Top Lever to the Left

[Roundsworth]

I have had the pleasure of disassembling three Parker top lever guns and made the following observation.....based on the shape of the top lever and its orifice in the receiver, the top lever (on my guns, anyway) could not swing to the left past center. It is physically impossible. After years of snapping the action shut, I could see where metal on the receiver and lever could be peened enough to allow the lever to go past center. The levers on my three guns are firmly centered, but the other components of the locking mechanism are worn to varying degrees. The spring still firmly drives the bolt into the barrel lug, thus locking the action properly.