need help with Sauer and Sohn 12 ga SxS

[Dave Wilson]

I have a prewar Sauer and Sohn 12 gauge SxS which works well for me on sporting clays. One day at the range it became progressively harder to break open, and eventually locked up completely. I mailed off to a NY gunsmith, who reported that they disassembled and cleaned it, but couldn't find anything wrong. They put two boxes of shells through it without a failure, and mailed it back to me.

The gun worked fine for a few trips, but last time it started happening again, with the addition that now the second trigger doesn't reliably work. I really enjoy shooting this gun -- when it works.

I'm pretty handy, but I am reluctant to turn a screw on this gun. Can anybody recommend a fix, or preferably a gunsmith familiar with older doubles who might be able to fix it?

[edgarspencer]

I sent you a PM

[Dave Wilson]

I sent you a PM

got it, thanks

[John Campbell]

Mr. Wilson:
For the Sauer gun you have, THE man to contact is Abe Chaber. He's a master craftsman, and trained in the classic genre of German guns:

Abe Chaber Danbury,CT 203-748-1830

You may have to wait a while for Abe to get to it. He's VERY busy.

[Jerry Harlow]

... a NY gunsmith, who reported that they disassembled and cleaned it, but couldn't find anything wrong. They put two boxes of shells through it without a failure, ...

Find out what brand of shells he put through it and use them. We've discussed this before as a primer problem in all probability. Sounds as if some strikes are deep in the primers thus hard opening, and some are light in the left barrel thus misfires. What shells are you using or are they reloads?

[William Davis]

I bought a Trojan 20 G that had been used very little. Difficult to open or close, thought it was old grease or oil, cleaned no cure. Shipped it to a very good double gunsmith. He said it worked fine with several brands of factory ammo.

Back home I started running it on low recoil AA shells and reloads AA hulls no problems . Other day shooting half a round of clays with the Trojan & AA another 50 with a Beretta 391 20 G on Gun Club shells. Two shell bags , one station by mistake grabbed the factory Gun Club 20s bag. Went back to hard to open or close . Have another Trojan 20 well worn that runs fine on reloads with Gun Club Hulls.

I would look very carefully at the shells before doing anything to the Sauer. New factory promo shells are likely to be a problem on tight guns.,

William