I would not trust a Parker to just some local gunsmith unless he knows the gun. If you are going to send it out for referb or a quote on it. I would expect that nearly anyone who would referb it would know how to fix the issue and get the barrels off. Why not just send the gun complete to who ever you are going to send t to and has them fix the issue while they have it?

Makes sense Brian but for me I will not ship a doublegun assembled.

Jim,

AHA! Now I see the screw. It's well camouflaged with only the slot to distinguish it. Unfortunately, there's about 1/16" or so of the screw head still below the watertable so I don't think I'd be able to get it out without buggering something up. I'll try the dry firing an empty shell, a local gunsmith, and as last resort, sending a really long package across the country.

Autumn, I've got my reservations about shipping it assembled as well. Would greatly prefer to separate the two halves first.
Speaking of which, do you have any recommendations for shipping from AZ to the East coast?

I too like to ship broken down too. But in this case, might be best. Like I said previously, that cocking hook screw will often not clear the water table.

Jim,

It is usually partially below the water table but often a second person holding and opening the gun a little beyond the normal, can open it just a little more and give it enough to clear.

Jim,

This is a fairly common thing to have happen to a Parker.

The trick that usally works is as follows.

1. Make sure the gun is un-loaded.
2. Pull both triggers & drop the hammers.
3. Remove the forearm.
4. With one hand on the barrels & the other on the stock. Move the opening latch to the right and break the gun open.
5. If the barrels don't come off now. Try wiggleing them a little both side to side and slightly to the open & closed position.

If this doesn't work.

1. Close the gun again.
2. leave the forearm off.
3. Find the small round rod/pin that sticks out of the knuckle of the reciever under the barrels.
4. Pull the rod toward the muzzle end of the barrels while trying to open the gun as done in the previous steps. This should get the barrels to release from the cocking hook & be able to be removed.

If all this fails. Take the gun to a gunsmith that knows Parkers.

Good luck,

Paul

Mine does the same thing. I just keep a couple of fired shells handy and dry fire it and the barrels come right off. No problem.

Thanks Paul;
I tried all that you suggested with no luck except for trying to pull the pin out. I'm assuming it's hardened, but am kind of leery about buggering it up by grabbing onto it with pliers.
I dropped it off at the local gun store yesterday for their gunsmith to take a look at. If I can separate the two halves, I'm gonna send it to Ilion, NY for a quote on refurbishment. Since I'm not a collector or hunter, I thought I'd give it to my 2 identical twin grandsons. Kinda fitting... 2nd iteration of grandfather to grandson.

With all you have tried, there is nothing left to do but remove the trigger plate and get the cocking hook freed from there.