Greasing Ejector guide pins?

[Fox20obsessed]

Hey guys, been a while...I picked up a CHEAP but honest 16 gauge ejector sterly a few weeks back. I’ve made all the necessary repairs to the gun including the addition of a late style metal reinforcement bracket obtained via Barden and the replacement of a small chunk of wood that was missing near the ejector sears. Anyhow, now that this sweet baby is ready to go afield I was curious if you fellas with ejector guns grease the ejector guide pins and main stems? I’ve only ever owned one other ejector fox and after hearing about issues with guide pins breaking off I was curious what you gentlemen with more experience in this area are doing/have been doing for years. Any input would be greatly appreciated. I have attached a few pics of the gun for your perusal including the forend repairs. You can see the chunk I replaced near the forend iron/wood junction. I added the bracket for strength and because the rear wood screw was totally stripped out/chipped, it is glassed in place. I had to make and blue a machine screw (8-32) to replace the wood screw also. Gun has 26” barrels choked M/F, is tight all around, and weighs 5lbs 15oz.
Thanks,
Matt

PS: Initial plans were to hot rod this thing and go full on custom X-grade with profiled breech balls, rebates, ivory bead, nice engraving, and killer wood. Initial plans changed when I spoke with the seller and he told me it was his late fathers gun and also one of his dads favorites...really struck a cord with me and I decided to keep the patina and just give the old girl some TLC to make her ready for the next 100yrs. The fact that this gun had a rock solid buttstock made the decision easier.

[Stan Hillis]

Solid repair it appears, Matt. I've got one I am going to do the same thing on.

I am an ejector fan (nut). I want them on almost all my shotguns. Almost every one of my Fox guns have ejectors, and I have only had one guide pin to ever break. It was on a well used 1918 BE. I repaired it myself and described the process I used under the Technicana and Restoration Forum here. I don't use grease, preferring a light oil instead. And, it's important to keep the hole for the guide pin clean. Pipe cleaners work well for this. Grease has a tendency to harden, moreso than a light oil, and with the addition of dirt could hinder the movement of an ejector and contribute to breakage. That said, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the number one cause of guide pin breakage is just metal fatigue. Of course, dirt and grime would exacerbate that.

Enjoy the 16 SE. Their great little guns.

SRH

[Silvers]

Nice work Matt. Nice job on that brace/machine screw and the wood repair over the ejector sear. And I like how you wanted to keep the Fox as honest as possible.

I don't oil or grease guide pins. The primary cause of ejector guide breakage is indeed metal fatigue as proffered by my friend Stan. frank

[DarylC]

Nice job on that bracket Matt and thanks for keeping the old girl in original condition.

[Jeff S]

Very nice, and thanks for sharing the pictures. You'll have a lot of fun with that one. Jeff

I just reread your post and studied the pictures. I get it! I have a 1924 12 ga. Sterlingworth with ejectors that has the same issue. The wood was "stripped" and the wood screw was "glassed" in place just like yours. Nice job on the repair. Jeff

[vaturkey]

Super nice indeed. I remember when you purchased that gun not long ago. Those little Stery ejector guns are sweet indeed.

[Foxnut]

Matt, nice that you are paying respects to the history of the gun!! Sometime that’s the best thing to do. Brett

[Fox20obsessed]

Fellas,
Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my question, take a look at the pics, and also for the kind words. I’ve always been into extractor guns for their simplicity, but now I see that fox ejector guns are way cool! I will be running the ejectors with no grease, just wiped down with an g96 soaked gun rag. Stan and Frank thanks guys for sharing the ejector wisdom it is much appreciated.
-Matt

[Fox20obsessed]

Stepped outside this evening and function tested this old girl...flawless. The ejectors threw the empties with authority and they landed in the grass one on top of the other. Everything works as it should now. I’m a very happy boy.
-Matt

[Stan Hillis]

Glad it works right, Matt. There's a feeling of satisfaction doing a job like that yourself.

Now that you've got an ejector Fox practice "trapping the hulls" with one hand when you open the gun and they pop up. I've been doing it so long now that I don't even think about it anymore. Makes reloading almost as fast as letting them hit the ground, and faster than with extractors. Plus, when shooting sporting clays you can trap them and toss them into the trash can. Helps keep the range personnel from having to pick up so many.

I love ejectors. I have had two ejector 30" barreled .410 S X Ss built to my dimensions for quail and dove hunting, both of which are nice places to be able to quickly reload.

[Researcher]

Now that you've got an ejector Fox practice "trapping the hulls" with one hand when you open the gun and they pop up.

I find that move quite natural. Actually a bit easier with the Savage-style top lever of my Fox-Sterlingworth Ejector Skeet & Upland Game Gun.

[Fox20obsessed]

Fellas I’ll have to practice that “trapping” of the hulls and get back to you, bear in mind I am an ejector newbie. Dave, I agree that the later style top lever has it’s advantages even though it may not be as aesthetically pleasing as the Philly style levers. Thanks again to all who took the time to answer my questions, it is appreciated.
-Matt

[Silvers]

That technique of trapping the hulls with one hand is so common on sporting clays courses it's taken as the norm by gents and gals with over/unders and the occasional double gun with ejectors.

This is kind of a tangent but methinks the theme here is kind of sad; those who do even a modicum of practice with their Foxes on clays courses before headed out hunting would have seen target shooters doing the hull trapping. That is, unless you're one of the natural shots who don't need practice with your Fox or a fella that comes up with excuses when invited out to join a gang while at a SxS event. Then there are those that claim something like I once heard a guy say "I don't do too well on clay birds but I'm a deadly game shot" Yeah right.

frank

[Fox20obsessed]

Frank,
In all honesty I’ve been shooting long enough to have seen the trapping of hulls on many many occasions...I was simply trying to show gratitude for any/all comments on the post and also so I didn’t come off as a know-it-all. When I shoot I’m all business and don’t play any games such as catching the ejected hulls in mid air,”trapping”, or anything like that...I just shoot and kick the empties (as ejected from the gun) in a pile then pick them all up before leaving my position.
-Matt

PS. There were a few replies made about this after my initial post and I have edited it to clarify some things.

[DarylC]

Not to hijack this thread but I'm not an ejector lover. I also don't worry about ejector lubrication.

That being said re; Frank's tangent on trapping your empties and shooting clay targets.
I shoot clays because I love to shoot. I love to shoot my SxS guns, pumps and SA's and O/U's. Trapping the empties establishes a routine. I also love to hunt birds, be they upland or waterfowl. I've always believed that as a hunter, you owe the game you pursue the cleanest kill possible. You can only accomplish that with practice and not relying on spreader loads or chokes. When clay shooting I developed a routine on every stand of how I position the unfired rounds in the chamber and then removing them after firing. It's just my way of staying focused. I find that when hunting I do the same, never letting an empty hit the ground (which I consider littering). The empties end up in my game pouch and are either set aside to reload or to be disposed of in the trash.

I read a book one time about border patrol agent Bill Jordan, "No Second Place Winner" I believe, who after engaging in a firefight with bad guys on the Texas border, found his pockets filled with empty cases after the smoke had cleared. The lesson to me was that what you do in practice carries over into field shooting.

I love it when I hear guys say they don't shoot anything that doesn't have feathers. Bull. You can't be a great game shot without being at least a good clay shot.