Loose hinge pins

[Rick B]

Can anyone tell me how I can tell if the hinge pins on my o/u or sxs are loose and need replacing. Both guns open very easily with no stiffness and I was just wondering if it was because the hinge pins were starting to wear?

 

[planemaker]

To check if the gun is still on face,

Close the action and take off the forearm, then try to wiggle the barrels side to side up/down fore/aft. You can also hold by the stock with the forearm off and shake it to feel any movement.

You may also try to close the action on different feeler guage thicknesses between the breechface and the barrels. If you can close the action on a
.001 to .0015, I'd leave it alone. More than that and it needs to be re-jointed, method dependant on the particular shotgun. Some have easily replaceable trunnions but most do not and requires a smith that knows what he is doing. If anyone says to use a centerpunch to move metal at the hook to take up the slack, run away fast that is a pure hack job that will not last.

 

[Rick B]

Thanks planemaker, she is still as tight as a drum definetly not off face, no looseness anywhere. I guess it's just nicely broken in and opens real easy.