Ed, I'd sure like to have a $20 for every time I have heard or read the "debate" about closing a side-by-side gun. Your over 100 year old Parker has the pinned in place via strut leaf spring top lever spring. So extra care may well be warranteed, both from the age and metal fatigue factor, and also the nature of leaf or V springs in shotguns. But your Parker does have the pinned in place tool steel wedge, correct?
My old GHE 12 does not have the tool steel wedge, and it locks up like a bank vault- But we both could have 100 year old Parkers and one might have seen tons of shooting, another only a box of shells each Oct-Nov.
Coil springs, the revised design Parkers had a coil top lever spring contained in a cylinder, in some ways are a better design, as if they are contained and fracture at either end from metal fatigue, they will still function. As L.C. Smiths have floating firing pins and leaf or V mainsprings, I always use spring loaded snap caps in my Smith guns and let down both hammers when they are stored in the "steel tomb"--I don't usually do this with the Parkers or the Fox gun, never with either my M12's or M70 rifles.
As to closing- unless I am shooting or hunting and hoping to get shots and have loaded both barrels, I close my doubles by easing back the top lever- but when afield I close them by pointing the muzzles downward and lifting the buttstock up, as the late Paul A. Curtis recommended. However- I have a friend who is not mechanically inclined- he owns two shotguns, both 16 gauge- both inherited- a Model 1897 pumpgun and a very early M21 with two triggers and extractors instead of selective ejectors. Both guns were well used before Ed got them, they have truly been "rode hard and put up wet" and the M21 is still as tightly breeched as when it left New Haven in 1933.
One of my Winchester books shows the adjustment feature via a set screw for wear take-up in the M21- good thing Ed's M21 is sound and on face, as the screw is immovable, due to gunk, oil and powder over the years. Ed probably swabs the bores of his two Winchesters once a year- But I have hunted with him for 12 years and never have I seen him miss a Rooster pheasant with either gun. He's built like Dick Butkus and he is not bashful about closing his guns- yet they still function quite well. SOooooo- is there a correct answer to the closing question? I don't know.
I do know this- from gunning manners I have been taught by my mentors. Whenever you are looking at another man's gun, assuming it is a break action double, always ask him how he prefers it to be closed, and when you hand it back to him, hand it back opened and with the muzzles pointed downward.
11-08-2010, 02:43 PM
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