Tell me about lifters

[Autumn Daze]

John, Lifters are wonderful guns and I think they are more comfortable to open then a top lever gun. Just my opinion but if I was going to buy one to shoot alot(And I know you are..) I would buy a later gun with the radius breech and longer frame with a check hook.

[John Truitt]

I have not seen many available with the longer frame and check hook. (only one I have seen for sale is listed at about $6000 or better)
I agree and think the radius is probably a better design. But the gun I am looking at does not have that feature.
Has anyone ever had one crack at the 90 degree area?

[Smoothebore]

John, I've read that the square frame was a weak point, probably explaining why Parker changed to a radius corner in later designs. I've never seen one cracked, but I suppose it's possible. I used to have many Lifters but am down to only two at this time. One is 4054, 12ga with the square corner frame. I only shoot light reloads that are easy on the gun and me, both. Also typical of the early guns, it has offset firing pins. The original offset pins were prone to breaking. I learned how to make them so I could keep all my guns shooting. If you break an offset pin I have plenty. Plus these will not break. My other remaining lifter is a 10ga, with the check hook and radius corner. With the introduction of the top action hammer gun, Parker still offered the Underlifters, but modified with the longer frame with check hook. This is where the firing pins also changed to straight, like on the top actions. I guess the straight pins could break, but they rarely did.

Dave

[John Truitt]

Mr. Purnell,
I have broken one of the straigth type firing pins.
My thoughts are that I figure the frame would have already cracked at this point in her life. I plan to only shoot her at two shoots a year. So she will not see the use my 12 ga see. I also plan to shoot some lower pressure loads ( I usually do not care about this).
Thanks for the heads up on the offset firing pins.