CVA double barrel problems

[45.70]

Gents,

I'm hoping this is a trigger problem, but looking for advice.  I have a CVA double barrel percussion shotgun that seems to have trigger problems.  I haven't shot it in a couple years, but decided to clear out some squirrel's today and it fired both barrels at the same time.  I saw a squirrel coming close so I pulled one hammer back and as I was aiming another squirrel started moving in.  I decided I might get a double, so I cocked the second hammer for a quick shot.  When I fired on the first squirrel, both barrels fired, leaving me a tad bit ruffled and one squirrel that was very ventilated.  Has anyone had problems with the CVA shotguns doing this and have a major safety issue going on, or is this a matter of adjustment on the triggers.  

Thanks,  Garry

[Captchee]

Its hard to say with certainty , without looking at your gun .
 But I would say that its either a trigger problem or a lock problem .
 Ill address the trigger  first .
  What you will have is a double single pined trigger with a trigger plate. With SXS the sear bars end up very close together  when installed into the stock .  Tighter if over time you have over tightened the lock bolt , thus squeezing the locks even closer together
As such if one trigger begins to have slop or side play you can  end up with that trigger  firing both locks .
OR if the  triggers  have dry lube in them , they may have actually stuck together  hard enough that when you  pulled one , it drug the other along with it .
 But frankly  I have not seen that happen to often as the trigger  plate keeps them for the most part separated.

 To check this , take the lock  on the barrel you intended to fire out . Look inside the sear hole of the stock and see if  when you pull the trigger back if it contacts the  off hand sear in any way or if the off hand trigger moves . . If it doesn’t  then   the trigger  was your problem or at least part of the problem .

 Next is the lock . CVA was well known for weak main springs and  soft lock parts .
 So pull the lock  that you did NOT intend to fire  off . Take a look at the  tumbler and sear. When you come to full cock does the sear set solid  to  the full cock notch . If it just catches it , then  there is a good possibility that the recoil set the lock off .

 If it does set solid  and fully , then  I would look to the  full cock notch angle . If its worn  to  the point its near 90 deg then  if your  sear spring  has become weak then  the sear can slip the notch under recoil .
 Next is the main spring  and sear spring .
 The main spring MUST be strong enough not only to set off the cap , but also strong enough to  keep  enough tension on the tumbler so that  under recoil , the  tumbler isn’t  moved  by the forces of recoil on the hammer . If it isn’t strong enough and your sear spring has become weak , then  the lock can also trip  because the sear isn’t  kept in  the full cock notch  by the sear spring .  IE under recoil the sear jumps the tumbler and the lock fires

 Now with all that being said here is my  guess as to what may have happened .
  The sear on the off hand lock  for what ever reason was not fully engaged in the full cock .

[45.70]

Captchee,

Thanks for the information.  I haven't started working on it to figure out what is wrong and glad I waited for some advice from more knowledgeable people.  That's one of the great things about the TMA, information and knowledge is always shared.  When I figure it out I'll post again.

Thanks again, V/R Garry

[sse]

That's one of the great things about the TMA, information and knowledge is always shared.

[45.70]

Captchee,

I finally got around to pulling my double barrel apart.  There was nothing blatantly wrong with the locks or trigger.  And I was mistaken about the adjustment screws, I was thinking of a different rifle.  After pulling everything apart and investigating I think either one of two things happened.  Either the recoil of the first hammer set off the second and it's a spring problem or I actually had a finger on both triggers.  I have to do a test fire this week, but after really thinking about it, I may have had a finger on both triggers, looking to get a quick shot on the second squirrel in range.  This is my first double trigger shotgun and may have made a cherry mistake, but I may have learned a dangerous but very important lesson.  I'll do some test fires this week, hopefully the gun works fine and it's operator error.

Thanks, Garry