Retracting firing pins.

[Quack me up!]

I have a 12ga VH that I received back after having some stock refinishing work done. The firing pins are sticking out now and I don't recall it looking like this before. I can put the barrels on and then the forearm and close the gun but when I try and open the gun again the extractor hits the firing pins as they are not retracting.
Here are a couple of pictures of the receiver as it looks now.
http://s260.photobucket.com/albums/i...t=DSCN0763.jpg
http://s260.photobucket.com/albums/i...t=DSCN0762.jpg

I'm not sure what the tab/lever is called at the front of the water table that is sticking up now but I don't recall it sticking up like this before either.
Any help would be appreciated as I'm planning on taking this gun after some turkeys starting on Monday.
Thank you.
Bob

[Dean Romig]

Try closing the gun on a pair of snap caps and then trip the triggers. Upon opening the gun again the hammers should cock and unless you have non-rebounding hammers there should be no hang up.

That tab that is sticking up is in the correct position. It lifts the extractor as the gun is opened.

No amount of stock refinishing should have affected any of the mechanical operation.

[Quack me up!]

Thanks much Dean. I'll have to buy a set of snap caps as I don't have any but that's no problem. Hopefully that's all it needs!

[Dean Romig]

You can use empty hulls with fired primers in place of snap caps.

[Quack me up!]

I tried the empty hull deal and no luck. I put the shells in the barrels, put the barrels on the receiver, closed up the gun, put on the forerarm, pulled the trigger, nothing. I can see as I slowly close the barrels without the forearm in place that the pins don't retract at all.
I don't recall that little lever(?) on the front of the water table sticking up like it is now. Shouldn't that be lying flat with the barrels off of the gun?, maybe not?
I know the stock was removed from the gun for refinishing so I'm hoping something isn't wrong there. I don't think it's assembled wrong in any way as he seemed very comfortable with the disassembly/assembly.

[charlie cleveland]

look at the cocking lever on the barrel...if it is worn to much it will not let the hammers cock...this same thing happened to me...i shot the gun cleaned it up and would not fire...took it apart ..just forearm and barrel off...discovered the cocking hook was worn i took a piece of paper card board like on a cracker box etc made a small shim out of it put it on the cocking hook replaced barrels on gun put on the forearm...im turkey hunting with it rite now..ive probably shot a box or more through it and its still shooting...this is not a permant fix but will get you ready for turkey season...hope this is your problem and i bet it is... charlie

[edgarspencer]

was the stock removed when it was refinished? If so, it may not have been put back together correctly and is not cocking the hammers.

[Quack me up!]

The stock was removed but I don't think that is the problem as he seemed comfortable with the disassembly process. I don't think the cocking hook would go bad all of the sudden as it has never acted up in any way previously.
So that lever on the front of the water table is supposed to be sticking up like it is in the pictures as I don't recall it looking like that before?
Any other ideas?

[B. Dudley]

Yes, the lever on the front of the action is the lifter for the extractor. All parkers have this and the part does not move. If the hammers/pins are not retracting back after about 1/4inch of opening the breech, then the cocking hook is not engaging with the cam. By the look of your photos, it appears that the cam is in the right position.

[Dean Romig]

Maybe he put the cocking slide back in upside down

*only rookies do that*