Lever question

[Frank Wilson]

Being new to Parker's and relatively new to doubles in general I have a question related to the function of the top lever I will attempt to ask correctly.
Is it a normal function of the Parker to open even if the lever is not push passed past the "locking location" but then not being able to close unless the lever IS pushed to the locked location? The reason I ask is that I have a Fox that will NOT open at all unless the lever is pushed to the locked location. Hope that makes sense and as always thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[Dean Romig]

The Parker lever operation as you describe is the normal operation.

However, if you can't close the gun at all without operating the lever... you have a problem there because that is NOT normal.

[Brian Dudley]

To my knowledge, there is no double made that the lever does not get held open when the barrels are open. The means of how the lever is held open will vary based on the design of the gun.

Both the Parker and the Fox operate on a spring loaded trip pin under the locking mechanism. When opened, the pin is driven up into a notch in the bolt to hold the lever open. And then when the barrels are closed, the trip is released from the bolt allowing the lever to "snap" to the locked position.

[Dean Romig]

Both the Parker and the Fox operate on a spring loaded trip pin under the locking mechanism. When opened, the pin is driven up into a notch in the bolt to hold the lever open. And then when the barrels are closed, the trip is released from the bolt allowing the lever to "snap" to the locked position.


However, these two functions must be independent of one another because I just tried my DH 20 ga. several times and sometimes it will open when operated very slowly and the lever will return to the closed position... but not always.

So, I will retract my earlier opinion. Thanks Brian.

[Frank Wilson]

Dean, that is the case with my 16 ga VH 0 frame every time. The barrels will open without the lever being pushed all the way to the locked position allowing the lever to return to the closed position which prevents the barrels from closing. The Fox however operates just as Brian describes. Obviously not a big deal from a functional standpoint. Just wondering whether that was normal or something that will need to be addressed at some point.

[Gary Laudermilch]

My 1 frame P will open prior to the lever locking. However, the lever never fails to lock if you push it far enough. The top lever is slightly left of center when closed. Not sure if this has anything to do with it.

[Dean Romig]

Frank, it doesn't seem right that it operates that way all the time. It should be examined by someone with Parker experience. It could be the result of wear or it could be because of "crud" in the mechanism. Brian has a lot more experience in mechanical matters of Parker guns and can probably shed more light on the problem.

[Brian Dudley]

The top lever position means little on a Parker.
The amount that the lever can move due to taking up wear is very little.

The lever positions from one Parker to another can and will vary.

[Steve Havener]

Just checked my 1903 vintage #1 frame VH 16 gauge and found that if the top lever is not pushed far enough to the right to allow the trip to engage the top lever the barrels will open and the top lever will return to the center which will not allowing the barrels to close. I think that this is pretty much normal for a Parker at least the older ones or guns that have been used extensively.

[Frank Wilson]

Interesting. My top lever always locks consistently and without issue if pushed to the proper point. From all the discussion, what I remain unclear on is whether it is normal that the barrels will not close unless the lever is in the locked position. And if it's not normal, is it a mere minor inconvenience or should I have it addressed soon?

[Frank Wilson]

Thanks Steve, I didn't see your post before my last reply. Sounds like it might be a normal function of these particular older guns...unless Brian suggests otherwise. Lol

[Brian Dudley]

I personally am a little confused as to what we are even talking about in this thread and to what the perceived issue may be.

Simply put... When you push the top lever over and open the breech, it should then be held open by the trip assembly. When you close the breech, the top lever should be tripped back to the closed position automatically.

Any other operation than this means something is not working correctly.

[Frank Wilson]

Sorry for the confusion Brian, and not to belabor a trivial issue but what you describe is precisely how my Fox 20 ga Sterly operates. My Parker however, and it sounds like a few others if the responses in this thread are any indication, will allow for the barrels to open without the lever being fully pushed to the locking position. In which case the lever can return to the closed position and not allow the barrels to close unless the lever is pushed over to the locked position. At that point, the lever will snap back to the closed position normally upon closing the barrels.

[Brian Dudley]

It is just likely the fact that the bolt clears the barrel lug a little bit before the trip engages the bolt. Thus the barrels being able to be opened and the lever not being held open. This is really a moot point since in order to do this, you are moving the lever so slowly to be able to notice this little bit of of a timing issue. Under normal operation, the lever is quickly opened to its fullest travel and the breech opened, so the trip catches as intended.

[Frank Wilson]

You're exactly right. In fact, I only noticed this for the first time when I was showing the gun to a friend the other day and he very carefully opened the barrels and then was not able to snap them shut. Just thought it odd that I couldn't replicate the issue with the Fox. Thanks for your insight.

[Steve Havener]

One nice feature, either intended or not intended, of the top lever returning to center is that when carrying the gun in a break down case the top lever is not sticking out like a sore thumb and subject to damage.

[Dean Romig]

Steve, if you hold the lever to the right and depress the trip tab you can release the lever and it will return to center.

[Frank Wilson]

Ah, very good point.

[John Mazza]

A trivial fact, but some German guns had top levers that did not lock in the open position. So, with the gun open, when you would lift the barrels to close the action, the lever would actually move on its own. (The locking "bar" that engaged/locked the lumps on the bottom of the barrels had a wedge shape that would move the locking bar, and the top lever merely moved along with it.)

[Brian Dudley]

Spanish guns are the same way. Along with others. The barrel lug acts as a cam on some guns that hold the lever open and allows it to close when the breech is closed.

[Steve Havener]

Steve, if you hold the lever to the right and depress the trip tab you can release the lever and it will return to center.

Your quite correct Dean but that requires tools specifically small pointed tools which in my hands are about as dangerous as wet a Bob Cat with kittens.

[Rick Losey]

Your quite correct Dean but that requires tools specifically small pointed tools which in my hands are about as dangerous as wet a Bob Cat with kittens.

use a Popsicle stick - just don't get a splinter :)

[Dean Romig]

Use a pencil with an eraser top.

[Dave Suponski]

Or a car key.

[Brian Dudley]

That is what I use. My keys that are always hanging off my belt loop.