Gents,
I took the bait and ordered some 16 to 20 Gold Gauge Mates (very nice picture of a Parker with them installed in their ads). Inserted them into a 16 GA VH and nothing but problems. Foremost is the scratching the titanium coated GMs puts on the breech face, and the gun was so hard to close, and I opened and closed the opening lever so many times and holding the lever all the way to the right, you can guess what happened. I now have scratched up VH with a broken V-spring, not counting the drift punch I dropped right into the checkering.
What is the best source for these springs if there is one and does anyone else use the gauge Mates and have the same problems? They are oversized in my gun, and that is the first thing to hit the breech face when the gun is being closed. It makes the gun tight even without a shell or snap cap.
Like a dummy I invested over a hundred bucks in converting my 16 loader and buying supplies to load the short 16s, only to want the ease of shooting sub gauge 20s in three 16s I own, since I load lots of 20s. Should have left well enough alone. Thanks for the advice in advance.
Frustrated with what was supposed to work, I'm finally giving up going to bed with a broken Parker on my mind.
Gauge Mates & Resulting Broken Top Lever Spring
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