doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Inertia trigger on BSS malfunctioning

Last weekend I took the "new" BSS out for a round of sporting. I had 5 or 6 failures to fire the second barrel because the trigger did not reset. I was using 3 1/4-1 1/8 loads, so lack of recoil is not an issue here. I recently got rid of another shorter barrelled BSS that I had used for about 15 years without the first malfunction. Each time this happened I would remove the unfired shell, close the gun, snap the right hammer, whack the butt with my hand, then snap the left hammer, after which it would shoot fine for a station or two.

I'm gonna tear it down soon to look for the problem. First thing I will look for is crud, whether or not it just needs a good cleaning. Barring that, have any of you solved this problem on a BSS, and how? Thanks, Stan

that's strange i could have sworn my long gone nickel-triggered bss had mechanical trigger. i'm pretty sure both barrels could be fired with caps w/o hiting the floor with the butt end (i had juicy slip-on pad on that gun) and both caps ejected each time. my current b.c.miroku o/u has reliable inertia unit.

I'm with Jager on this one. I think every BSS I've ever owned or shot had a mechanical trigger.

Stan,

Your BSS's mechanical trigger can malfunction if the mechanism is dirty. Take the stock off via the through bolt. Clean the trigger mechanism with spray carb cleaner (or something strong). Re-oil with penatrating oil and let sit for a few days. Apply protective oil and let sit for a few days. When dry bolt the stock on and shoot it! Others may have a better method to clean and protect from rust.

I don't know what type of triggers Brownings have. I know that the Beretta's I own have inertia triggers. What I suggest is, try and hold the gun tighter into the shoulder and see if that works before taking it apart.

I assume, then, that bumping the butt sharply had nothing to do with inertial forces resetting the trigger? And that it simply jarred the mechanism into resetting mechanically, and that if I had jarred it with any other motion besides a sharp lick to the butt it would have accomplished the same thing?

JDW, I don't think it is a matter of holding it too lightly. I shoot it just like I did my last BSS, and it never once malfunctioned. Besides, if it is a mechanical trigger, as Jager, Larry and Mark have suggested it wouldn't matter how lightly it was held. The trigger would reset when released anyway, would it not?.

Thanks all. You are absolutely right, it does have mechanical triggers. I walked out to the shop and put it together and it dry fired both barrels perfectly the first three times. Hopefully it just needs a good cleaning, and will get it shortly.

I should have thought to check that before posting, but made the faulty assumption that the lick on the butt was accomplishing what the recoil from firing would not. I cannot tolerate a gun that EVER fails to reset.

Generally speaking, the trigger on a BSS is pretty darned reliable. Let us know if cleaning solves the problem.

Had a 20 gauge that sat in the safe so long the lube must have dried out. It was so stiff it would hardly open. If your gun has the same type of lube, then cleaning would likely help.

Gentlemen:
I had the very same issue/problem with a beautiful little BSS "Sporter." My hunting buddy and my gunsmith tried everything but we could not get the little beauty to reliably fire the second barrel. A shooting coach opined that I was "trapping" the trigger and therefore not allowing the mechanism to switch over. He then tried the gun himself and had the same result! We had thoroughly cleaned the mechanism several times, trimmed a bit of wood from the stock....but still the same issue. I then sold the gun in Atlanta.
Tom