Parker Double trouble-SN 179207

[Gregory Czaplewski]

The 12 gauge gun above was given to me to do some cleaning and stock restoration.
In the process of working on a number of other parkers, I have forgotten if the gun worked when given to me. It was disassembled and I feel I have put the gun together properly; I laid another parker next to it while assembling and the issue is that the gun won't open with the forend on, but take it off and it will open the entire way with the extractors working properly.

Anyone have any advise on this, as I have taken it apart to examine the parts for wear and don't seem to see anything unusual.

Thanks in advance for any advise.

Greg Czaplewski
480-363-1596

[Brian Dudley]

Did the parts from that gun go back into that gun? Maybe some parts got mixed up between the guns.
The Parker mechanism is kind of a complicated one that has a lot of moving parts that are all hand fitted on a gun to gun basis. Maybe something is binding due to parts being mixed up. Just a thought.

[Dean Romig]

Had the roll joint been removed and you reinstalled it?





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[Paul Ehlers]

Sounds like there is something binding in the cocking/ hammer/ sear mechanism. The difference between forearm off & forearm on is the engagement or disengagement of the cocking hook on the barrels. With the forearm off the cocking hook is disengaged and the gun should open freely. When you install the forearm the un-hooking slide is slid back so the cocking hook can engage the cocking cam to cock the hammers when the gun is opened.

There is something either installed wrong or is binding up. I'd pull the trigger plate back off the gun and then give it an methodical inspection to determine what is binding the works up. Whatever you do, don't force anything, stop & backtrack until you find the issue. Some pictures with the trigger plate off might be helpful.

[Gregory Czaplewski]

Dean, I didn't touch the roll joint and I am thinking as Paul Ehlers indicated, it is in the cocking mechanism. I took out parts one by one and tried the operation with the forend on. The only time the gun was prevented from opening was when the cocking device was put in place. It seems there is a bind when the cocking slide is trying to engage the sears on the hammers to cock the gun. All serial numbers have been confirmed on the parts.
Brian, you are right, it is a very complicated mechanism, and I can see how timing of the components is ultra important. I will try and put up some photos when I figure out how to do that.

Thanks guys

[Dean Romig]

Maybe this will help...


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[Gregory Czaplewski]

Regarding my request for help in dealing with my Parker not opening after attaching the forend, I have enclosed some photos of the parts included in the receiver. I tried to photo the serial number (last three numbers) for ID.

I hope the close up shots will help identify wear factor.

Please let me know if you come up with any ideas from the enclosed.

Greg Czaplewski

[Gregory Czaplewski]

Thanks Dean,

I will study that schematic and see if that is what is occurring when I put on the forend.

How do the photos look?

Thanks,
Greg

[Joe Dreisch]

In the last picture the cocking slide has a dimple protruding in the channel in which the unhooking slide rides (overstamp from detent pit on top side). In picture 7 the unhooking slide shows wear and stutter marks where the two (dimple and slide) would bear on each other. I have an action downstairs that I am going to check. I think that filing that dimple smooth in the unhooking slide race will correct the problem.
Yep. I just got mine apart and the underside race/channel of the cocking slide is perfectly smooth and all works well. You may want to smooth out the top of the unhooking slide shaft where it is nicked up as well. Good luck!

[Gregory Czaplewski]

Thank you and I will address that issue. I may have other Parkers in piece I can check on also.

[Brian Dudley]

Greg.

Your hammers are flip flopped. THAT is your issue. Swap them around, and providing you did no damage by the mix up, all should work fine.

[Paul Ehlers]

Greg.

Your hammers are flip flopped. THAT is your issue. Swap them around, and providing you did no damage by the mix up, all should work fine.

Thanks Brian you beat me to it. I saw it right off when I looked at the last picture!!

[Craig Budgeon]

Hammers are reversed.

[Craig Budgeon]

Sears don't line up and cocking hooks to wide.

[Kevin McCormack]

When encountered in reassembling Parker Repros, this situation is referred to as mitzu-mitzu by the Japanese.

[Gregory Czaplewski]

Gentlemen,

Thanks so much for the assistance on the Parker not opening when the forend was attached. You guys picked out the problem in a second after I sent the photos, guess a picture is worth a thousand words.

Anyway I flip flopped the firing pins and that resolved the issue. For your information, this receiver was partially assembled and I had no reason to disassemble the firing pins. Lesson learned, check others work.

Now I moved to the next issue and that is the setting of the safety. The one in the photo is not what came with the gun, so I'm not sure it is correct. Maybe you can see from the photos of it that it looks good enough to use and I must say the stock wood in the safety relief area is really crumbly. Someone had used epoxy to reinforce the wood.

I have one other safety from the pile of parts I have but the top of the lever is quite small compared to this one and this one fits the safety slide slot fine.

The adjustment issue seems to be in the depth that the safety falls into the stock relief.

Brian, If you think I should replace it, and you have one, please advise me and I will buy it.

Thanks again guys, it's a relief after weeks of frustration.

Greg

[Brian Dudley]

That safety jacket is correct. The jacket should not be bent out like that, but if that is what gets it to stay in place, then so be it. You could take it apart and straighten it up. The top of the jacket should butt up against the bottom of the tang on the frame. To prevent it from moving when the triggers push up on it.

That jacket assembly is the early style lever. Vs the other one you mentioned with the smaller top is the late style lever. The safety slide springs are different with each style lever. The changeover was around 1917 or so.

The bent jackets are the same, so the levers can be swapped back and forth.

[Gregory Czaplewski]

Thanks Brian

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

Now That is what this site is all about, lots of knowledge and especially Brian who is willing to share with other members even though he is in the business of repairing Parker and other make guns! Gary