Opening issue
 

Any idea what would cause a top lever to have a catch in it half way through the swing. Only after being fired on snap caps. Unfired it’s smooth? This is a unfired 12 dhe single trigger

Double post, see reply below.

Safety being reset by safety pin part #26, which is also sliding safety bar part #28 over the back/top of the trigger. Trigger exerts upward pressure against safety bar.

Parker Home page, then click technical information. Part numbers 26 and 28 are visible in the picture of the closed gun, and rides by the top tang screw.

As jerry suggests, what you are feeling is either the normal resistance of resetting the safety. Or if the pressure is excessive, there would be some dirt or corrosion built up on the reset rod making it not slide smoothly. It is hard for anyone here to tell the feel of it and if it is nor al or not since it is in your hands and not ours.

It is more than just pressure. More of a hang up, like a burr is being caught.

Fire both barrels on snap caps. Reset the safety manually before opening. Open gun. If no resistance it is as described above.

When you write "unfired 12 DHE" do you mean unfired as in brand new?

it is a new in box reproduction, i will do this when i get home. i believe i can not reset safety after firing manually.

You can also try just clicking the safety off and then opening the gun WITHOUT tripping the hammers. This will still reset the safety when opening.

The opening of the gun has nothing to do with the gun being fired or not, especially dry firing. So you should be able to just take that out of the equation.

If the feel of opening and closing the gun is fine by itself, but only when the safety is reset, then the issue is related to the reset rod/safety slide. If it is present regardless of safety operation, then it could be an issue with a sticky top lever spring/plunger.

If in fact the issue IS only when dry firing, then you have me at a loss since nothing related to firing of the gun crosses paths with the T/L mechanism.

Aren't unfired Repros subject to gummed up factory lubricants?

Yes. When a new gun has been sitting for 30 years, it can bring its own sort of problems.