Little help with old 410 I bought

[sorny]

I was at a flea market looking around the other day and saw an older guy (probably in his late 70s) selling some shotguns. One was a bolt action 20 gauge Mossberg with a C-Lect choke for $150, the other was a Savage Arms Model 944 .410 single shot break open action for $135. I talked him down to $124 (dont ask why an odd number) and took it home. Bought a box of .410 Remington shells for $6!!! I wouldn't have thought .410 shells would have been so expensive. It was $6 for 20 at Wal*Mart, so I know the local gun store would've been even more.

Anyways, shoot about 5-6 shells through before it gets too dark to safely shoot. Gun fires perfectly, patterns pretty good for an old .410 single shot, and overall it was a fun quick shoot. Only problem I'm having is that it's not ejecting the shells. I cleaned it twice already, lubed it, and it still won't eject them. Break it open fast enough and the shell will come 1/2 way out, but that's hard to do. It doesn't really bother me as I can just pluck the shell out, but I'm just wondering how hard of a fix this is. The extractor DOES move in and out when you push on it, just with a lot of force.

I appreciate any responses.

 

[Flatfender]

It may have been built only to extract and not to eject.

You can ask about your .410 over at www.Shotgunworld.com

Chances are someone over there would know.

 

[sorny]

Thanks for the reply. I searched around and found a parts list for the Mod. 944 Series A and it shows that mine lists an extractor as a part instead of an ejector, so maybe it does just extract. I didn't know if ALL break action guns ejected them or not. I don't know much about shotguns (this is only my 2nd shotgun ever) and never had a break action gun. I appreciate the reply.

 

[kudu]

Many of the old shotguns were made only to extract shells and not eject them. If when you open the action and it has a loud click, then it is usually an ejector spring. If when opening it slowly pushes the shell out it is an extractor.. It can be checked by sloowwly opening the gun, if it extracts, it works fine. If it stays flush with the chamber there may be a broken spring or pin in the ejectors.

 

[sorny]

Ok, guess mine must just extract and not eject then because when you slowly open it, it does push the shell outwards. The faster you do it, the more it comes out.... by gravity it assume

Also, there was no 'loud click' when break it open. No sound at all.

 

[Clemson]

If you will remove the forend and take the barrel off the receiver, turn the barrel over and look at the lug or "chopper lump" that pivots on the receiver. Guns with an ejector function have a spring-loaded ejector hook pivoted on a pin through that lump. Extractor-only guns are missing that hook.

I use a .410 for squirrel control. In fact, my city has a city ordnance mandating that squirrels can only be dispatched for "rodent control" purposes with a .410 shotgun. While that sounds restrictive, it is normally illegal to discharge a firearm within the city limits.

Clemson

 

[sorny]

Thanks Clemson, when I get home tonight I'll try that and see which one it is. If it DOES have an ejector then I'll take it to a smith and see what it'll cost to fix it. The reason I got this gun is for squirrel hunting. Was using a 12 gauge Mossy 500 pump, but with a 28" barrell, hauling that thing around for squirrels gets old after hiking miles into the woods. Plus if I killed a squirrel with it, there'd be little chance of there being any squirrel left unless I was far off Haven't gotten a squirrel with the 12ga yet, use it for turkeys or deer when that time comes around.

Also found out from that Shotgunworld.com link that the gun was made between 1936-1942 and although it isnt worth much the .410's are hard to find and I think this one is a keeper