[B. Dudley]

Sounds like you have a very nice gun there. What a great item to still have in the family. You should post some photos of it if you can.

Just another note about the ejector hammer sears. If you simply push the hammers back, they ShOULD catch and hold. By the sear tips will be in the downward position. The hammers will hold, and the forend will install, but the sears will be tripped while putting the forend back on. But you may be able to get the forend on. Lifting the sear tips into the upward position puts the system into the state it should be for proper forend installation.
You see, the ejector sears have a dual sear design. Thy hold the hammers when in 2 different positions. One is needed for proper forend installation/removal and the other is needed for proper ejector operation once the forend is on the gun. A little hard to explain.

It is not uncommon for some of the parts to get a little worn with use and they start to not work right.