Stock Crack behind Safety
 

Hi Everyone,

I’m picking up my first Parker soon a 12 gauge VHE and there is a stock crack behind the safety about 1/4” to 1/2” long. I’m wondering if anyone could shed some light on how much of an undertaking ,financial and physical, it would be to have it repaired such that you couldn’t tell it was there. Recommendations on a person to send it to is also appreciated.


Also would be interested in opinions on leaving it as it is. I shoot less than 10 shells a year through it and I’m a mild stickler for originality.

Hi Dylan:
Try member Brian Dudley. Looks minor from here and I would guess it could be made to disappear.

And there may be absolutely nothing wrong at all...

Except your safety button is installed backwards.

Now that is bizarre......what do you make of that?

Someone took it apart and put it back together the wrong way.

Do you think it would still work even if it’s on backwards? I guess that a lesson learned for me there.

I will reach out when I have had a better chance to examine it if I want to repair anything. Thank you

XXX

Cracks in that location aren't uncommon, more so on single trigger guns, as there is less wood. I would recommend that you fix it because you never know when you might bump it sideways and then have a split stock. Repairs are almost always stronger than the original stock.

Splits behind the top tang can be indicative of the frame moving on recoil. Not always but usually. Slight rearward movement of the frame causes the tang to work like a wedge forcing the grain apart. B. Dudley can tell you if it is frame to stock gap and if this needs to be repaired. Splits do not get better with use.

What would be your opinion on putting 10 or less low pressure shells a year through it as is?

Difficult to say without actually seeing the gun. You need to determine two things. First, is what you are seeing the beginnings of a split. Second is the frame solid against the wood in the head of the stock so there is no movement on recoil. Wood can shrink or become soft with oil over time creating a slight gap with rear of the receiver and that allows the rearward movement. Only with close examination can you tell if it can be fired without increasing the split. Your gun, your call.

Or it can just be grain checking from years of climate changes. If there is no expanding of the stock away from the inletting on the sides of the tang or movement of the stock head, them that is likely the case. The only way to know is to remove the action from the wood and check it out.

Dylan, post a better photo of the split. That would help. In your initial post you state the visible split to be 1/4 to 1/2 inch in length. Big difference. Can you be more precise? 1/2" in length is unlikely to be a minor grain check. The only way to tell is to separate the frame from the wood and closely examine the inletting behind the top tang. If you do not have experience and the proper screw bits to fit the Parker slots do not attempt this on your own. Separating a Parker stock is not exactly straightforward. You can find a 'how to' in the FAQ of this forum. Take it to an experienced Parker gunsmith. Buggering a screw slot is an incredibly easy task. Good luck.

Even with the little shooting you mention, it could be indicative of more cracking inside the stock. I would at least check it out, to determine the right action to take on it.

Thank you everyone for the input. It seems the right course of action will be to have someone take a look at it. Likely I will be reaching out to Brian. However, my funding for this hobby is essentially out for some time. Just to verify - doing nothing and just sitting it in the safe shouldn’t cause things to get much worse. Correct?

Much easier to fix it now if it needs it than to wait until it breaks. Get it checked out.

Update: I have the gun in hand. It seems to be nothing more than a single deep scratch. I can visibly see the bottom of the “gouge’ if you will when using a light. Crisis avoided.

That is always a relief. Good luck.