Shotgun problems, any suggestions ?

[Defender 130]

have a hatsan escort 20g semi auto which i picked up for what i thought was a reasonable price at a show earlier in the year but i cant get it to cycle cartridges at all

I have stripped and cleaned it, checked it all in accordance with a parts diagram to make sure everything is assembled in the correct order, cleaned the gas ports and despite the fact that it is supposed to cycle 24gr loads it still wont cycle either the 25 or 28 gr loads it is getting fed

It has more spring pressure when pulling the slide open than my 12g hatsan has (according to my local rfd this is normal as 20g operates at higher pressure than 12 g) but i cant help thinking that if the spring was weaker or shorter then it would cycle properly as there wouldnt be as much pressure needed to cycle things

Any suggestions or should i try and get another spring to try in it or maybe as a temp bodge would cable tying 3 coils together to weaken it prove the theory if i can get small enough cable ties to work without interfering

Starting to run out of ideas and i am stubborn enough that i want a cure rather than be beaten

 

[kennyc]

a friend bought a 12g Hatsan escort last year and had the same problem, what cured it for him was putting a few hundred heavier carts through it.

 

[Defender 130]

a friend bought a 12g Hatsan escort last year and had the same problem, what cured it for him was putting a few hundred heavier carts through it.

Which basically means the recoil spring is too strong and needs weakening in order to enable it to cycle correctly ?

i had read that on google but my rfd seems to think that isnt the issue and he doesnt stock enything heavier than the 28gr cartridges i have tried and it still doesnt cycle those, my 12 g hatsan likes 36 gr loads and cycles those without a problem but i got this 20 g for my daughter and the 28's when they dont cycle are not pleasant for her

Think i may try and get hold of another recoil spring to try in it, and at least if i have a spare i can shorten it a little at a time until it works

 

[B&W FOX]

I was interested in buying a 20g Hatsan for the grandson. A local gun shop I use a lot had one on the shelf he lent me to try along with a box of light shells....... and that would not cycle a single shell...... might as well have been a single barrel shotgun for the good it was.
hence I didn't buy it .
I've got a 12g version and it has to be kept immaculate to cycle properly, you soon find out why during a long day on the pigeons

 

[welshwarrior]

You don't mention the length of cartridge your shooting 21/2 or 23/4" this can have a big effect on cycling.

 

[Defender 130]

You don't mention the length of cartridge your shooting 21/2 or 23/4" this can have a big effect on cycling.

I have been trying 28gr 6 shot 70mm cartridges and the slide doesn't even get half way open.

Gas ports are clear, O ring seal is good, everything moves freely.

Even put a thin cable tie around the spring to compress 6 coils at the static end and lessen the spring pressure and it's slightly better in how far the slide opens but it still doesn't cycle a round

Spoke to the place I got it from yesterday and they have asked me to box it up so they can get it collected and looked at by there gunsmith, so I think that is what I will be doing as I have tried everything I can think of

 

[welshwarrior]

Is the slide and action lightly oiled?

If its lubed and still won't cycle a heavy bore load IE 28g it needs to go back especially if new it needs to go back to Edgar Bothers under warranty.

 

[Defender 130]

Is the slide and action lightly oiled?

If its lubed and still won't cycle a heavy bore load IE 28g it needs to go back especially if new it needs to go back to Edgar Bothers under warranty.

Slide and action are cleaned and oiled

Have done it again this morning and with the trigger and recoil spring removed the slide moves very well with no resistance

I think the problem is in the trigger somewhere because as soon as the slide gets far enough back to meet spring resistance to start the cocking process it stops going any further and closes before it has ejected a round

Not under warranty as bought second hand (although mint looking and described as 'as new' at the shooting show in February) but I hadn't had chance to get out and use it until just before easter

I have been in touch with the place I bought it from and they are arranging collection from my local RFD but if it's going to be this much trouble I am more inclined to ask them to either refund it or offset what it cost against the similar version in pump action

 

[Rowey]

Had the same problem with my lads 20g youth model. Cleaned it regularly and upped the loads but still the occasional frustrating jams. I did though find a long lasting solution..................... I took it back to the shop and sold it!

 

[Defender 130]

Had the same problem with my lads 20g youth model. Cleaned it regularly and upped the loads but still the occasional frustrating jams. I did though find a long lasting solution..................... I took it back to the shop and sold it!

If it was just an occasional jam it wouldn't be so bad but I haven't managed to get it to cycle a single round properly yet since having the time to try it

 

[Rowey]

Sometimes you just got to bite the bullet mate. It jammed often enough to annoy me and I lost confidence in it so it had to go

 

[Gunner223]

I had the same problem, so I got rid and now have a benelli, never had any problems since.

 

[simjakcal]

Bought one new for my son, it was a nightmare, tried every size load available, plus it went back for repair, first outing back out with it...it jammed up ! so took it back and had my money back and put towards a o/u....

 

[Defender 130]

Its on its way back, somewhere in a parcelfarce van, should have been collected from my local RFD earlier, am curious to see if there gunsmith can cure it as I have tried every sensible suggestion and a few others and had no success at all