Loading gate 14 1/2

[eliwhitley]

While shooting my 14 1/2 upon ejection the loading gate opened and became lodged with the receiver. It will not cycle to extract the spend cartridge. How can I get the spent cartridge out?

Thanks, Don

[nambujim]

Don!
I can't picture exactly what took place but jams like you describe can be "epic" to clear.
I'm just guessing here but you will need to strip everything you can in an effort to get at whatever is causing the problem. Had a 14-1/2 a few years back that had both an live round along with a spent round jammed in the feed system. After a couple of hours of trying I finally resorted to removing the carrier dog pin, it worked because the dog itself was causing the jam.

I just can't see how the loading gate could be involved but nothing on these rifles surprises me anymore.

Jim Peterson
Charlotte, NC

[eliwhitley]

The loading gate opened while cycling a round and it's jammed against the receiver and I cannot pull the forearm up to move it.

Thanks

[nambujim]

This is something where I would need to have the rifle in front of me on my bench to have any real clue what is going on. You can remove the pin from the loading gate so as to remove it from the action bar, that shouldn't take much effort, and might allow you more access to the real problem. Only a thought, wish I could be of more help.

Jim Peterson
Charlotte, NC

[eliwhitley]

Thanks, I'll try that. It seems the loading gate is sticking up too much and won't go into the receiver. I thought it might be held in by that pin.

Don

[eliwhitley]

I tried to attach a picture. Don't know if it worked. Find under attached files.

[nambujim]

Roger that!

Picture sure tells the bloody story, never in 50+ years of screwing with these rifles have I ever seen that, probably the spring for the loading gate gave up or is missing. Again, the only way I can see you going forward is to remove the loading gate pin, should not be very difficult, and they usually come out easily. Look for the spring/plunger once you remove the gate. No doubt in my mind there is something else going on but with the gate in that position the magazine spring & follower have by-passed the gate and have made there way up into the action.

You of course can try to pull the spring/follower out through the end of the magazine tube but its probably hung up pretty good so it looks like a lot of fun, these rifles provide more than their share of challenges.

I'm NOT saying this is the case with your rifle but 90% of all loading & feed problems are the result of reloaded ammunition. Both the 14 & 14-1/2 were designed to use "new" factory ammunition, OACL is critical and in the case of 38-40 or 44-40 if you are just a "hair" to long it will result in serious feed problems, mainly jamming!!

Good luck!

Jim Peterson
Charlotte, NC