Problem with Missfires! Need some advice.

[Anthropas]

Hello Everyone.

I have a .20 guage USH Youth Model that I'll be using for Deer hunting in a little over a week and I've been busy trying to get it sighted in these past couple of weeks when the weather hasn't been too cold and windy.  My first day out a few weeks ago and I shot it about 15 times with 3 missfires!  This was with Hornady SST's and some Hasting's Laser slugs, so I'm using "premium" type ammo.  The primers showed a very small dent in them and on the second shot they would fire.  I took the gun out yesterday and put 20 shots through it and it only missfired once, but I'm still very concerned about this problem.  A gun that doesn't fire when you want it to is worthless to me.  Has anyone ran into or heard of this problem before?  Is it safe to say this gun simply has a problem and should be serviced or is it part of being broken in?  Can anyone offer any advice for a home remedy? 

Thanks,

Anthropas

[PA-Joe]

Are you holding the trigger back until after the boom? The hammer block safety has to be held up until after the firing!

[Brett]

Yup, be sure you hold the trigger back not just snap and release.  Another possibility is if it's been real cold where you are the  lubricant you are using may become thick and gummy slowing down the action and causing light strikes. 

[Anthropas]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the advice.  I took the USH apart and cleaned it up and degreased a bit around the trigger assembly this morning.  Let me explain what happens in a bit more detail.  I line up my shot, pull the trigger and the hammer drops down, but the gun doesn't fire.  When I examine the shell, the primer has a small dent in it, but not nearly the size of the dent as a successful fire.  So I know the firing pin is hitting the shell every time, so I don't think it's a safety issue.  I didn't understand the part you guys were saying about the falling block and pulling the trigger in a certain way.  It's a single shot, how many ways can there be to shoot it right?  Cock the hammer and pull the trigger has always worked for me.  So I will see if it was the low temperatures and the grease issue, but if I'm not understanding the situation properly, please correct me.  I appreciate your help. 

Thanks,

Anthropas

[McLernon]

These guns have a transfer bar system that acts as a safety. If the gun is loaded and the hammer is cocked and it is bumped hard enough to slip the sear the gun will NOT discharge. This is because the transfer bar was not prevented from falling and thus the hammer's impact is transferred to the frame and not the firing pin. With these guns you pull the trigger all the way back to keep the transfer bar up and thus impact is transferred thru the transfer bar to the firing pin. It is possible that you are getting a 'glancing blow' to the transfer bar because of the way you puill the trigger and thus only part of the impact is transferred thru the transfer bar to the firing pin. This might explain the smaller dents on the misfires. Hope this helps!

McLernon

[Anthropas]

Hi guys,

Thanks McLernon for the reply, that was definately helpful info.  I definately focus on my trigger pull and the target at the same time and try to do as soft as a pull as I can until the gun fires.  If someone pulls the trigger really slowly just until the gun goes off are you saying this might cause the problem?  If so, how should I pull the trigger?  (Sounds silly to even ask that)  I don't want to jerk the thing and hurt my accuracy, but is that what I'm supposed to do?  I love how "safety features" disrupt the shooting experience these days.

Thanks again,

Anthropas

[quickdtoo]

To put it simply, the trigger needs to be pulled all the way to the rear, if it isn't, the transfer bar won't stay in place for the hammer to hit the transfer bar which in turn transfers the impact to the firing pin with full force. Just follow thru with your trigger pull by pulling it all the way full stroke to the rear instead of releasing pressure on the trigger at the break which is the normal practice. If it still doesn't work, the transfer bar or lifter and striker as it is called by H&R, may need work/replacement.

Tim

[Brett]

You can (and should) still squeeeze the trigger slowly just make sure that you sqeeze it all the way back.