Gun Won't Open

[charlie cleveland]

i got faith in you harry...charlie

[Harry Collins]

The gun was sent a shop to be tightened up after purchase. When my friend received it it would double when the rear trigger was pulled first due to the weak sear spring. I do have the top tang screw indexing. The last time I took it apart I looked for places on the stock where things might be galled or rubbed. No dice. I think I've narrowed it down to the Safety. When both hammers are released the Safety can not be returned to Safe. I can do that with other Parkers. I'll let you know.

Harry

[edgarspencer]

This is getting confusing, but I love a good diagnostic discussion.
So am I understanding that, if the tang screws are tightened, and the gun is fired, you then can not open it, or does it matter if it's been fired or not? The difference being, if it were fired, the safety was pushed forward, and in order to open it, the top lever moves the bolt back, the bolt in turn moves the safety rod back, which pushes the top of the toggle back, moving the safety button. The safety rod passes by a bushing, threaded into the stock, through which goes the forward tang screw. See where I'm going? I'm thinking somehow, the tangs are making this sleeve, bushing, call it what you will, bind the safety rod from moving, preventing the bolt from moving fully rearward.
OK, I'm done.

[Harry Collins]

Again, Edgar, you are spot on. The bushing that goes through the stock, as I remember, is solid and the Safety Pin has a cut out in it to work around the sleeve. Everything seems to work well being fired or not until I tighten the rear Tang Screw. Fired or not fired the Safety will NOT work if the rear tang screw is tight or approaches being tight. I am off to celebrate my Monday birthday tonight so I've given up on it today. Tomorrow I will pull the sleeve and the Safety Pin to see if it is straight etc. As many times as I've been in this gun we may be viewed as a common law marriage!
Harry

[B. Dudley]

Originally Posted by Harry Collins

The gun was sent a shop to be tightened up after purchase. When my friend received it it would double when the rear trigger was pulled first due to the weak sear spring.

As i thought... not an untouched gun. All bets are off as to what your issue could be.
You need to take a serious look at what was done to “tighten” the gun. In cases of breech setbacks, a lot of other things may need to be adjusted after the barrel fitment to make sure all works. A lot of times the gun not unhooking can be a problem after a serious setback.
As others have suggested, your issues is not one that can be diagnosed on the forum.

[Autumn Daze]

Harry, Is it possible to put a .010 shim under the top tang. Sounds like the inletting is a bit too deep.

[Harry Collins]

Dave, I've shimmed both top and bottom tangs in attempts to fix the problem. From an aesthetics standpoint the rear tang screw is not flush with the top tang. To me thats like looking at buggered screws. Besides every time I've been with Morris Baker he's told me to keep my tang screws tight. When all the screws are tight and indexed the Safety binds after the hammers are released. I'm off to check the safety pin etc. I keep going over how things work deep in the bowels of our Parker Boxlocks and what would keep the gun from opening. I've gone through all the possibilities with Safety Lever, Pin, Sears, Ejectors and narrowed it down to safety because without the stock on and all screws indexed, flush, and tight the operation is flawless.
Harry

[Harry Collins]

I've narrowed the problem down to the Safety and front trigger. When the gun has been fired it can be opened if the front trigger is pushed forward. I have also noted that unfired and cocked the same must be done to put the Safety back on after pushing it off. I'm still contemplating my next action as follows:
1) Round the "T" portion of the Safety Lever thinking the trigger is catching it
2) File down the Safety Lever so I won't catch the trigger
3) Still thinking on it in hopes someone else has experienced this problem and can offer the
benefit of their experience.
Kindest,
Harry

[J. A. EARLY]

Harry,

Try this. It is not the way Parker designed it, but I think it will work for you if you do not want to remove metal from the portion of the trigger that touches the safety to block it when in the safe position.

The small "trigger spring" (part 10) that pushes both triggers upward to engage the safety and prevent any slack can be reversed and will place a slight downward tension on the triggers. While you are at it, remove the triggers and clean everything with a Dremel tool with a small wire brush so it is perfectly clean in there and there is no resistance. Yes, it will produce some slack when pulling the triggers but one will not notice it. This small reversal may allow the safety to be reseated by the safety pin in the head of the stock that resets the safety since the trigger will return to the fully downward position, which is keeping the gun from opening now since the opening lever is being blocked by the safety and the pin.

Worth a try. I've had problems like this in a restocked gun.

[J. A. EARLY]

p.s. On the one I had with the same problem I removed a little metal from the top of the front trigger since it was too tall, using a Dremel tool. If the reversed spring does not work, that is what is to be done, not remove it from the safety lever. I feel sure the reversed spring will work.

Just my two cents.