As much as I like Rugers, maybe I am in for an awakening.

I was about to clean the 338 WinMag O/U based on a 20 guage Redlabel.

I opened it. The snap caps ejected nicely. I thought I would see if it would decock itself if I closed the action while holding the trigger down. I released the trigger after closing it and pulled on it again. Nope: click, click the firing pins fell.

I opened it to dry fire it again with snap caps, and it seemed to take more effort than I am used to, to open, but it fired and ejected normally again with the snap caps. Again it seemed unusually stiff on opening.

I closed it and took the forearm off, but the action then would not open more than about 10 degrees of arc. I did not force it.

Does anyone with shotgun or double rifle experience have any ideas what might be going on with my predicament?

I have had a jam with an empty double rifle! Oddball gun and oddball breakdown?

I still have the original 20 guage barrels, so with them it is an intact Redlabel, but I can't get the rifle barrels off, so it is not a factory gun for warranty work as is, for sure!

Help! Please!

I would pull the stock off and have a look something most likly fell out of place. I had this happen with a BSS once wouldn't open at all. Took the stock off found that the operating rod for the auto safety had come lose. Put it back in place and all as been well.

Thanks pdogshooter,
I may have screwed things up playing with the trigger and safety while opening and closing the action, eh? I don't recall doing anything to the safety, but it is one of those selective safety single trigger abominations, or abortions, with complicated linkages between the safety and trigger.

Better to learn about this quirk now than later. This is definitely not a reliable double rifle.

If I remember correctly, the forend iron is the part that allows the action to be cocked on opening. If the Ruger hammers are NOT rebounding, they may be interfering with firing pin retraction, thereby preventing the opening far enough to expose chambers.

quote:

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I have had a jam with an empty double rifle! Oddball gun and oddball breakdown?

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Does the action open with the forend installed, as designed ?

Sysephus,
Are you making any progress rolling that boulder up the hill?

I think you may be on to something there. The lower firing pin may have been left protruding, decocked, not rebounded, by my closing the action with the trigger pulled. This may be blocking on an ejector/extractor. Makes no difference if the forearm is on or off, the gun will not open fully, just part way.

I will get on it tonight, and if I cannot fix it myself I will take it to a local smith who has a degree in mechanical engineering.

Thanks for the comments y'all, you got me headed in the right direction, I think.

I took off the buttstock and exposed the works. I have a mashed/broken firing pin that is hung up and blocking the ejectors/extractors with its protrusion. I need a new firing pin. Oh well, its just a toy. A Merkel 470 NE would never do anything like that. The works are otherwise intact.