Single Trigger Opinions

[Sam Casey]

Thinking of buying a high condition 20ga ST PR. Understand many of them tend to "double". Any sense what odds are of getting a "doubler". Assuming the worst, is Bachelder Shop best in MI to correct?

[Greg Baehman]

The notion that many of them tend to double, IMO, has been blown way out of proportion. There has even been a story floating around for years that the original single trigger Remington Parker that was used as the model for the Winchester/Olin-Kodensa craftsmen to clone had doubled. These new Parkers were so faithful to this original Parker that they doubled, too.

It's a fact that some Parker Repros have doubled, but a simple cleaning of the trigger mechanism has solved the issue in many of these cases. It's also a fact that the majority of single trigger Parker Repros have functioned flawlessly for their owners.

Here's what I would do if considering a Repro (or any other make of double) with a single trigger: I would tell the seller that I will purchase the gun at the mutually agreed upon price, but with a contingency that I can shoot the gun at a couple of rounds of 5-Stand or Skeet to ensure the gun functions properly in all respects including trigger pulls, ejectors, POI, etc. If the seller won't allow shooting of the gun then I would insist on a warranty. If no warranty is offered, I would look elsewhere.

[Rich Anderson]

I have had several of the reproductions in both 20 and 28 and NEVER had an issue with the trigger doubling. I have several original Parkers with SST and haven't had a problem with them either. I wouldn't let the SST feature deter you from a purchase.

[Brian Dudley]

If one doubles it is likely just in need of a cleaning. Simple as that. The only other issue i have heard of is a few guns have some cast parts in the mechanism that just need some polishing up. But that is a rare occurance.

[Tom Jay]

I have 3 PR's, 20/28/12, all with single triggers and never had an issue. Granted the 28ga. I have just bought, but put 100 rounds through it today with no problems. The 20ga I bought new in the mid-80's and never had a misfire. Whatever you buy and not knowing how the gun was previously used since new, you'd be wise to spend a few bucks to get it cleaned.

[John Dallas]

I'm sure not a Parker Repro guy, for sure, but I have heard from several sources that the lubricant used in the Japanese factory gummed up if unused, therefore guns which have been stored away as "New, unfired" may be the guns most susceptible to the malfunctions

[Mark Landskov]

My 20 gauge SST had an issue with a cast part, as Brian mentioned above. Dewey Vicknair corrected the problem. Dewey said that there was no congealed/hardened grease to blame.

[Jim McKee]

Last year I purchased a Parker Reproduction 12 b with a single trigger. I was concerned about how well it would function.
After shooting several hundred rounds over a period of a year, I have found that it works just like it is supposed to work- No Problems with it functioning properly.
I would buy a Parker single trigger shotgun again!
If you buy one, you will enjoy it!!
Jim

[Bill Murphy]

Mark, (Roundsworth) has the answer and the name of the gunsmith who knows what the problem is. Apparently, it is not the grease as Mark says.

[William Stevenson]

I shoot five ST Reproductions in all gauges, two of the five have given me trouble. The 12 ga started refusing the second shot about 10% of the time, had it fixed by the Miller single trigger co. They repaired the origional trigger, said someone with limited knowledge had worked on it before My 16 ga (Kriegoff barrels) started doubling the first time I used the barrel selector, sent it to Larry DelGreco and sons for repair. Turned out someone had messed with the sears and selector so Larry replaced a sear and made the selector work. He said he has fixed several dozen ST's and doubling is the most common problem. The single trigger problems I've had were caused by others with not enough Experience working on Parker Reproductions.
These guns have complex trigger mechanisms and need experienced Parker gunsmiths to tune them up. Reproductions can be a pain to maintain but they are so delightful to shoot the effort is worthwhile. The 28ga and 16ga are my favorites.

[Dean Romig]

The single trigger problems I've had were caused by others with not enough Experience working on Parker Reproductions.
These guns have complex trigger mechanisms and need experienced Parker gunsmiths to tune them up. Reproductions can be a pain to maintain but they are so delightful to shoot the effort is worthwhile. The 28ga and 16ga are my favorites.


Which begs the question, for such a 'new' gun (30ish years old) why would several dozens of them have needed either skilled or unskilled gunsmiths repairing these single triggers if there wasn't a weakness in them from the start? Was it a design subject to failure.... or was it that the single trigger mechanism was not properly assembled/polished/tested right from the manufacturer?

I agree that they are a delight to shoot but I don't understand the "pain to maintain"? How so?






.

[Rich Anderson]

[QUOTE=Dean Romig;220825]
I agree that they are a delight to shoot but I don't understand the "pain to maintain"? How so?

Maybe because they weren't built by the skilled craftsmen of times long past but more assembled by modern means with less attention to detail.

[William Stevenson]

I bought a 20 guage repro new in the day. The rest of my repros were bought used thru the internet. 2 of the 5 had to be repaired, I consider that to be a bit of a pain to pay for shipping and repairs on guns that were presented as functional.
I'm not making a statement on ST guns in general, I'm letting the forum know what I experienced. Your experience may be perfect if no one has felt the need to "fix" your gun. Some complex mechanisms work perfectly, some don't. I like the guns enough to pay the piper, some people don't. Bill

[Harry Collins]

About the only problem I've found with a single trigger is the the timeing/pressure of the tang and rear floor plate screw. Oh and the lack of another trigger.

[Dean Romig]

About the only problem I've found with a single trigger is the the timeing/pressure of the tang and rear floor plate screw. Oh and the lack of another trigger.


Same here Harry. The only ST Repro I had was a ST 20 ga. BTFE, SG, and I had the same problem... my others were DT 28's. I don't know if the wood had shrunk but the screw in the top tang loosened over time. When I tightened it - and I don't believe I over-tightened it - the ST slide switch was almost impossible to operate. Rather than add a shim under the top tang I just lived with it and kept it in the position to fire the right barrel first. It really didn't matter with the Q-1 and Q-2 chokes it had.

But the gun never doubled on me.






.

[Bill Murphy]

As I posted earlier, Roundsworth has the answer and the name of the gunsmith that can fix it. He told me this week that it takes more time to take the gun apart than it does to fix the problem. Reread his post.

[Michael Murphy]

Some insight on doubling.....I've several Parker reproduction in all gauges except .410. Most are single trigger guns and I've never had a problem. However, I currently have TWO (2) original Parkers that are in for repair with G&H. They double often. It is possible that there is a design/engineering issue with the Parker single trigger that may only show up in a small minority of guns.

[John Dallas]

Based on a too-small, sample (one 1924 DHE which I recently bought from Jeff L), with a Miller SST, it has performed flawlessly through about 500 rounds.

[Alan Ebright]

Here’s an update on my SST 28ga. Gun was NIB purchased Jan’24. Came with original purchase receipt. Was worried about shooting 40yr old gun that had just been sitting in its case, so I called a couple of proficient smiths and they said to go shoot it and see. I put 750 3/4 oz. loads through it over a 5 month period. It doubled on me twice in that period. Then one day after firing both barrels, it locked shut. Finally opened it after it cooled down, but then only 1 barrel would fire. If I switched the selector to the other barrel, only that barrel would fire. However, when the snap caps were in, both pins would go. Strange?
Found a talented gunsmith from a guy in my SxS group, and he diagnosed it over the phone. Took it to him and he fixed it in 15 mins.
It was the inertia blocker (counter weight) in the trigger assembly. Looks like two tiny pendulums that sit right next to each other. The inertia blocker exists because anyone firing a single trigger inadvertently pulls it a second time from the recoil. It’s there so the gun doesn’t double. They needed to be lubed, simple as that. The inertia system doesn’t engage when dry firing or using snap caps.
FWIW, the smith told me the Parker single trigger is actually a well made assembly and it just needs to be maintained. He knew of no design flaw leading to doubling problems. He’s been in the biz since ‘81 and seen plenty.

[Chuck Loveless]

My 28 ga. repo was doubling quite often so I contacted Larry Delgrego and talked with him about it. He said that he had repaired hundreds of them with the same problem. His shop is within 40 minutes of me, so I met him there and he immediately knew what the problem was. Long story short, he had to anneal the sears, recut them and reharden them a few times while test shooting a few boxes of shells until they were correct. No problem since, just my experience!

[Robert Brooks]

I quail hunted for years in Georgia with my 20 gauge GHE skeet gun and the single trigger balked only one time not firing the second barrel. Bobby

[Gerry Addison]

I have owned and shot many, many Reproductions and have only had two with doubling problems and a simple cleaning solved the problem on both of them.

[Scott Gentry]

I have had doubling issue on two guns, one mine and one belongs to a friend and both were new or like new condition and a good cleaning fixed both.

[Frank Srebro]

I own two 12-gauge Parkers with the later version of the factory single trigger and they both work well in R-L and L-R firing sequence. I'm kind of a "trigger toucher" and have to remember to use a little more pressure on that second barrel otherwise its hammer won’t release with my normal light touch. Both guns require about 1.5 - 2 pounds more pull (per my trigger pull gauge) on that second shot no matter which barrel is fired first, which is good. I never had a double fire when shooting a variety of light to heavy loads, or a FTF the second barrel with that little heavier pull. One of the single trigger Parkers is pretty new to me with about 200 shots fired; and the other one has been with me about 3 years now with almost 2000 rounds fired over that period.