Think I messed up my SXS

[Appalachiannative]

so I was hunting squirrels with my Husqvarna model 615 SXS and I fired a shell that I probably shouldn't have been using. It was a federal prairie storm that said 1500 fps on it. I know... I know... A lot of you are gonna say that is hotter than I needed. It is 2 3/4 inch and that's the size of my chamber, I'd bought these out of couriosity and This animal was really really far away, for a shot gun at least, so that's my explanation. When I fired that thing it kicked as hard as freaking buck shot, when I pulled the spent hull out it had a hole in the primer, and ever since then it seems like my gun don't seem to lock up air tight like it used too. Its not real obvious it just seems like if you grab it by the grip and shake it you hear a clicking I never noticed before. I'd like to think it's all in my imagination. If your just gonna jump all over me for firing this crazy HV ammo in an old gun from the 60's just save your breath to cool your supper! I'm looking for help here!

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I doubt if you hurt the gun and imagine the clicking was always there.

 

[Seedy Character]

Is that the only round you fired?

 

[JCooperfan1911]

It’s all in your head.

You experienced a pierced primer. Not a huge deal generally speaking. You became alarmed and checked the gun over, and noticed the “click” despite not noticing it before since you had no reason to.

 

[LoonWulf]

Or maybe you got a little piece of primer stuck down in your guns guts..........







Now that you've had a chance to think about that, I don't think I've ever seen a double retract it's firing pin far enough to let anything fall inside

I'm with JCF your probably just noticing something that was always there, it's just NOW your looking for something wrong.

 

[Appalachiannative]

I sure hope you all are right and it's all in my head. I shot at one more squirrel that day and nothing out of the ordinary happened so I guess I am making something out of nothing. I've never had a pierced primer happen before so I didn't know if it was dangerous or what

 

[Seedy Character]

Pierced primer is definitely not fun, but a very rare occurrence, too.

Should not be a problem going forward.

Those Prairie Storm are some heavy duty shells and will kick like a mule, especially in a light weight gun.

I bought a coach gun for a song. Guy bought the gun and a box of Prairie Storm. Took it out and fired 1 round. Listed the gun for sale.
He told me upfront.

 

[Bill M.]

You need to find the source if the clicking. If, for instance, it is caused by the gun being off face it is a problem that will only get worse.

 

[Appalachiannative]

See that's what I still suspect may have happened. Seems like the barrels wiggle a tiny bit. I don't remember them doing that years ago

 

[entropy]

Pull the stock off and make sure that noise isn't a primer fragment in the action. While you're in there, detail clean it. Reassemble, check for the 'wobble'. If it's still there DON'T SHOOT PRAIRIE STORMS through it again! I'd recommend sticking to light field loads ( 3 dr. eq.) or less, and realizing the gun now can see the end of it's service life. You can extend that by using as light of shells as possible.
When RST gets back to having stock, I'd recommend their low pressure loadings.

 

[Appalachiannative]

Pull the stock off and make sure that noise isn't a primer fragment in the action. While you're in there, detail clean it. Reassemble, check for the 'wobble'. If it's still there DON'T SHOOT PRAIRIE STORMS through it again! I'd recommend sticking to light field loads ( 3 dr. eq.) or less, and realizing the gun now can see the end of it's service life. You can extend that by using as light of shells as possible.
When RST gets back to having stock, I'd recommend their low pressure loadings.

I've been shooting Remington express XLR and haven't noticed anything until now. But I may go with something lighter like you said.

 

[WestKentucky]

I don’t know how hot prairie storm is, but unless it’s thermonuclear then it probably didn’t do any notable damage with 1 round fired. A steady stream of those and yes absolutely it will wear out quickly, but 1 round is not gonna do it. If 1 round was going to do damage you would more likely see damage on the barrels.

Barrel wobble… that’s a 2 piece hinge and the thrust would be nearly straight back. Doubt there’s damage.

Clicking… could be anything. Detail clean and see what’s up when you reassemble.

 

[Appalachiannative]

Pull the stock off and make sure that noise isn't a primer fragment in the action. While you're in there, detail clean it. Reassemble, check for the 'wobble'. If it's still there DON'T SHOOT PRAIRIE STORMS through it again! I'd recommend sticking to light field loads ( 3 dr. eq.) or less, and realizing the gun now can see the end of it's service life. You can extend that by using as light of shells as possible.
When RST gets back to having stock, I'd recommend their low pressure loadings.

Do you know what the dram eq. Is for the Remington game loades with the rabbit on the box is? It's not listed. Only sais velocity is 1290 and it's a 1 oz #6 . Tell you the truth I've never even known what dram eq means

 

[entropy]

3 dram equivalent.

Black powder for shotgun was measured in drams.

2 3/4 dr. was a target or upland game load. (all these are 12 ga.)
3 dr. was a Handicap Trap or upland (pheasant) load.
3 1/4 and higher were live pigeon (competition) as well as duck and goose loads, or deer when loaded with buck or ball. (The Foster slug wasn't developed until the 30's.)

 

[Appalachiannative]

I don’t know how hot prairie storm is, but unless it’s thermonuclear then it probably didn’t do any notable damage with 1 round fired. A steady stream of those and yes absolutely it will wear out quickly, but 1 round is not gonna do it. If 1 round was going to do damage you would more likely see damage on the barrels.

Barrel wobble… that’s a 2 piece hinge and the thrust would be nearly straight back. Doubt there’s damage.

Clicking… could be anything. Detail clean and see what’s up when you reassemble.

Makes me think it's a tiny bit of barrel wobble which was there already that I never noticed until after firing that bird bazooka shell scared the day lights out of me. I wouldn't recommend these things for anything less than a got nothing else stuck in a pinch turkey hunt. Way too hot for squirrel. I know they're marketed for pheasant I was just trying to get more velocity for high tree top kills. Just bought a box to see what they could do and stuck a couple in my vest before a hunt next thing I know my ears are ringing and I'm cussing up a real prairie storm (real reason for name) I've shot all kinda high brass at them varmints after the dogs bay them up a 4 story oak and had good results without such a big kaboom/busted shoulder. Quick kills and no meat wasted but the ammo shortage caused me to buy all kinds of off list stuff. None of which I have liked. I'm glad they've got my XLRs back in stock some places. If it is off face I've seen some video of Larry potterfield diagnosing and fixing that. Will give the action a look most definitely first

 

[Appalachiannative]

3 dram equivalent.

Black powder for shotgun was measured in drams.

2 3/4 dr. was a target or upland game load. (all these are 12 ga.)
3 dr. was a Handicap Trap or upland (pheasant) load.
3 1/4 and higher were live pigeon (competition) as well as duck and goose loads, or deer when loaded with buck or ball. (The Foster slug wasn't developed until the 30's.)

I'll be using this information from now on. I'm looking through all my shells and a lot of them don't list this measurement but others do Good grief I've got some NSI shells that say 3 3/4 dram. Definitely won't use those in my double barrel ever.

 

[entropy]

That's about the level the Prairie Storms are; those might even be 4 dr. eq. (AKA Max Dram equivalent)

 

[BBBBill]

Barrels can be tightened by a knowledgeable shotgun smith. Being off face is certainly not the end unless you just run it into the ground like that.

I'm no real shotgun smith, but I successfully repaired my sister's cheap H&R single shot truck gun after she complained to me about the recoil. She had shot a bunch of 3" mags in a 2-3/4" chamber. It required silver soldering a shim and reaming for a larger hinge pin. Her explanation was "Well they fit in the gun, so I thought they were all right." I reamed the chamber to 3", lengthened the forcing cone, ported the barrel, and fit a recoil pad. She is now happy with it.

 

[Seedy Character]

3 3/4 Dr is the Hi-Power, Super Double X, Express load
1 1/4oz shot @ 1350 fps
These were our duck/goose loads, before the non-toxic, global warming, green, bowel movement.

4 Dr or MAX load is the heavy 1 1/2 oz shot load.

Pressures are higher, but within SAAMI specs.

The do have some recoil.

 

[PzGren]

To properly check the lock up, you have to remove the forearm, hold the shotgun up and then see if there is movement. Remedies depend a little on what kind of locking system the gun has but will include a new cross bolt and a plate. You can also remove the forearm and hold the shotgun in front of a lamp, trying to break it open, there should not be a larger gap than 0.05mm. I just checked with a German gunsmith. If you can insert an old fashioned razorblade or gauge (0.06mm) and still close the action, it will need tightening.

Like many other posters, I do not believe that a single round could have caused the described wear. That usually comes from use in high round count guns.

 

[Appalachiannative]

Pull the stock off and make sure that noise isn't a primer fragment in the action. While you're in there, detail clean it. Reassemble, check for the 'wobble'. If it's still there DON'T SHOOT PRAIRIE STORMS through it again! I'd recommend sticking to light field loads ( 3 dr. eq.) or less, and realizing the gun now can see the end of it's service life. You can extend that by using as light of shells as possible.
When RST gets back to having stock, I'd recommend their low pressure loadings.

Got some RST loads coming in the mail. holding the gun up to a light bulb i can see light coming threw the gap between barrels and receiver. Just got back from harbor freight picking up stuff for my single shot project and while I was in there got a feeler gauge set. Using this I'll see if the gap is .006 or worse and if so I'll put it back on face by adding material to the hook with shim stock and lock tight then smoke the barrels to find any spots they scrub the receiver when closed then polish the burs out, repeating the process until it locks up tight without scrubbing

 

[Appalachiannative]

Well now I've hit a snag. The gun is definitely off face. But only on one side... If I close the action up on a.006 feeler gauge in the left hand barrel it can not be pulled out. If I do the same thing with the right hand barrel it slides out easily. Any suggestions? Other than take it too the gunsmith. Im willing to take it to someone but I'd prefer to fix it myself

 

[Appalachiannative]

Im thinking I could put some .006 shim stock on the right hand side of the face

 

[entropy]

Well now I've hit a snag. The gun is definitely off face. But only on one side... If I close the action up on a.006 feeler gauge in the left hand barrel it can not be pulled out. If I do the same thing with the right hand barrel it slides out easily. Any suggestions? Other than take it too the gunsmith. Im willing to take it to someone but I'd prefer to fix it myself

This is one that's better handled by a gunsmith that specializes in double barreled shotguns. The two I'd recommend are:

Pat Laib- Laib's Gunsmithing and Custom Guns, Spicer, MN, 56288. 320-796-2686. When I was a teen, I'd watch him work on shotguns behind the lines at the MN State Trapshoot. I've seen a lot of Pat's work, and he is who I would go to for this first.

Philip Crenwelge- Emory, TX. Phillip is arguably the best Clays shotgun gunsmith. His clients include winners in Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays. 210-313-5988.

1. .006 might not be the thickness needed, and 2., the metal that needs to be replaced isn't on the right breech face. Leave this to one of these two pros, or the gunsmith of your choice.

 

[Appalachiannative]

This is one that's better handled by a gunsmith that specializes in double barreled shotguns. The two I'd recommend are:

Pat Laib- Laib's Gunsmithing and Custom Guns, Spicer, MN, 56288. 320-796-2686. When I was a teen, I'd watch him work on shotguns behind the lines at the MN State Trapshoot. I've seen a lot of Pat's work, and he is who I would go to for this first.

Philip Crenwelge- Emory, TX. Phillip is arguably the best Clays shotgun gunsmith. His clients include winners in Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays. 210-313-5988.

1. .006 might not be the thickness needed, and 2., the metal that needs to be replaced isn't on the right breech face. Leave this to one of these two pros, or the gunsmith of your choice.

Well since it's you who's suggesting it I'll go with that option. You seem to be the man to talk to concerning shotguns. Any idea what this will end up costing me?