Need help with DHE
 

I have had a problem opening my 12 gauge DHE. I have used this gun since 1982 and has worked fine. In the early days I used it for everything other than deer hunting. I had taken it to shoot it about 3 weeks ago and difficulty opening the gun after it was shot. I could take the gun apart and open the gun. I got the gun to work (dry firing ) however when I tried it again this past Thursday it would not open.
Any ideas what is wrong with it ?

Are you able to manually return the safety to 'Safe'?
If not, does pushing one or both triggers forward allow you to open the gun, or manually move the safety?

Is it possible one of the firing pins are stuck in the spent primer , seems to me I had this happen years ago with a 28 Gauge Ithica ! I took the gun back to Cabelas where I bought it , the fella sort of bumped it over his knee to open it !

It is likely the shells sticking in the chambers.

- I got the gun home removed the fore end knocked out the shells and it works fine with some snap caps. This happens when it is shot.

- safety; the safety is operating correctly I will have to try it just after it is shot to check to see if it can be moved.
- not sure on triggers I will have to try, but when dry firing it now the triggers do not move
- the firing pin maybe sticking out slightly, but I need to confirm while shooting as for now they are not sticking out.
- I will try some factory shells as I shoot all reloads.

It seems that the mechanism that cocks the hammers is not working correctly.

Thanks for all the help

Bob, check the chambers to make sure you don't have any rust film build up from salty fingers in our hot weather. Will make cases stick.

Ignore what I said above. I was mistakenly thinking you said it wouldn't open when dry firing.

Are you shooting reloads? If so, they may be tight due to inadequate resizing

Back to range today. Shot some light factory loads same effect would not open.
The safety works
Any other ideas ?

I bought a gun from Brad Bachelder several years ago and it did the same thing. I sent it back and I believe he said a spring had failed. Easy fix and never had another problem.