Ruger Red Label firing springs

[Cooperhawk]

Wow, tried the search and don't have time to go through hundreds of results.

My old Red Label 20 gauge needs new hammer springs. The bottom barrel doesn't always fire even though the firing pin does strike. Just not hard enough. I tried my local gunsmith and was told that they cannot get parts for the shotgun.

What do I do, ship it to Ruger. I use it to shoot skeet a lot and will miss it.

 

[mattsbox99]

You can send it to Ruger, or call Ruger and get the parts and have your gunsmith put them in, or put them in yourself. Just remove the buttstock and you'll be able to remove and replace pretty easily.


I'd be willing to bet that a new firing pin would help a lot, I bet the old one is worn down a bit.

 

[Pinecone]

Cooperhawk, I have never seen a Red Label hammer spring go bad although I'm sure it can happen! Rather what I "have" found on these O/U's is "gunked-up" firing pins, springs and slots which can cause misfires. Also bent firing pin "retaining" pins can give you the same malfuntion. Burrs and bulges in the firing pin tip are other causes. What is your firing pin protrusion? I would try cleaning these components with a "good" grease/gunk cutter. I have used "lacquer thinner" for as long as I have worked on guns for this purpose with very good results............................Dick :idea:

 

[APEXDUCK]

I agree with a good strip down and cleaning. I have had more than one O/U and SxS that failed to fire due to firing pin issues and dirt. But my RRL in 12ga has been abused waterfowling for years and has never had a problem with failure to fire.

APEXDUCK

 

[Cooperhawk]

i have stripped it down and used carb cleaner to get it really clean. Didn't help.

I did have one of these replaced years ago. Guess they do go bad once in a while.

On a side note, it only gives problems when the temperature is low.

 

[Pinecone]

Cooperhawk, With your adding the fact that it happens when it is cold leads me to my original conclusion that something is being retarded "somewhere". It could be in the area of the hammer strut assemblies themselves. I would, if you have the know how, disassemble these parts completely and smooth up all the parts that interact with one another and use "very light" oil when reassembling these parts. Sometimes a complete disassembly is required to get to the bottom of these intermittent malfunctions.............................Dick

 

[RedLabel]

If you can't get it fixed with a good cleaning I would send it to Ruger. It takes a little time but I sent mine back a couple of years ago and it came back to me better than new!