I'm sure this has been covered before, but does the action loosen up a bit with use? Also, how much dry firing is permissible without snap caps? Finally, any thoughts on the best lubricants for these guns?

Yes
No much that I would do w/o snaps
Tetra grease

There's my $.02.

Both of my doubles were tight when new. They will get smoother operating as you use them....but not too much. I know others here have their favorites, but Tetra works well for me and is a synthetic.

Best of luck.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC

I'm not sure they ever get not tight ... but it will loosen up some. Get a set of snap caps immediately. Tetra is a good grease.

Bill,

You should avoid dry firing any double without snap caps. Take her apart and apply tetra grease everywhere it looks like it will make a difference. that right there should help out quit a bit.

like slicking up any bolt gun, work it, shoot it... my chapuis was really tight... for about 100 rounds, then i never noticed how tight it really was....it doesn't just "fall" open, but then the barrels are really light...it's an extractor gun, and i kind of snap it open...then turn it up to dump empties....

BTW, never shoot a double rifle when it is dry. Always make sure there is (clean) grease on the hinge pin especially as well as other moving or bearing surfaces like the bolts or lumps. More damage is done shooting a dry rifle - or shotgun - than you would ever suspect. If the rifle or shotgun gets hot, this is especially so.

I don't even like putting a break action gun together or opening and closing one that is dry.

JPK

Guys: Thanks for the advice. I'll lube the UGEX and order a pair of snap caps.

They are purposly made VERY tight, and will loosen up with use! Use good lube like Tetra, and NEVER, NEVER, EVER, DRY FIRE A DOUBLE RIFLE WITHOUT SNAPCAPS!

Tight Chapuis double rifle is the way they all come in. A good gunsmith can loosen the rifle very quickly and easily IF THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING! I have clients' rifles loosened up at Briley in Houston. This is something they do all the time for new Beretta and high end shoot guns for competition shooters. Not a big deal. And now the horror story. I had a Chapuis rifle returned to my by a customer who told me the rifle had only been fired less then 10 but now it was off face, to the extent he could slip a business card between the barrels and the receiver. I got the gun back and took it to Briley to check the problem. When we opened the gun someone had beaten the block until the "chapuis" stamped on it was obliterated completely. Just a bad gunsmith or a buyer who wanted to loosen his own gun. Briley tighten the gun up and it went back to the customer.

quote:

Originally posted by Charles Prince:
Tight Chapuis double rifle is the way they all come in. A good gunsmith can loosen the rifle very quickly and easily IF THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING! I have clients' rifles loosened up at Briley in Houston. This is something they do all the time for new Beretta and high end shoot guns for competition shooters. Not a big deal. And now the horror story. I had a Chapuis rifle returned to my by a customer who told me the rifle had only been fired less then 10 but now it was off face, to the extent he could slip a business card between the barrels and the receiver. I got the gun back and took it to Briley to check the problem. When we opened the gun someone had beaten the block until the "chapuis" stamped on it was obliterated completely. Just a bad gunsmith or a buyer who wanted to loosen his own gun. Briley tighten the gun up and it went back to the customer.

Who ever did that to a new double rifle should have his nuts placed under a hammer, on an anvil for about ten licks.

There is absolutely no need to do anything to loosen up a new double rifle, they are all that way when new, and all it takes is about one or two trips to the range to do the trick, naturally. It absolutely amazes me, at things people do to fine rifles, and the Plumbers who have the gall to call themselves gunsmiths!

Might as well ask. I know that dry firing is a bad idea, but why is that? What harm will it do. Is it also bad for a bolt gun?

Doug

Charles Prince

Did that happen to be a 375 H&H??

quote:

Originally posted by dougaboy:
Might as well ask. I know that dry firing is a bad idea, but why is that? What harm will it do. Is it also bad for a bolt gun?

Doug

dugaboy, the reason dryfireing a double rifle, shotgun, or any breaktop firearm is, there is no resistance to the speed the fireing pin moves forward, letting it over travel, not only damageing the fireing pin spring, but the fireing pin it's self,but sometimes the face of the standing breach, by sticking it in the forward position. When the gun is opened,if the pin has not retracted, the ejector may break the nose of the pin off. The primer dampens the forward speed of the firing pin by slowly bringing it to a stop, without over extending! The snapp cap does the same thing, simply slows the pin's travel to a avoid over extending travel! I hope that is almost as clear as mud, but sufice to say, one of the most important items to have if you own a double rifle is a pair of good snapp caps!

Thanks Mac. Your explaination was perfectly clear. I have always wondered about this.

Doug

Displaying my ignorance, is it not just the tension of the forearm on the action that makes most of them tight? Seems that loosening that will allow the action to fall open.

My father did "something" to fix a tight SxS shotgun I had, but I didn't bother to ask what. Kids!

you can make a quck set of snap caps.. QUICKLY using either method below

deprime 2 cases, turn some lead to fit the primer holes TIGHTLY (one short rod will work) or melt lead into the primer pockets .. This is what galazan charges big money for EXACTLY...

or, (slightly quicker) use #2 pencil erasers for "primers" and glue them in. i have heard of using a mechanical pencil reraser, but those are small.

you can use a block of dense wood held FIRMLY against the face for a one time deal

sort of like rimfires, you are actually damaging parts EVERY time you dry fire a breakaction (of any type) ...

jeffe

Will,
when one evaluates a double gun, it is generally considered to be GOOD SENSE to remove the forearm to check for "on face" or looseness... that is the "Face" value...

yes, the forearm can cause it to be tight, if very well, or incorrectly fit, but the gunw ould be noticably different ... NEW tight double guns are due to closely held tolerences and lapped in work .. and is to be HIGHLY desired...

NEVER "snap" (i mean SNAP, not rapidly open) open or closed a double, as this causes wear and warp .. most guns that go off face due to hinge pin/lump wear .. the whole thing is rotating on that ~.310 dowel

jeffe

Where do you get snap caps for odd calibers such as the 50-400, 3", The 376 Flanged Magnum etc????

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:

deprime 2 cases, turn some lead to fit the primer holes TIGHTLY (one short rod will work) or melt lead into the primer pockets .. This is what galazan charges big money for EXACTLY...

I have several pairs of Galazan snapcaps, and they are made from a solid piece of brass, some are nicol plated, and some are gold plated. However, the are fitted with springloaded NYLON floating strike pads where the primer would be on a loaded cartridge. This allows the pin to strike the nylon "PRIMER" that compresses the spring, slowing the pin down, and then pushes it back to retract the pin into the face of the standing breech! They also sell a buffalo horn stricker block, that is placed over the foreing pin holes with the barrels removed, and allows the firing pins springs to be relieved with the block softening the pin's blow. This is done the same way Jeffe's wooden block is used.

The galazan caps are made two ways, one is heavier than the other. This is because they have to weigh the same as empty brass so as to check the not over extend the ejectors when opening the rifle, after pulling the triggers to relieve the springs, if you store the rifle with the barrels installed. If your rifle has extractors only then they can be lighter. The Galazan caps are about $50 for the nicol plated ones. These are limited to the more common chamberings. If they make them for your chambering the A-ZOOMS are very good, and are shaped exactly like a loaded round, made of hard anodized aluminum, with springloaded coushions, and are cheap in the $10 range, for a pair.

quote:

or, (slightly quicker) use #2 pencil erasers for "primers" and glue them in. i have heard of using a mechanical pencil reraser, but those are small.

you can use a block of dense wood held FIRMLY against the face for a one time deal

sort of like rimfires, you are actually damaging parts EVERY time you dry fire a breakaction (of any type) ...

jeffe

Of the choices Jeffe is giving you the eraser in the primer hole is best,but you must replace the eraser often, the lead is only temperary, because once it is dented, it doesn't retract, and may break the pin nose off when opened.

you can make snapcaps from an empty cases, for those cases that are not available, or they can be turned from brass, or aluminum billt stock.

Just a note here folks! There seems to be an opinion that I was targeting JeffeOsso, in some way! This is not the case at all. It is just that on some things we disagree, and IMO, that is where the chaff seperates from the wheat, nothing more! When both sides of an issue are stated, then the interested reader can pick the road HE chooses to follow, to get where he wants to be on that issue!

Sorry if my writing gave the impression to anyone, including Jeffe, that I was targeting him, because that is certainly not the case!

..................

Mac,
Man, I respect you even more for that!
jeffe