Top lever repair
 

I’m looking for some suggestions on who might be able to assist with the repair of a 28 ga. Repro top lever. Long story short, there is a clean break where the lever meets the head of the vertical pin and needs to be welded, engraved and rehardened. Alternatively, the top lever could be replaced if someone knows of a source of parts.

Thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide.

How the heck does that happen??





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I can’t tell for sure. The break occurred during removal of the trigger plate. It looks like the metal may have had a hairline crack that was causing the top lever to stick preventing the gun from firing. This gun’s story just got longer as now I get to write the chapter on Top Lever Repairs.

I didnt have the heart to ask !:shock:

It happens much more often than you think and usually on a 28ga. Over the years we have had to have two of them repaired, the top lever was welded, reshaped and the engraving touched up and then blued rather than trying to replace the colors. In both cases the lever broke when the gun was cased with the lever in the open position and weight was put on the case lid.

It looks like the metal was crystalized - e.g. over hardened.





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Always trip your levers back to center. Many guns have been damaged from them being cased and shipped without the lever being tripped.

Also remember that Parker repros are not case hardened.

Metal can only be hardened to a point, based upon the carbon content. The break does not show any signs of a previous crack, but does look like it was not tempered. Tempering after hardening is essential, and also serves as a stress relieving cycle.
I don't see that repair as complicated, but proper heat treating is essential.

I received a 28 gauge Repro from Ward's Auction with the lever locked to the right. In shipping it was bent so it rubbed on the top tang when released. I gently bent it back so that it barely cleared the tang. I will not use the "I" word to describe the people at Ward's, but the are "I"s, since they sell thousands of guns and should know how to pack them. I thought about warning them about this problem before they shipped, but I thought they would know better and never contacted them. I have no idea how I would have handled it if the lever had broken. I am looking forward to hearing about the repair of a Repro lever and its possible cost. Dave Moore, can you tell us who performed the repairs you mentioned?

Just got one from Ward's. The stock/receiver and barrels/fore-arm were wrapped in Saran wrap plastic. The gun was placed in a box with popcorn type styrofoam so they could bounce around against each other from coast to coast. At least the top lever had been released. Sorry to be off subject.