John, this malady is not uncommon in older or much-shot guns. In the Parker Gun, the problem is usually peening of the contact point in the roll latch of the forend iron where the latch face bears on the forend lug attached to the barrels. The fix is usually quick and simple but nasty to watch; a metal drift is laid over the face of the roll latch and given a quick sharp blow with a hammer which slightly elongates the surface of the protruding lip of the latch, restoring the friction fit of the two surfaces. You need a gunsmith who is familiar with the Parker Gun and knows how to effect this cure; ham-handed amatuers will destroy your forend. The post referencing the question of whether or not the forend is original to the gun is very important before evaluating the correction of the problem. If the forend is not original to the gun, the face of the roll latch may be too short to elongate without destroying it. By all means, have a "Parker Friendly" 'smith attend to the job.
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