firing inertia of recoil to switch from one barrel to another. I have A-zoom brand snap caps. Using these after hunting or the shotgun range, I put these in each chamber and fire the trigger (twice) to ease the mainspring.
Sometimes (most often) with the snap caps, I have to select each barrel position, because without real recoil from a fired shell, often the trigger will not fire the second barrel 100% of the time. In other words, with snap caps in each chamber, pull trigger once, select other barrel pull trigger again to ease mainsprings. Done, store long term as is with the snap caps in each barrel. Do not break the barrels open once more, as this will recock the gun, defeating the purpose of this task.
This lessens the chance of a broken firing pin from the firing pin impacting against the boltface due to an empty chamber.
You do not want to store this shotgun away, long term, with the firing pins in the cocked position!!!
From what others with more experience than myself say, if one has a really decent quality double gun or O/U the only small parts you should ever have to replace is the mainspring for each firing pin, or worst case, the two firing pins themselves.
This only assuming you have the services of a competant gunsmith that knows his way around your scattergun.
something to think about.......
IIRC, selected to the right, shoots the more open choke first, selected left, shoots the tighter choke first.
These use the firing inertia of recoil to switch from one barrel to another. I have A-zoom brand snap caps. Using these after hunting or the shotgun range, I put these in each chamber and fire the trigger (twice) to ease the mainspring.
Sometimes (most often) with the snap caps, I have to select each barrel position, because without real recoil from a fired shell, often the trigger will not fire the second barrel 100% of the time. In other words, with snap caps in each chamber, pull trigger once, select other barrel pull trigger again to ease mainsprings. Done, store long term as is with the snap caps in each barrel. Do not break the barrels open once more, as this will recock the gun, defeating the purpose of this task.
This lessens the chance of a broken firing pin from the firing pin impacting against the boltface due to an empty chamber.
You do not want to store this shotgun away, long term, with the firing pins in the cocked position!!!
From what others with more experience than myself say, if one has a really decent quality double gun or O/U the only small parts you should ever have to replace is the mainspring for each firing pin, or worst case, the two firing pins themselves.
This only assuming you have the services of a competant gunsmith that knows his way around your scattergun.
something to think about.......
You need recoil to set the second hammer. Pull the trigger then give the recoil pad a good bump. It should set the trigger to fore the second barrel.
I had a O/U shotgun and had the same problem. Sometimes putting the safety on off did it also.
I had a O/U shotgun and had the same problem. Sometimes putting the safety on off did it also.
ninepointer
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Central Ontario
Congratulations on inheriting a top quality O/U!
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Ninepointer has it spot on. I have one of these O/Us in 20 gauge with 26inch barrels & fixed choke Mod/IC. And it's my favorite upland gun for sure. Knowing this gun and load patterns I've taken small game out to 33 yards no problem. Yeah I know, good upland guns are usually allergic to longer shots. Not this one.
Why would you want to move the selector after the first shell is fired.the gun should be ready to fire the second shell after the recoil of the first shell has automaticly set the trigger to fire the second barrel.when you clear the fired shell you have recocked the hammer that fired the first shell.so yes you now can select what barrel you want to fire first as both hammers are cocked and ready to go.
