Parker Double Repair question

[RHanlin]

Please forgive me if this has already been addressed in the past "but".... I've got a Parker Double that the locking lug fell out of. It's the piece the forend locks into when re-installed. It appears that this piece was soldered in place but I am having trouble getting solder to flow back even after cleaning all of the surfaces. I'm putting the heat on the same side as the lug but the solder just beads and runs off. I was afraid of applying too much heat but it looks like the beading might be an issue of not enough heat on the area I'm trying to re-solder.

Am I right? Is there a better technique to this repair?

Thanks

[King Cobb]

Sorry I won't be able to offer any help with this. But you might try posting it in the Parker restoration/smithing forum here.

[GH-16]

Be careful of what your doing. The top & bottom ribs are soft soldered. To much heat will make them come loose as well.

My suggestion is to send the barrels to a good double gunsmith who is familar with doing this type of work. The money you spend up front may save you a bunch in the long run.

Brad Bachelder, Kirk Merrington, Arts gun shop & others. do these type repairs.

[Kensal Rise]

The "locking lug" you are attempting to re-attach is called the forend loop. DON'T attempt this job yourself! As stated above, send the gun to a pro. It's better than ruining the barrels' integrity.

[RHanlin]

Originally Posted by John Campbell

The "locking lug" you are attempting to re-attach is called the forend loop. DON'T attempt this job yourself! As stated above, send the gun to a pro. It's better than ruining the barrels' integrity.

My apologies for not using the correct terminology. I really don't want to turn this job away if at all possible. John, please don't think I'm being arrogant when I say this but all pro's began as amateurs. I'll never learn to do anything if I keep sending it off. At least I know when to ask for help

[Bill Murphy]

Sorry, but this job is not for someone who has never done it before or been taught how to do it, face to face. Your customer is not showing the best judgement in protecting his gun from damage.

[RHanlin]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

Sorry, but this job is not for someone who has never done it before or been taught how to do it, face to face. Your customer is not showing the best judgement in protecting his gun from damage.

No need to apologize Bill. I understand why you would think the way you do. I'll have to post pictures of the 1894 Remington I'm restoring for a client. There are several firsts going on with that one. First and foremost is the restoration of the Damascus pattern that was all but invisible when I got it and the new rust blue finish that was also applied. But all of that was done after I had raised all of the barrel dents using my shiny new Hydraulic dent raiser.

Bill I've been gunsmithing for just over a year and that's after finishing a years worth of school which was done through an on-line course at Penn Foster. We have no gunsmiths in my area so I wanted to learn to do all of the things folks needed or wanted done to their firearms without having to ship them across the country. Before I started my business (one year ago) for 8 years I restored and refinished firearms for friends and co-workers. I retired 3 years ago and two years into retirement decided it was time to do something I'd always wanted and opened up my own shop.

Trust me when I say I'll never do anything to compromise a clients firearm! The things I've learned doing restorations over the past several years make doing what I do now almost seem simple. But as I said in the beginning, something new seems to always come in. That is why I love this kind of work.

[RHanlin]

I hear what you're saying.. I'm being very careful with this trust me. Before I started the repair, I placed metal shims along the ribs and wrapped them with wire to hold them in place then I used metal clamps to act as heat sinks as well as extra security to hold the ribs down.

I've not been a gunsmith for long so, from time to time, I get a job I've not done before. That is why I join these forums. I also try and network with other gunsmiths but in my area, they are few and far between so I must rely more on the internet.

So basically I'm asking for advice from anyone who's done this kind of work before.

Thanks again.

[B. Dudley]

Re-attaching a forend loop is pretty straight forward for someone who knows what they are doing.

If the solder is just beading up and not flowing in then it sounds like flux is not being used or not the correct flux.

Bear in mind that after this repair is properly completed, a re-bluing of the barrels may very likely be needed. Maybe not, but often it is.

[Chris T.]

You have to admire a guy for trying! I'm not a gunsmith, but there are many types of flux, sounds like you need to find the right one. Might want to call Brownell's and ask what they would recommend. I hope you have success!