Welding Up a Barrel Wedge

[Ed Blake]

I removed the barrel wedge from a DH this evening. The top lever is to the left, but the action has no wobble when the forend is off and the gun tested for looseness. The wedge has wear, and I was wondering if anyone here has ever put a small amount of material on as a weld and worked it down to a new fit? Or, has anyone soldered a bit of shim to the wear plate. It seems like those alternatives would be just as good as a new wear plate.

[Brent Francis]

Ed,
I never did that but it sounds like it would work. I was looking for some forend parts today snd happened to notice that Numrich was offering new barrel wedges for $36. I had a trojan that needed one when winchester was making the new parker and I sent them a letter and they sent me one for free. I wish I had bought one of their guns back then

[10ga Hammer]

Don't see why it couldn't be welded and refitted,but if I understand what you mean by "wedge", I think Connecticut Shotgun sells replacements,though I've never used one. Near the bottom of the page.

http://www.csmcspecials.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=13

[Dean Romig]

I've heard of it being done with the "spray weld" method.

[Old and Reliable]

Tool steels fall into three basis AISI groups as far as the hardening/quenching criteria are concerned. IMO, by the time you determine that, and take a DHP reading on the surface to determine the proper hardness, then anneal, spray or TIG, machine, reharden, etc- the $36 replacement wedge or 12.5 degree wear plate pinned into the lug seems a real bargain.

Just curious- have you dis-assembled your Parker to examine the mating wear surface on the bolt?

[Ed Blake]

Francies - I have not examined the bolt for wear, but there are wear marks on top of the wedge. Seeing them makes me believe that the best way to close a SxS is to keep your thumb on the top lever and ease the gun shut, not snap it together. I'm continually amazed at the quality built into these guns. It's nearly 110 years old and only needs routine maintenance.

[Old and Reliable]

Ed, I'd sure like to have a $20 for every time I have heard or read the "debate" about closing a side-by-side gun. Your over 100 year old Parker has the pinned in place via strut leaf spring top lever spring. So extra care may well be warranteed, both from the age and metal fatigue factor, and also the nature of leaf or V springs in shotguns. But your Parker does have the pinned in place tool steel wedge, correct?

My old GHE 12 does not have the tool steel wedge, and it locks up like a bank vault- But we both could have 100 year old Parkers and one might have seen tons of shooting, another only a box of shells each Oct-Nov.

Coil springs, the revised design Parkers had a coil top lever spring contained in a cylinder, in some ways are a better design, as if they are contained and fracture at either end from metal fatigue, they will still function. As L.C. Smiths have floating firing pins and leaf or V mainsprings, I always use spring loaded snap caps in my Smith guns and let down both hammers when they are stored in the "steel tomb"--I don't usually do this with the Parkers or the Fox gun, never with either my M12's or M70 rifles.

As to closing- unless I am shooting or hunting and hoping to get shots and have loaded both barrels, I close my doubles by easing back the top lever- but when afield I close them by pointing the muzzles downward and lifting the buttstock up, as the late Paul A. Curtis recommended. However- I have a friend who is not mechanically inclined- he owns two shotguns, both 16 gauge- both inherited- a Model 1897 pumpgun and a very early M21 with two triggers and extractors instead of selective ejectors. Both guns were well used before Ed got them, they have truly been "rode hard and put up wet" and the M21 is still as tightly breeched as when it left New Haven in 1933.

One of my Winchester books shows the adjustment feature via a set screw for wear take-up in the M21- good thing Ed's M21 is sound and on face, as the screw is immovable, due to gunk, oil and powder over the years. Ed probably swabs the bores of his two Winchesters once a year- But I have hunted with him for 12 years and never have I seen him miss a Rooster pheasant with either gun. He's built like Dick Butkus and he is not bashful about closing his guns- yet they still function quite well. SOooooo- is there a correct answer to the closing question? I don't know.

I do know this- from gunning manners I have been taught by my mentors. Whenever you are looking at another man's gun, assuming it is a break action double, always ask him how he prefers it to be closed, and when you hand it back to him, hand it back opened and with the muzzles pointed downward.

[Roundsworth]

Indeed, there is a bit of controversy over closing actions. The only time I 'snap' an action shut is when the gun is loaded with live cartridges. Otherwise, I ease levers into place, allowing them to rebound softly. I also do not force the lever, with my thumb, into the 'locked' position. This is another procedure that will stir up an argument! Cheers!

[Autumn Daze]

Just my opinion but for all the shooting I do I close the gun and release the lever. When hunting the gun is closed and loaded with my finger on the safety. With all other safety rules adhered to including opening the gun and handing it to my son or hunting partner when crossing an obstacle that I can't safely cross by myself. And there seems to be more of them every year....

[Bill Murphy]

I like Mark's system. most of my guns get opened and closed more empty than they do loaded. If I snapped my Parkers closed only when I am loading them, I couldn't wear one out in a hundred years. I wouldn't let lever position cause me to do any repairs at all.