Hard to open and close

[Harold Pickens]

Shot my GH parker16 and Lefever G 16 today, this was the first time for the Lefever. Using 2 1/2" RST reloads, the Lefever was hard to close and hard to open--no problems in the Parker. Using RGL 2 3/4" reloads, both guns functioned fine( low pressure, under6000 psi loads). All shells loaded on the same Mec 600 jr. Anybody have a clue whats going on?

[Double Lab]

Did you resize them all? What recipes did you load in the 2.5" and the 2.75"?

[Dean Romig]

The strikers or firing pins of the LeFever are dragging in the primers of the RST shells. Does this happen when you shoot other brands of shells in the LeFever? I know you haven't shot it before today so try some other shells in it.

[Harold Pickens]

Daryl, ran them all thru the same Mec 600.
RST: 15.8 International, DR16, w209, 3/4 oz @ 1105fps-6200psi
RGL: 15.5 20/28, DR16, w209, 7/8 oz @ 1105 fps- 5900 psi
Does the RST have thicker brass?
The RGL's worked fine

[Harold Pickens]

Dean, just tried some Win CF shells with the same International load and the gun closed right up, same with the RGL's. Guess the gun is just alittle particular as to it's tastes--but I bet your right about the firing pins dragging.

[paul stafford jr]

try backing off the adjustment screw a quarter turn if it doesn't help just turn it back. I'm talking about the large screw on the front of the frame.

[Kensal Rise]

Harold:
There is also a possibility that you are finding closing difficultly due to cartridge rim thickness, and/or shallow rim cuts in your chambers. This happens. And, if you find one or more brands of cartridges work, as opposed to others, use them! No slight to RST, but your gun just doesn't like them apparently. Of course, this is only one of a host of possible causes.

[Harold Pickens]

Paul,
The adjustment screw in the front of the frame is not the slotted type as in my Durston Special 20 Lefever, but it is concave with two holes and would need some type of spanner wrench--I suppose I could insert 2 phillips head screwdrivers and try to turn it , but I dont want to bugger up the openings. The gun itself is on face with the top lever to the right of center.

[Harold Pickens]

John, you must have posted while I was replying to Paul. Like you, I wondered about the rim thckness since the RGL's and Win worked just fine. Since I have plenty of both of the latter, it is not a problem. I only have about 150 of the short RST and can use them in the GH 16 damascus, where they worked just fine. I liked the RGL loading with the 20/28 better than the International load anyway. LOwer pressure, "sounded better", and was certainly cleaner burning. Hve to get to work and load some spreaders for those F/F barrels as I would like to carry it a little in the UP this fall.

[Paul Harm]

Don't know what the problem is, but if the firing pins are dragging you can see the slight drag marks on the shells from the primer on down. Check em out.