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Common Huglu/ CZ maladies and the cost of repair?

5K views 13 replies 10 participants last post by  txgolfer45 
#1 ·
I hear so much about the failure of CZ, Huglus, etc. with firing pins and doubling and I wonder if the cost (if one had to pay) is all that high? You would think, considering the extent of the complaints by negative critics that shotgun smiths on this board and else where would be making money and becoming expert at fixing these guns? I also have heard the criticism that Huglu are copies of better guns (internally) and if this has merit they should be readily repaired by any competent smith? Any confirmation on this is welcome. Thanks, Kurt
 
#2 ·
True, by "competent" gunsmiths. Unfortunately, qualified gunsmiths are as rare as hen's teeth. There are lots of shops with gun cleaners and parts replacers (on standard brand guns). Real gunsmiths are not the Joe Sixpack that keeps a few parts laying around and has a Gunsmith sign out. Beware of the off brand guns. Parts are not easy to find. A real gunsmith will make the parts if he can't find them. A qualified gunsmith can make every part in the whole gun, if he needs to and you can afford the labor.

We have some qualified gunsmiths as members. Anyone, including you, can replace the firing pins and springs. A good cleaning, by removing the stock from the recevierwill usually solve the doubling problem. If it doesn't, it is time to hunt up a qualified gunsmith from among our members.

I am tired of seeing so called gunsmiths in the big box stores that are at best former military armorers, ie, parts replacers. Qualified gunsmiths have too much business to work for chain stores. The Huglu is a simple gun to work on. I can't think of any part that you can't replace yourself, if you can find the parts.
 
#3 ·
I don't know if you are going to get answers to your questions here as nobody's guns have doubled or broke any firing pins that I know of, I own and shoot quite a variety of Huglu made SxS's and O/U's and I have not had even a single problem with my current guns for years. I have recently had problems with my beautiful new Italian made Fausti O/U but that's it. All the crap that you are hearing is just that, old out dated CRAP or Bull**** but it all smells the same to me. The earlier guns years ago had a few problems but they were always taken care of under their 5 year warranty and Huglu made some very simple design changes about 3 years ago to assure that the occasional problems that were occuring didn't occur anymore and they don't. I'm not saying that no Huglu made guns will ever have a problem again but I can pretty assure that if they do it will be no more common than any other quailty brand of shotgun of similiar cost and value, maybe even less. But nobody that I know of is having any problems to my knowledge and that's pretty good because there is a bunch of guy's here that own a bunch of Huglu made guns and we use em' and shoot em' all the time, some even on the shooting lines. Thank's for stopping in though. Strat
 
#4 ·
Broken firing pins WAS a very coomon complaint by owners in the first half of this decade. For the most part, that complaint has dried up in the last few years. In addition riflemeister on this board who is a gunsmith and has taken apart both recent and older Huglus says that the pins have been changed for the better recently, making them less prone to breakage.

As to doubling, even 6 or 7 years ago it was not an especially prevalent complain. It does happen occassionally with doubleguns, as you can see by looking in the K-gun forum where there are several complaints of $10K+ shotguns doubling. I would not say from my research and ownership (4 Huglus) that it is any more prevalent with Huglus than any other brand.

As to cost....Replacing firing pins is a task that many people can do themselves. The cost to purchase the pins is cheap. Some importers will provide them at no charge.

Lastly, with TR Imports and CZ (the largest Huglu importers) both offering a 5 year warranty, its really not an issue worth getting too concerned about.

As I said, I own 4 and gave one to my boss for a Christmas present. None of mine have ever failed.

If you want a $10K gun for $800 you honestly aren't going to find one. If you want a good reliable field gun that looks great, handles well and does everything you ask of it for a lot less than $1,000 Huglu is the way to go.

Regards....2few

P.S. This has to be a first for me . Twice I have hit the submit button and twice I've been told that someone else has posted before me. WOW
 
#5 ·
evbutler said:
True, by "competent" gunsmiths. Unfortunately, qualified gunsmiths are as rare as hen's teeth. There are lots of shops with gun cleaners and parts replacers (on standard brand guns). Real gunsmiths are not the Joe Sixpack that keeps a few parts laying around and has a Gunsmith sign out. Beware of the off brand guns. Parts are not easy to find. A real gunsmith will make the parts if he can't find them. A qualified gunsmith can make every part in the whole gun, if he needs to and you can afford the labor.

We have some qualified gunsmiths as members. Anyone, including you, can replace the firing pins and springs. A good cleaning, by removing the stock from the recevierwill usually solve the doubling problem. If it doesn't, it is time to hunt up a qualified gunsmith from among our members.

I am tired of seeing so called gunsmiths in the big box stores that are at best former military armorers, ie, parts replacers. Qualified gunsmiths have too much business to work for chain stores. The Huglu is a simple gun to work on. I can't think of any part that you can't replace yourself, if you can find the parts.
Hey ev.... Good to see you! It was through your good auspices that I became friends with drsfmd, a friendship I cherish. I've got to say though, Huglu parts are not hard to come by. Mark DeHaan, CZ and TR Imports can all send them to you in a jiffy. As even the good Doc will admit.

Best...2few
 
#7 ·
bruce em, at one time they were the same as and interchangeable with Ber/Ben mobil chokes but no longer the case with the 20 ga. guns, the 12 gauges are still Mobil choke compatible. If aftermarket chokes is what you are after, Trulock, Carlsons, Briley and I'm sure others as well offer 20 gauge Huglu style chokes and they can be found on their website, as I remember these are the ones that offer them, I have had no problem getting them for my 20 ga. Huglu guns whatsoever. strat
 
#8 ·
bruce em said:
I had a 20 Ga O/U Redhead, nice appearance, good wood.

My issue was choke availability. They looked like Berettas and were said to be ber / ben design but they did not fit.

Threads different by just enough.

She moved on
Should have called Mark DeHaan. He'd have fixed you right up!
 
#9 ·
As 2few mentioned you can get both standard chokes and extended chokes from Mark DeHaan but you'll have to contact him with either Smoke Signals or Email or if you aren't comfortable with that you can just contact TR Imports, they also sell chokes as well and they can be reached by Telephone, I think they might even have after market Trulocks possibly.
 
#10 ·
Firing pins in most guns are easy enough that most with reasonable mechanical ability can change them out, and as 2few pointed out, they can often be acquired for free under warranty.

Triggers... cost will depend on what's needed... you're looking at a minimum of $100 there, and it can get a lot more expensive if hardening issues come into play.

Barrels are the true money sink... if you get barrels that don't converge, you'll easily spend as much as the gun cost originally to have them fixed properly... it's labor intensive, slow work... and when it's done, you need a re-blue ($150-$200 minimum).
 
#11 ·
slohuntr -- I am a newer Huglu owner myself having recently purchased a CZ Canvasback (same as a Huglu 103D) and am keeping a log of the rounds I put through it. I'm only at 375 right now, but as of yet, no issues. I'll definitely post if I do break something, but all in all, it's been solid so far.
 
#12 ·
The one thing that I believe many owners will complain about is the finish on the wood stocks. Again this isn't just a Huglu complaint. But it is a problem for some owners. My own SGr O/U has problems with a soft finish. When I have time I'm remove it and do a Truoil finish to the wood. I also have a Verona LX500 (Italian F.A.I.R. mfg'ed) with poly finish and will remove it and do Truoil.

You have to take the critics with a large measure of salt, most are armchair repeaters of bad news. Some even make up their own BS because they have a hidden agenda, ranging from loving to stir up trouble, to owning very expensive guns and don't want anyone with something less to feel that they are worthy of being on the same planet. A one time Spanish SG's were reported to be junk, made with metal that would explode after the first shot, or so we were told. Twenty, thirty or more years later these guns are still functioning just fine. Ditto with Japanese made SG's and GOK's whatever guns or products these people don't like. Nope, nothing but a XYZ made shotgun from the fatherland, made from iron found in Lower Buttholea and melted with fire created from the center of the earth and hand-forged by a craftsman that directly decends from the first metalworker in Upper Dipp****sville could turn out a SG that is worth of being handled by one of these people.

While I do love handmade items, I can't afford to purchase $200K English made wonders. Believe me, if I had more money than Bill Gates, I'd own one or more of these things. But in an imperfect world I own Huglu's and other mass produced guns. I do own one handmade Spanish SxS that is a joy to shoot and look at. It also cost $5K and was a bargain at that price. Does it or a $200K masterpiece kill birds better than a $500 Huglu? Nope.
 
#13 ·
I think I have read that the huglu firing pin used to be braised in some way making in prone to break. They changed the firing pin design and its no longer a problem. However the triggers probably have a heavier pull the the guns weight and that sucks. I sold my bobwhite I put 150 rounds through it. However I fired over 1,000 times with snap caps no problems with the firing pin.
 
#14 ·
I had a DeHaan 12 ga SxS. It doubled on me. I sent it back to Mark DeHaan. He worked on it and when it was returned, it doubled again. It was fixed by a local gunsmith and works fine. I traded it at a gun show for a deer rifle.
 
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