RECEIVER PINS WORKING LOOSE

[Russell E. Cleary]

The left and right pins on the lower rear sides of the receiver on my restored VH 16 are no longer snug to the sides of the receiver. They are working outward; and when tapped back in on one side, the pin on the opposite side just pushes out, as if in reciprocation.

Are they interlocking midway across the internal back of receiver, and just need “squeezing”?

Any advice on rendering them as flush to the receiver as on the other Parker guns I have would be appreciated.

I can’t find anything about how they should be seated/secured in any of the books I have, including THE PARKER STORY.

[Dean Romig]

Good Morning Russ - That is one long pin and is the axle for the hammers. Between the hammers the pin passes through a boss (part of the frame) that serves to keep it all tight and in alignment. The pin should fit tightly in that boss to prevent it from working loose. A new pin cut to a slightly closer tolerance or slightly deform the current pin should cure the problem.


Oops... I see that Brian corrected me - Thanks Brian.





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[Brian Dudley]

That pin is the axle dor the sears. The hammers axle on two separate locked screws.

Likely whoever restored your gun felt it necessary to polish up the pin, thus reducing it’s diameter some.

You could try some locktite on it and see if it helps. If not, a replacement pin will be the only option. Or drilling and tapping for a fox style pin lock screw. But that is excessive.

[Chuck Bishop]

My VH does the same thing. I'm going to try small thread Locktite but for the time being, I just keep an eye on it and tap it back flush when needed.

[Gary Laudermilch]

One of my repros does it as well. Yes, just tap it back in place when needed.

[John Campbell]

It is generally not known, but many of the better double guns, including the Parker I believe, were made up with tapered holes for the various action cross pins. Thus, if a pin is drifted out in the wrong direction, it is jammed through the small end of the tapered hole and becomes undersize in the process. The taper of the hole suffers, too.

Result: When the gun is reassembled, pins are loose, and often drift laterally in use.

So... knowing the proper direction in which to drift out a double gun pin is part of being a responsible double gunsmith.

[Brian Dudley]

That is not an accurate statement in regards to Parkers.

[Dean Romig]

That axle/pin we are speaking of has always gone in easier from one side than the other on Parkers I have assembled, leading me to believe the pin may be tapered by maybe a couple of thousandths at most.





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[Brian Dudley]

Well... all I will further add to the topic is that measuring a sampling of sear pins here (a number of which are new old stock) show them as NOT being tapered. But, hey, that is only physical evidence.

[edgarspencer]

I do not believe the sear pin on any Parker hammerless gun was ever tapered.

[Dean Romig]

So apparantly the pins were never tapered... I’ll accept that.
I wonder if the pin hole on one side of the frame is slightly larger than the pin hole on the opposite side....





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[edgarspencer]

I wonder if the pin hole on one side of the frame is slightly larger than the pin hole on the opposite side.

I wouldn''t think so, because the pin would then be somewhat looser fitting than the other side, and , at least in theory, the sear, on that side would not square up with the interfacing surface of the hammer.
Someone mentioned deforming the pin slightly, making it slightly out-of-round.
That may sound somewhat like a "shade tree" fix, but I think, properly done, might be ok. As John mentioned, most 'pinned' British boxlocks used a tapered pin, and, while I'm comfortable in saying I do not believe Parker ever employed this technique, it would have been preferable to the way it was done.
Generally, I think the sear spring exerts sufficient pressure to keep the pin centered, but, Russ's gun might suggest otherwise.
I've never liked the idea of using thread locking glues on good guns.

[Dean Romig]

The pin is exceptionally hard and would be extremely difficult to deform it if that route were chosen. I did it once on a pin that shifted a bit with probably every shot. It wasn’t easy to do it.

Go ahead - call me a shade tree gunsmith....





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[Russell E. Cleary]

This is what I have as best I see it.

Upper drawing is normal condition with a Parker (when I look at other guns). Domed pin heads on both left and right are in place, snug with receiver sides; not absolutely flush (they are domed, and not flat-headed); but, possibly are slightly countersunk into a tapered opening, or drill hole in the receiver's side.

Thus, it does not look like either side can draw through it's opening.


I depict one pin all the way through, but do not know how it actually is (or should be). Just using my imagination here, no X-ray vision.


Lower drawing shows the pin head extending from the right side, which is what I have with the gun right now. When I do tap it in, the left side pin head is the one that extends out and the right side then becomes nicely seated. As said, it "reciprocates".

[Dean Romig]

I get the impression you have a replacement pin if, in fact, it has a 'mushroom shape' head on either end. The original pin is nothing more than a straight shaft with no heads but slightly domed on either end..





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[Russell E. Cleary]

I mistakenly believed the dome was on a pin HEAD, but, as Dean indicated the domes are not on a head, but are merely a rounded shape at the END of a single through-pin. So, my drawing with an assumed mushroom shape was way off.

This may in fact be a replacement pin that was just cut a little too long, and is too thin; so that when loose, it just shifts as it is now doing from side-to-side when tapped in from either side. And, since it is one long pin, it never approximates the correct seated siting on both sides at the same time.

My father’s very original-condition 16-gauge VH I assume is correct and has both of the pin domes almost, but not quite, flush with the frame sides. There is a slight convexity you can see and feel.

If the pin on this restored gun does not get any worse during the next month I will try to get through the hunting season with it, then take it to a qualified smith.

A world, not in drop of water, but in a Parker pin.

Thanks to all who have responded.

[Todd Poer]

Most pins I have seen as Dean suggested were rounded on the ends and may jut out slightly to either side of receiver. I also thought pressure from sear spring would keep it in place. It sounds to me like they put a wrong sized sear pin in there that is to long.

Oops typed this, and then went did something else then came back and hit post. Seems you came to same conclusion. Yep I did not think it possible that pin could work the way you drew it without making it a semi-permanent feature of the gun.

BTW I am neophyte as a gunsmitty. I would almost think you could get the right pin and tap into place as it pushes the wrong one out, but then again this where things go wrong. Also don't think I would trust that pin. I would always worry it could fall out then you would be in pickle with sears flopping around.

[edgarspencer]

The sear pin for an 1 or 1-1/2 frame is about .100" longer than the one used in an 0 frame. They are all the same diameter.

[allen newell]

Give Lawrence DelGrego a call. He has all manner of Parker parts.

[Brian Dudley]

The sear pin for an 1 or 1-1/2 frame is about .100" longer than the one used in an 0 frame. They are all the same diameter.



1 and 1-1/2 frame would be different lengths from each other. 1-1/2 and 2 frame are the same length. Since the frames are the same width at the stock head.
The pin lengths correspond with the different widths of the frames.

[Craig Budgeon]

The ends of sear pins are rounded so that they do not mushroom during installation.

[edgarspencer]

:crying:1 and 1-1/2 frame would be different lengths from each other. 1-1/2 and 2 frame are the same length. Since the frames are the same width at the stock head.
The pin lengths correspond with the different widths of the frames.

Yes, since we're splitting hairs, Brian is correct. A 1 frame pin is .100" longer than an 0 frame pin, and a 1-1/2 pin is .110" longer than an 0 frame pin.