Mechanical ?

[John Truitt]

I have a 20 ga DHE that is having a mechanical issue.

When open the gun cocks like normal and the ejectors trip like normal but when going to close the gun the cocking hook lets loose from the cocking mechanism and both hammers fall.
This happens 100% of the time.
Would the plunger mechanism/ spring have anything to do with this?

I would greatly appreciate any thoughts.

[Dave Suponski]

John, Is the cocking hook on the barrels still under light spring tension or is it flopping around loose?

[John Truitt]

Tight with lots of spring tension.

Its really weird. I cant figure this one out. But thought maybe the plunger could be affecting it.

[Dave Suponski]

I would have to agree John. If the cocking hook and cocking crank are not broken or worn then there has to be something going on with the plunger. Either a broken spring or the plunger is damaged internally. That would be my guess.

[Buddy Marson]

John, send me the gun and I'll take care of it, er fix it. I have a huge back log so it might take a couple years or so!

[Austin W Hogan]

John; Check the trigger return spring and the triggers in general. This sounds like a failure of the sears to engage.

Best, Austin

[Richard Flanders]

I suspect that pulling the floor plate off and looking at the internals will reveal the problem right away.

[John Truitt]

Thanks for the replys guys. I will break her open the weekend. I will keep you guys informed.

Its an odd thing. I really like this gun but she has given me fits ever since I bought her.

Buddy,
If I didnt like her so much I might send her your way. 32" 20 ga no safety, miller SST, she weighs in at 8 pounds on the dot.

Mr. Suponski,
Thanks. I didnt know what to call that part. (cocking crank). Thank you.

[Kevin McCormack]

Could be 100 yrs. of crud accumulated under the floorplate. At the first Greenwich Fine Arms show in CT, a man with his 3 kids in tow brought an 1899 VH to our table, hoping someone could find out what was wrong with 'Grandpa's old duck gun'. He asked us to take it apart right then and there. Luckily Eightbore and I had enough of the correct tools between us that we removed the floorplate to look at the internals. It looked like someone had carefully packed the action with heavy wheel bearing grease, then screeded it off on the surface under the floorplate - you couldn't see a thing but heavy black gunk! Before we took it apart, when you dropped the hammers it sounded like someone hitting a 4x4 post with a bung starter. By the time we got it cleaned out and reassembled, the hammers rang like a tuning fork! The father was mildly impressed; the kids went wild! Dad asked what we thought he should do with it now; we told him to go kill some ducks!!

[Buddy Marson]

Now I know I could take care of that problem for you if it gets to be too much for you to handle.

[John Truitt]

Thanks Buddy.

I will try it my self.
You guys stay safe during the storm.

I always give all of my guns a very thorough cleaning and going over. Its not gunk but some mechanical failure I have yet to figure out.

I will keep posted once I break into her over the next week.
Hopefully its just something simple.

[Jeff Kuss]

While they are normally very reliable, I would bet it has something to do with the Miller trigger.