Parker not firing

[Ian Miller]

I have a 1917 Parker 12 gauge here in Zambia where we have no gunsmiths. It regularly fails to fire either barrel and I've stripped it down and removed the firing pin and hammer assembly and the springs. How can I tell if the springs or the firing pins are worn? Can I get replacements? How easy is it to diy extension of the pins?

[Dean Romig]

Have you determined that the strikers are striking the primers too lightly?

[Ian Miller]

Yes, if the primer is slightly depressed in the cartridge face the pins only leave a shallow dent, thus I thought the pins could need extending for a millimeter or so.

[charlie cleveland]

is this gun have the name of just parker on it or does it say parker brothers on side plates.....will make a differance in this forem helping you fix problem.... charlie

[Ian Miller]

Yes Parker Brothers on the side plates thanks Charlie

[Dean Romig]

There may be old hardened oil crud impacted into the striker cones in the frame preventing the full travel of the strikers.

[Ian Miller]

I thought of that and cleaned as best as I could and reassembled but no improvement, thanks Dean

[Old and Reliable]

Ian- I have a set (RH and LH) of hammers with intact pins from a later 12 Parker Trojan that may work, if needed here- also the coil springs and retainers- Dean is 100% right, 9 times out of 10, crud and dried oil are often the culprit-

Here's how I check for firing pin depth and primer pocket penetration- with Parker assembled and hammers cocked, remove the forearm and barrels, and hold a piece of 3/4" or 1" clean and knot free soft pine against the standing breech face- release safety and fire each hammer with striker into the wood, then check both holes for uniform penetration with a pin depth gauge. If that looks OK, it might be shells with extra hard primers such as B&P or Fiocchi-

Sometimes a check of the firing pin holes is warranted- gas blowback can often enlarge and make them "out of round"- and excessive extractor drag or scuff marks may indicate a slight "off face" condition, easily corrected here as we have many top gunsmiths in America- not the case where you are I surmise however.

Another possibility- perhaps just the first trigger (right hand barrel) is mis-firing, often that is the most fired of a double, but that is just a supposition- with the gun re-assembled and the hammers recocked, remove the forearm and try this- try to 'wiggle" the barrels to see for off face or excessive play- and then with the forearm still off, mount the gun as if you were going to shoot it, and bump the stock into your shoulder pocket to see if there is any movement of the barrels against the frame.

It might help us help you if you could detail and the ID numbers found on your Parker- barrel flats and lug (frame size), receiver, forearm iron.

What game do you get to hunt with this Parker in your country??

[Bindlestiff]

What kind of shells are you using? Do they sit flush with the breach end when inserted?

[Ian Miller]

Thanks for the last 2 messages. I'll do the various checks suggested. Some of our locally available shells are thinner rimmed than others and these do sit slightly recessed in the breach. We are lucky to get very good guineafowl and francolin shooting in September and October followed by red-eyed dove and from early December until 1st Jan closed season fantastic spurwing and Knob-billed (combed) duck all on our farm just outside Lusaka. All attracted to wheat and barley stubble and soya fields.