Rocky Mount Va.

Ok, thanks guys. I would love to replace the top lever spring with a new unit regardless, it’s too bad none are available.

Unfortunately I can’t get ahold of the suggested smith, are there any others y’all trust? One in the Dakotas would be great.

My 4E 12ga does this as well. The first time it happened I thought maybe I had somehow pushed the lever right and opened the gun so I reloaded it twice and fired it with my head lifted to watch my hand placement to ensure it was nowhere near the lever and the gun opened after each shot with the lever moved to the right on its own. I contacted the smith that restored it. He asked what I was using for ammunition. I sent him a picture of the ammo I was using when it happened(Winchester Super X 1 1/8 - 3 1/4dr.) and the ammo I was using when it does not happen(Bismuth No-Tox Eley branded 1oz 3 dr). He said the Win ammo is too high pressure and continued use of it could result in damaging the gun so I never used it again. So next time out I brought along a box of Bismuth No-Tox 1 1/8oz 3 1/4dr. and it happened intermittently with it too but never with the 1oz 3dr. As I do not know the published pressures of any of the ammo mentioned I can only guess the Eley 1 1/8 stuff is borderline of the low psi/high psi threshold and the 1oz stuff is well under or it's just a hit and miss issue of a totally different problem. There is also an issue of the top lever often not wanting to stay locked over to the right after opening the gun. It will snap back to the closed position on its own and is a little more than annoying.