WE have redundant safety nets for a reason.
I agree with you 100% Camile. Just because it doesn't happen often, or even if it hasn’t already happened at all, it doesn't mean that we shouldn't be aware of the potential. Think of it like the “Gun Rights” issue. Congress has not yet taken our Second Amendment Rights from us, but it doesn’t mean that they might try or that we should not take action to prevent it.
Sir Charles – “Bugsie; Don't overthink this. Nothing is ever entirely foolproof but I've never seen a shotgun go off on closing.”
Lumpy – “I have seen many internal hammered SXS fire when the action is closed hard.
John Smith - OK Bugs, I've been to a whole lot more matches than you have, can't remember a ND with a shotgun.
Come on Pards, make up your minds, or is it that you just want to cast dispersions on ANYTHING that “The Liberal” says?
Red Cent – “Sometime back a few cowboys removed the locking mechanism and simply held them closed when fired. Ain't dangerous at all. Again, if it WILL fire, the thing is so close to closed, nothing will happen. Being so colse to closed, the hull will maiintain and the force of the shell firing will b no different if you hd the action closed.”
If they did do this it is the stupidest idea I’ve heard of.
Red Cent - “As far as the action staying open, I believe I may have found cure. BTW, the "fix" for the Stevens is not for all the Stevens. The point where it is cocked is about 2/3 of the way of opening the barrels. I believe I can get the action to cock at the last inch or to of opening thereby relieving tension and it will stay open. I'll report back.
If by “the action staying open”, you mean that the gun attempts to close itself after opening, you have already addressed this problem. It is a function of the overly powerful stock hammer springs. If you mean that it doesn’t open all the way or far enough so that you can easily insert the cartridges into the chambers, that is a function of the length of the cocking lever (also called the cocking plunger in other articles). Please refer to this URL:
http://marauder.homestead.com/Stevens311.html . Scroll down to the bottom and access the articles indicated for complete instructions. If you want to change the place at which the hammers come to full cock and the sears engage the triggers, then you are going to have to re-cut the sear notches, NOT RECOMMENDED.