Pricey Ejectors
 

The California Duck Gun that just sold to a lucky member here originally sold for $75: $50 for the gun (“VH”) plus $25 for ejectors (“E”). That means the ejectors accounted for 1/3 of the total sale price. Seems awfully expensive for a bell/whistle.

-Victor

Ejectors were "all the rage" back then. One would pay the price not because he needed them but because he wanted them.





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And the cost of all the extra individual parts along with the work to each individual gun to get everything installed and working right. There was a whole department in the factory dedicated to ejector fit.

Far as I know currently no one is taking non ejector guns and performing the alterations to install ejectors at any price. Please correct me if I'm wrong. To my pea brain that says its hard, requires special tooling and would be costly, if there was a demand. Also hammers home the level of those men, in that time, at Parker Bros..

In researching "The Parker Story" in the early 1990's and visiting with a few of the old Parker/ Remington employees we were told the two most common repairs that were needed on guns returned to the factory were:
1. Ejectors, and
2. Single Triggers

Both were somewhat complicated and required higher skill levels to install.

You are correct. Lefever Arms did a lot of Ejector conversions back in the day. But that was about it.

The amount of special tooling/jigs is not really the killer. That can be done by anyone with some machining equipment and the knowledge of what needs to be done. One operation to the frame and a few to the barrels.
It is more having all the Parts available and the knowledge to fit everything.

I am much more impressed that a VH sold for $50 retail than I am that ejectors cost $25. Ejectors on an A1 Special were also $25. In 1972, Larry Del Grego Senior quoted me $385 for an ejector conversion but didn't want to do it, even at that price. He quoted 12 to 18 months to complete the job. This price included an entire forend, wood and metal. I suspect that the supply of forends was getting a bit short. At the end of 18 months, I would guess that the price would have been higher. At Del Grego's, I would expect that you pay the invoice, not the estimate after 18 months. I didn't hear it from Larry, but I have heard a rumor that at least once, a graded receiver was ruined when drilling or milling for the ejector main spring plungers. This makes for an expensive job, although I find it hard to believe that the holes are that hard to cut.

There is a jig for that job Bill that is probably foolproof.





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I would speculate that many ejector retrofits done by Delgrego were actually done by Lefever.

There is a factory jig for drilling out the frame. I have seen photos of it. And unless something went completely haywire, I cannot imagine a frame getting destroyed doing it.

Brian, hate to say it but, never underestimate the ineptitude or lack of care by shop personnel at times..hate to say something so negative but, it's just the truth. Especially in todays manufacturing environment.