doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com CE Fox help needed- now with pictures-update!!

Had the same problem with a 1913 Sterlingworth. The gun had to be forced the last bit to close. It would close fine on original paper shells from the 1930's but wouldn't close on modern shells, especially Winchesters. The rim thickness and DIAMETER was larger on the modern shells. Paid a good gunsmith to recut the rim recess to modern specs but left the chamber length the original 2 5/8". Gun closes fine now. I think this may be your problem.

the gun closes nicely with no snap-caps or shells.

I cut a shell in half to make sure it had nothing to do with chambering...still the same issue...hard to close...does not like to open...it certianly has to with the fit with a shell in the chamber. Everything looks good to me though, I can not physically see what is causing the issues. A firm push during the entire close up locks the gun tight but triyng to close slowly at all is impossible. if you start slowly it will not close even with a lot of pressure...needs the momentum of a rapid shut to close completely with any shell in the camber.

The gun does eject the snap-caps fairly well...the eject to about my elbow.

will need to call them...all they told me before was that the ejectors worked fine on their snap caps.

Take a file and work the rim of a shell and see if the problem goes away. And where were these shells sized you are useing are they once fired ?

sounds like a pretty easy fix not matter the root cause. The other posters most likely nailed it, the rim cuts. I am opening up the rims on a 28ga parker in the morning for the very same reason. Should not be a show stopper in my opinion.
Steve

plumber...I only have once fired shells and snap caps at the house right now.

SKB...doing it yourself? Have not found a competent gunsmith in St. Louis yet. I don't want to have to send the gun to Galazan or Turnbull...I would rather just return it to the seller if that is my option.

I'll try the filing a shell carefully but the shells seem to fit into the ejectors really well and don' seem to stick out too far.

Yes I am.....I feed myself doing this type of work. See the link below my signature. It really does sound like a small problem, but if you would rather send it back, do that.
Steve

Does it feel like you are tyring to resize the brass when you slowly close the gun on your once fired shell? If it does I would get a loaded shell and try that also.

Often times the chamber has a slight tapper to it where the brass part fits, the further back to the end of the breach the wider, thats why it looks like it fits the ejectors fine. It is not a big deal or an expensive fix. I would get it fixed rather than return it, thats too damn nice a looking gun to get rid of over such a small problem IMO.

SKB...sent you an email

Thanks

Drew