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< 16ga. General Discussion ~ V. Bernardelli Italia SxS Hammer Gun- Fail to Fire |
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Posted:
Wed Jan 04, 2023 12:51 pm
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Member
Joined: 04 Mar 2008
Posts: 1621
Location: Williamsburg, VA
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I have a V. Bernardelli Italia SxS hammer gun made in 1969. I shot sever boxes of shells through it last June, and it worked flawlessly. I tried shooting skeet with it in October, and halfway through the firs t round, the left barrel failed to fire on several shots in a row. By the end of the first round the right barrel also failed to fire about every third shot using Remington Gun Club shells.
I would appreciate recommendations for a gunsmith who has experience repairing this type of shotgun. I live in Southeast Virginia. |
_________________ BarkeyVA |
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Posted:
Wed Jan 04, 2023 1:34 pm
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Joined: 07 Mar 2010
Posts: 483
Location: South Eastern PA
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You should try to use it with different brands of shells first before going through potential expense of having a gunsmith fiddle with it. Some brands have primers that are harder than others and some also have deeper set primers that could be the culprit.
I had an Ithaca at one time that hated Winchester shells. |
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Posted:
Wed Jan 04, 2023 5:20 pm
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Member
Joined: 15 Apr 2007
Posts: 9472
Location: Amarillo, Texas
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On my Bernardelli SxS hammer gun, the firing pin retainer unscrews.
Please insure these are screwed down tight or the hammer
will hit the retainers and not the firing pins.
Mike |
Last edited by skeettx on Tue Feb 14, 2023 4:39 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Posted:
Wed Jan 04, 2023 6:40 pm
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Joined: 12 Sep 2010
Posts: 1975
Location: Maine
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What Skeettx said.
It is possible the primers are set too deeply, but not very likely. I have had that happen. But I would first look at the firing pin retainer for having worked loose. |
_________________ “A man’s rights rest in three boxes: the ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box.”
Frederick Douglass, November 15, 1867, speech in Williamsport, Pa. |
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Posted:
Thu Jan 05, 2023 11:44 pm
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Joined: 17 Mar 2017
Posts: 2817
Location: Endless Mountains of Pa
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Mike & Dave,
You gentlemen beat me to the advise I was going to give, good stuff guys!
all the best,
Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. smith Man
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_________________ "L.C. Smith America's Best" - John Houchins
Pine Creek Grouse Dog Trainers |
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Posted:
Fri Jan 06, 2023 9:31 am
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Member
Joined: 04 Mar 2008
Posts: 1621
Location: Williamsburg, VA
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skeettx wrote: |
On my Bernardelli SxS hammer gun, the firing pin retainer unscrews.
Please insure these are screwed down tight or the hammer
will hit the retainers and not the firing pins.
Mike
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The retainers are not loose. However, there is a definite mechanical issue with the left hammer and firing pin. Not sure about the right barrel.
I plan to send it to Gunter Pfrommer in Rocky Mount, VA. He has done work for me in the past, the last time about 10 years ago. I had trouble contacting him by him by phone and email and thought he might have gone out of business, which prompted my original post. However, I was finally able to reach him by phone. |
_________________ BarkeyVA |
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Posted:
Fri Jan 06, 2023 9:48 am
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Member
Joined: 15 Apr 2007
Posts: 9472
Location: Amarillo, Texas
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GREAT and good luck
Mike |
_________________
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USAF RET 1971-95 |
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Posted:
Fri Jan 06, 2023 10:55 am
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Joined: 21 Mar 2019
Posts: 529
Location: Texas
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Gunter is well worth the wait. He has done work for me, and I have always been satisfied. |
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Posted:
Fri Jan 06, 2023 3:36 pm
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Joined: 17 Mar 2017
Posts: 2817
Location: Endless Mountains of Pa
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BakeyVa,
Good luck getting your gun repaired, hope all works out!
all the best,
Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man |
_________________ "L.C. Smith America's Best" - John Houchins
Pine Creek Grouse Dog Trainers |
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Posted:
Sat Jan 07, 2023 9:22 am
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Member
Joined: 04 Mar 2008
Posts: 1621
Location: Williamsburg, VA
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RGuill96971 wrote: |
Gunter is well worth the wait. He has done work for me, and I have always been satisfied.
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He has worked on a couple of my Marlin Model 90's, including my Skeetking in 2008. As luck would have it, he finished the Skeetking two days before we were leaving on a 6-week, 10,000 mile driving trip throughout the western USA. (On the way back, we stopped by Ron Borko's home in Brookfield, WI to see his impressive collection of Marlin Model 90 Skeetkings).
On the way out, we drove down to Gunter's shop outside Rocky Mount to pick up my gun. He was refurbishing a vintage Ferlach sidelock SxS at the time. and he removed one of the side plates to show me some of the gold-plated parts inside.
I asked him how much that gun might be worth. He commented that he didn't know for sure, but I was definitely impressed when he said it came in insured for $40,000! |
_________________ BarkeyVA |
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Posted:
Sun Jan 08, 2023 8:15 am
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Member
Joined: 06 Apr 2007
Posts: 3375
Location: The Great Northwet
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Let us know how that turns out. I'm curious what the issue might be. |
_________________ Gun art: www.marklarsongunart.com
Gallery art: www.marklarsonart.com
The man's prayer from the Red Green Show: "I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to. I guess." |
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Posted:
Sun Jan 08, 2023 6:59 pm
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Member
Joined: 04 Mar 2008
Posts: 1621
Location: Williamsburg, VA
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UncleDanFan wrote: |
Let us know how that turns out. I'm curious what the issue might be.
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Getting it fixed is not a high priority right now, but I will definitely let everyone know how it turns out. |
_________________ BarkeyVA |
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Posted:
Wed Feb 08, 2023 7:32 am
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Member
Joined: 04 Mar 2008
Posts: 1621
Location: Williamsburg, VA
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I finally got around to sending the gun to Gunter Pfrommer in Rocky Mount, VA on Wednesday, February 1 (USPS 2-day Prioirity Mail). He received the gun on Friday, February 3.
Imagine my surprise when UPS delivered the gun back to me on Tuesday afternoon, February 7!
Gunter charged $147 (plus Shipping and Insurance) to: "Make and Function right and left firing pins. Harden and temper two new firing pins. Install new firing pin return springs, Clean and oil sidelocks. Test fire and clean."
When I called him to thank him for the quick service, he told me that he made the firing pins a little longer than the originals and test fired three different brands of shells. |
_________________ BarkeyVA |
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Posted:
Wed Feb 08, 2023 8:33 am
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Joined: 17 Mar 2017
Posts: 2817
Location: Endless Mountains of Pa
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BarkeyVA,
Sounds like you are back in business, have fun with you Hammer Gun!
all the best,
Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man |
_________________ "L.C. Smith America's Best" - John Houchins
Pine Creek Grouse Dog Trainers |
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Posted:
Tue Feb 14, 2023 3:04 pm
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Member
Joined: 06 Apr 2007
Posts: 3375
Location: The Great Northwet
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Great to hear. Hammer guns are fun and easy to work on, and relatively easy to make parts for, which is great since they don't make them any more. Good stuff. |
_________________ Gun art: www.marklarsongunart.com
Gallery art: www.marklarsonart.com
The man's prayer from the Red Green Show: "I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to. I guess." |
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