Parker single selective trigger

[John Havard]

Personally I prefer double triggers. But what I'd like to understand a bit more about are the foibles and facts associated with a Parker single selective trigger. Do they hurt or help the collectibility of a gun? From a functional standpoint are they not reliable? If a Parker was sent back to the factory to have a SST installed would that be information readily available in a PGCA letter?

Thanks in advance for any and all info about this.

[Rich Anderson]

I would doubt that if one was returnd to Parker for a SST it would be noted in a letter. I have several Parker's with original SST and a couple with the Miller SST. I have never had a problem with any of them including the reproduction Parkers with SST. IMHO a SST neither adds to or detracts from the value of the gun.

[Dean Romig]

This kind of documentation would be found in the Order Book. As with guns being sent back to Meriden for the addition of selective automatic ejectors such important alterations as Single Selective Triggers would most likely also have been documented in the appropriate Order Book. However, several Order Books are missing today.
It was customary after 1910 that when an earlier hammerless gun was sent back to Meriden for most any kind of work, the latest version of the replaceable wear plate be installed at no cost to the customer and rarely, if ever, documented.

[John Havard]

I searched previous posts for any information I could glean about the Parker SST's. I seem to recall finding quite a few negative comments about their reliability.

[Dean Romig]

I've read that too John but have zero experience with them. Maybe some folks will come on and discuss their experiences with the Parker SST

[Bill Murphy]

You will get negative comments from those who have problems that were not easily addressed, but those who have no problems are generally positive about the triggers. The early version of the Parker trigger that are inoperative are generally more difficult to "fix" than the later version. Some gunsmiths who you would think would be the ones to fix your trigger are not.

[Rich Anderson]

If you look hard enough you will find someone who will bitch about a free lunch because it was ham not roast beef and on white bread not whole wheat.

I have used SST triggers for decades and NEVER experienced any problem from Miller's or Parker's.

[Dave Suponski]

John, Check with Chuck but I think the repair books that would list such things as retro fitted single triggers are very incomplete. I agree with Murph's statement completely. As for me any Parker with a factory single trigger be it an earlier single screw or the later two screw devalues the gun in my eye's.
Another thing to keep in mind there are those that are incapable of shooting a single trigger gun without making it balk or double.

[Daryl Corona]

I have a DHE with one of the early Parker SST's and the pull was 8 1/2 lbs. Sent it to someone who I thought knew SST's 3 times and he gave up on it. Had it fixed by another local gunsmith and it came back at 3.5lbs. No problems since.

[Brian Dudley]

I have a GHE that has a Parker SST in it and the gun does not letter that way. Bit it does have Remington repair codes on it. So I can only assume that the trigger was installed. Y Remington after operations went to Ilion, NY.

I have have not had any issues with the trigger in that gun.

[Daryl Corona]

Thanks for bringing that up Brian. I have two Remington era guns with SST's and have had no problems with them.

[Brian Dudley]

As I recall, James Hayes redesigned the Parker SST in the mid to late 20's. It was kind of a thing where there were no terrible defects in the original design. He just wanted to try and make things better. This is where the one screw or two screw variation comes from in the rear of the trigger plate.
Hayes' redesigned version was the one that was used all the way to the end of Parker production in Ilion.

Was the SST in the Repros and the new CSMC guns the Parker design?

[Larry Stauch]

I do have one in a 30" GHE on a #2 frame and I've spent about $800 with three different people trying to fix it and it still doubles.

I will say that those, hard to kill, wild pheasants in the Dakotas die instantly when both barrels go off and send 2-1/2 ounces of #5's their way.

Some people are not capable of shooting a double trigger and the SST's are a great option for them.

I actually like them when they work.

[Dean Romig]

Don't anybody take offense at this, please, but some shooters can't shoot a single trigger without it doubling on them sometimes while another shooter may shoot the gun with no doubling whatsoever. Just the nature of the (human) beast.

[Larry Stauch]

That could be an interesting experiment; let someone else shoot the GHE and see if it doubles;

Hmmm.

That could confirm $800 wasted if it does not.:banghead:

[Rich Anderson]

I know someone who can't use a SST without haveing both barrels go off virtually simultaneously.

[Billy Gross]

I double my K-20 occasionally, and it is my fault. When I hold the gun loose and keep my finger at the break point, the gun bounces from the recoil and triggers the second shot. I guess this could happen with a SxS also. Billy

[Robin Lewis]

Someone noticed this problem and turned it into a money making attachment for semi-auto guns. I looked and I see Cabala's sells these add on stocks.

It all works on the same principal described in this thread; a certain type trigger finger and recoil will cause a double to take place.

:shock:Watch this happen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ks5idq69MN4#aid=P8yZQ3EHk5g

[Mark Conrad]

I have had a number of Parker's with the SST. The latter trigger is a fine trigger. The early trigger can be a real problem. I bought a DHE 20 ( one frame 32 inch gun) about 10 years ago and the trigger started doubling. Griffin and Howe couldn't fix it so I sent it to Turnbull. Turnbull said he had spent hours on it with no luck. He offered to put a Miller in which I agreed to. I also had an early VHE double trap with the early trigger and it was a problem. Turnbull finally got that trigger to work. I have shot thousands of shells through guns with the Miller trigger with no issues. If you plan to shoot the gun, I would stay away from the early trigger. My 2 cents.

[Scott Gentry]

I own a VH with Parker SST, attended a tower shoot last week and a friend asked me if he could shoot my gun at some clays prior to the shoot. He shot ( or attempted to) at five pairs of targets and it would only fire one barrel. I shot five pair of clays as well as 50 rounds in the tower shoot ( with the same ammo)and never had a failure to fire so do believe it can be the indian not the arrow.

[David Hamilton]

It looks to me after studying a Parker SST that to have it repaired a watch maker would be a better bet than a gunsmith. I am not including those craftsmen who are expert SST repairmen, because they are fully aware of the delicacy of the mechanism. I added Teflon lubricant to one such trigger and it has occasionally doubled for the owner. My mistake?
I don't know, but very possibly so. David

[Bruce Day]

Yes. We have many warnings on this website against any lubrication on a Parker SST. Dried oil will cause doubling.

[John Farrell]

I, too, have a Remington installed SST on a Grade 3 12 gauge. It resembles a Miller but without the name stamped to the trigger. It was implanted in 1940. I started putting Miller SST on Parker and other guns in 1986 and have used them successfully without a flaw.

[Bill Murphy]

That is a common phenomenon. Ask Dave Suponski how I know that.

[Brian Dudley]

The Miller is a good operating trigger. Just the installation of some of them years ago could be considered crude at best.

[Larry Stauch]

Ok, I took Dean's advise and opened my mind to the possibility that I may be the doubling part of the trigger and guess what (drum roll) he was right.

I took the GHE to the gun club and shot 3 rounds of 5-stand, being thoughtful as to how I gripped the gun and how much pressure I put on the trigger while shooting the first shot.

I have a GREAT Parker GHE with a Parker single trigger.

The only time it doubled was when I had to pre mount for a long trap target and I really got into the gun and forgot about not holding it too tight.

What a man can learn on this site......thanks guys and especially Dean for having the courage and tact to bring it up.:bowdown:

[John Farrell]

Woof, woof! An old dog really can teach a youngster new tricks. Good shooting now with your Parker. Just remember to always be in the groove when mounting. Even if you have to adopt the mantra "mount" when looking for the target.

[Mills Morrison]

It seems there are a lot fewer Parkers with single triggers and the price is higher if you are looking for one. I kind of prefer double triggers, but have a few with single triggers