Tell me if this is wall hanger

Louis Carter · 12-22-2010, 09:41 PM

I received a Parker Brothers Double barrel. It was supposed to be a Savage Double Barrel. Well now I own a Parker Brothers 1906 Vulcan 12 ga. Serial #137322 Barrel #2. First of all stock is separating from the receiver. The safety will not engage and the back trigger will not fire. Is this a wall hanger or is repairable? Does it have a value? How can I clean it up without screwing up the wood or metal? Thanks
Louis

Austin W Hogan · 12-22-2010, 10:12 PM

I would recomend cleaning the gun as you would after shooting it. Wipe down the metal with a Hoppes patch, and clean the wood with a soft rag and a little turpentine or mineral spirits. Look the cleaned gun over; if there are no big dents or bulges in the barrels, and no big cracks or splinters missing from the wood, it is probably restorable with less work than you estimate.
It is your choice relative to the amount you feel you should spend on restoration. The mechanical repairs and cleaning can be quite reasonable. Restocking and cosmetic repairs to the finish are much more expensive.
A few hundred dollars in repairs to your VH may yield a much better gun than a few thousand spent on a modern side by side.

Best, Austin

Dean Romig · 12-22-2010, 10:12 PM

Well Louis, it definitely needs some stock work but first the root cause must be determined then the stock should be properly repaired. The problems with the safety and trigger are very likely to be caused by hardened oil and crud in the mechanism preventing proper operation. A good internal cleaning is the first step here. It may turn out to be a perfectly good shooter but only if the barrels are servicable and not too thin to be safe.

Bindlestiff · 12-22-2010, 10:12 PM

It looks like a serviceable gun to me. As far as the stock, it can be fixed, see this forum thread for details
www.parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=517

When you have the stock fixed, have it cleaned by the gun smith. It may be dirt and if it is something more it should be a reasonable fix to resolve the safety and firing problems.

Autumn Daze · 12-22-2010, 10:46 PM

Louis, I agree with the guy's here. The head of the stock is oil soaked and I would think it is split internally. It is possible that a sliver of wood from the crack at the stock head has jammed the safety and rear trigger. I would remove the stock and assess the damage first.

Louis Carter · 12-23-2010, 01:57 AM

Right on I slid the stock back and the safety and triggers worked. Now I can't remove the stock. I have unscrewed the top screw under the lever and the bottom screw behind the trigger But the stock won' t go any further. What's stopping it? Do I have to pry the stock off.

Opening Day · 12-23-2010, 02:17 AM

Louis, don't go any farther, the sears are stopping the stock from coming off. You need to use a drift pin to punch out the retaining pin that holds the sears in. If you search the forum for stock removal you will find detailed instructions on how it is done. Please dont go or do anything until you find those posts. Eric

Autumn Daze · 12-23-2010, 01:30 PM

Louis, Go to the PGCA home page. on the left side is a catagory FAQ. Click on that link. The eleventh question down"How do I take the stock off my Parker" should help you out.

Old and Reliable · 12-25-2010, 08:30 PM

A characteristic of most box lock guns, like the American mfg. Parker and AH Fox (amongst others) is the sear axle pin at lower rear section of the receiver does hold the stock in place against the receiver- That is why you need to let the hammers down (you'll see the firing pin tips protruding from the receiver face) after you have done this, to release the coil spring tension against the cocking toes of the hammers- Once you have driven out this pin with a properly fitted drift punch, you can removed the sears, which, like the hammers, are made "opposite hand" .

Austin Hogan, our PP editor, and others, place removed screws and other parts on paper marked for the order in which they were removed-when you re-assemble your VH 12 bore, just reverse that order--

Production line shotguns, even my favorite- the legendary Winchester M12- had more flexibility for pins and machine screw interchangability- but all the fine Parkers were hand fitted, and keeping such items in proper order is important--

Looks to me from your fotos that oil soaking may have caused the head of the stock to pull away from the receiver and the top tang- All the minor issues you detailed here can be repaired by any competent double gunsmith, and you will have a shootable fine 12 Parker as the end result. You are way far better off with a Parker than had the gun been a Savage/Stevens double--they are the Rosanna Barr's of the double gun world, Parkers are the Martina McBride of same- Happy Holidays

Bill Murphy · 12-28-2010, 05:49 PM

Be very careful with the stock when it loses the support of the screws. It is quite easy to chip the corners of the wood. I, personally, do not have enough hands to support all parts while I remove the sear axle and springs. Some people can do it, but I learned long ago to let Parker trained gunsmiths remove and replace my stocks for me. Where are you? We could recommend a local gunsmith, maybe. Removing the oil from the stock head and the rest of the stock must be done before you can attempt the staple method of stock head repair. The staple method is definitely the proper way to approach your problem.