Red Label misfiring:

Cooperhawk · Dec 31, 2012

Was out skeet shooting last week in the cold, about 20 degrees, and my Red Label started refusing to cock both hammers when I loaded it. It would cock one or the other making doubles a little difficult.
I have had this shotgun for a long time and fired thousands of rounds through it, but it doesn't seem to be worn at all, so I figure it mist be gummed up. I took it apart this morning, meaning I removed the barrel, forearm and stock. I then used carb cleaner in a spray can to force cleaner through the firing pin holes, and cocking shafts. Afterwards I lubricated it lightly and will see what it will do on Wednesday when we shoot again.

BTW, It is in the low teens here this week.

Anybody else have this problem?

mattsbox99 · Jan 1, 2013

Taking them down and giving a good cleaning to the action has solved any problems I've ever had with a Red Label.

Rumrunner · Jan 1, 2013

You should be able to dry fire it and see if both barrels are cocking now. I had an SKB 500 o/u that sometimes wouldn't allow me to shoot the second barrel. They have a recoil system where as the red Label is mechanical and doesnt rely on the recoil.

deac45 · Jan 1, 2013

A little different but I have a Browning Auto5 that was sluggish cycling in extreme cold until I switched to a better lube that was better able to handle the cold without thickening up.

Deac45

Cooperhawk · Jan 3, 2013

What I did was remove the stock and barrel and spray carb cleaner through the firing pin holes and push rod holes. Wiped it all down and used Q tips to clean out crevasses, and yesterday at the range it performed flawlessly.

Not much dirt or grime came out so I guess just a little makes a difference.

mattsbox99 · Jan 3, 2013

Good to hear, while Red Labels aren't terribly complex, they have fairly tight tolerances and are sensitive to grime in the action.

Cooperhawk · Jan 5, 2013

I have two red Labels and love em both.

Tommy Kelly · Jan 13, 2013

Sounds like probably oil is your problem. At those temps oil will freeze and stop a gun from functioning. In those extreme conditions you probably would be better served with a dry lube that wouldn't freeze like graphite powder oil is bad about collecting dirt and clogging up actions. I only wipe the internals with a oily rag and never apply oil inside a gun for this reason keepong oil to a minimum inside my guns.

mattsbox99 · Jan 13, 2013

I wouldn't use graphite powder in the action. Just a light oil like Rem Oil to prevent corrosion is all they need. I do lube the ejectors and sides with a good quality grease when shooting though. It doesn't flow back into the action.