Thoughts anyone?

[Craig Budgeon]

Opinions on repair choices may change if the gun was a 20 or 28 ga.

[Kevin McCormack]

Originally Posted by Craig Budgeon

I think the gun was assembled when the damage occurred. Damage to the receiver would indicate the gun being assembled. I believe foreign material became wedged between the left ejector and the retaining plate. Since the mechanic couldn't open the gun and find the problem, he/she decided to apply pressure to the left ejector since it refused to move and decide a ballpeen hammer and punch would do the job. Obviously they were able to remove the barrels after applying force. Enough force was applied to break off the screw head for the retaining plate and destroy the left side of the dollshead. The gun can be totally restored without replacing the dollshead but require an adequate supply of disposible income. Removing the retaining screw would have allowed them to remove the barrels.

I don't follow the sequence or logic of this scenario at all. James clearly stated in his OP that the damage occurred when the ejectors tripped. There is no mention of not being able to open the gun or the use of a ball peen hammer (!) and punch (??). What "debris"?

I agree with Alan's observation that the stop plate and retaining screw had previously rusted, thereby weakening considerably. Very clearly another demonstration of the tremendous power of the ejector springs, powering the ejectors against the comparatively fragile stop plate. With no resistance (snap caps, spent shells, a thumb or forefinger) against them, they quickly fatigue and eventually destroy the stop plate and/or retaining screw, In this case, the already compromised doll's head extension was no match for their power.

Bill's suggested repair method makes most sense. In addition, the vacant doll's head well could be filled in and the mating surface to the end of the rib re-engraved, approximating and resembling some of the Parkers we have seen ordered with "no rib extension", some quite pleasing to the eye.

[B. Dudley]

You can see that the rib extension is lifted from the barrels. The solder had previously failed. And there is evidence of corrosion. It looks to me like it has been a victim of some shoddy repairs that have stacked up over time and led to the current issue.

On these, the retaining screw does nothing to actually hold the plate against ejector forces. It is just there to keep the plate in place in the dovetail. The actual dovetail is what holds it in . This is a failure of the extension material itself. Apart from the 28g repros. This is a pretty uncommon thing.

“Simple” Replacement of the whole rib extension is something that is easier said that done.

[Craig Budgeon]

We don't know if Jim owns the gun, when the damage occurred, how its been stored since the damage, were the fore end and receiver pictures are, how many times the gun has changed hands since the damage, is there an eye witness when the damage occurred, and where is the retaining plate. Brians comments are plausible but I cannot believe an ejector spring can shear off a retaining screw and the dovetailed retaining plate.

[B. Dudley]

I would agree with that Craig. It is unlikely.

[Bill Murphy]

Get out that machinist's saw and a sanding block and make it look pretty again. Use ebony or horn to make the void in the receiver pretty again.

[Craig Budgeon]

Hacksaw Bill

[edgarspencer]

A year in a Failure Analysis lab aside, I would say that the dolls head cracked well before it finally let go. The rust in the fracture indicates the early failure and the clean, albeit crystalline surface is the continuation of the original crack.
Replace the entire rib extension, or take what you have to a micro welder, build the entire end up with weld metal, and machine the dolls head out of the welded portion. Not an insurmountable job off the gun.

[James Palmer]

Thanks all for the comments. I owned the gun for some time and fired it very little. Passed on to a friend and the first time he dropped in some snap caps fired. Ejectors fired and poof....off it came. After examining closely we believe belief this is a very old repair done poorly.

It is a 12 ga GHE 2 barrel set. 32 and 30. This happened on the 30 inchers. I'm still at a loss as to what would cause something like this in the first place.

I appreciate all the suggestions. Here are some additional pics.

James

[James Palmer]

More pics