Poll for article in the Shooting Sportsman

[John D.]

Hi folks,

I'm posting this poll for Senior Editor, Vic Venters of the wonderful publication Shooting Sportsman. He had already posted polls on other double collecting sites, and has requested our input as well... Please note: This poll is for DOUBLE TRIGGER Parkers only!!

Here is Vic's note:

"...Parker Shooters:

I am working on an article on intercepting sears and the utility (or non-utility) of them.

As most American guns did not have them and there are all sorts of historical arguments pro and con, I thought that I'd try to get some 'field' results.

Note that this poll concerns Parker shotguns with DOUBLE-TRIGGERS only.

Vic Venters"

My Best to all

John Dunkle

The poll is directly above this post.........

[Pa SxS]

I've only had one gun double once and that was while practicing this past weekend at the Southern. Sure did get my attention! I don't know if both barrels went off at the same time, things happened so quickly. I guess I could have bumped the rear trigger but I don't see how. My guess is some dirt on the sear/hammer notch or the rear sear not cocked fully???

[Bruce Day]

My doubling was solely due to worn sears after some 80000 rounds and when using a stout load. Re cutting the saers cured the problem. I hardly think this a design fault of the gun.

[Craig Reynolds]

Please retract my vote. The gun that doubled with the safety on was not a parker. I've never had a problem with a parker. Thanks Craig

[Harry Collins]

My Parker doubled upon firing. I took it apart and there was dirt on the sear. Once cleaned I have not experienced it again. It would never have happened if I were of the nature to take my guns apart every few years, but I am not.
Kindest,
Harry

[Kensal Rise]

Mr. Collins directs us to an inherent flaw in this post:

It fails (no pun intended) to account for absolute filth causing mechanism failure -- which Parkers and most other American guns are famous for. The filth that is... along with stark neglect. You can't ascribe a failure to a gun that isn't maintained any more than you can blame an engine failure of your Mercedes on the oil you didn't change for 175,000 miles.

Parkers are also some of the most bodgered guns on the North American continent. For this (like altered sears and bents an owner often doesn't see) you can't blame the design for the failure.

Finally, Americans are fond of shooting "artillery grade" ammunition in these old doubles. This can jar many decent sears out of contact -- or disorient a trigger finger to feign a doubling.

In short, the poll is only as good as the pollster. I do wish Mr. Ventners had been more precise... or more aware of reality.

[SXS OHIO]

The Parker brothers double trigger system is well engineered. They used hi quality steel that was properly heat treated and inspected by a real person who knew his stuff. A product did not pass inspection or go to the next step if it was not 100% correct. The Parker gun does not have any record or history that would point to defect in its original design or workmanship. It was simple and could be ordered with wide scale of safe trigger pulls. When factory untouched, properly maintained and seviced if needed they do not fail!!!! Few tools that can hert or kill can make this claim.
Now we could write a big thick book about why products need to have three safty systems in place so we can't get hert if we do somthing stupid. Puts me in mind of the lady driving a rv who put the cruse controll on while going down the highway...that was O.K. till she left the driver seat to go in the back for somthing. The R.V. manf. had to pay for what happend becouse they did not put in the owners book a safty warning not to do that. True story......On the flip side...DO NOT DROP A FULLY LOADED JENNINGS PISTOL....THEY ARE KNOWN TO FIRE WHEN DROPED!....true story.....Thats why we now have a drop test in place for firearms and the need for fire pin block safty system so they can pass this test when droped 20 feet on to a hard serface. I do not know if Parker guns could pass this test. They have no fire pin block in place. If anyone has AAHE that would take time to test, it would be of great intrest to us all. WARNING DO NOT USE LIVE AMMO FOR THIS TEST!!!!!! STAY BACK 50 FEET AND WARE SAFTY GLASSES TO PROTECT EYES FROM FLYING DEBREE!!! Hope I did not miss any safty warnings, I would not want sued..... Thanks all SXS ohio...(-:

[Mills]

My NH 10 discharged upon closing once. I recently acquired it and it basically just needs some TLC on the action. I had one gunsmith look at it and he said just close very carefully and there should be no problems.

[John D.]

Last post before I unstuck this thread... It has now run it course. Mr. Venters, we hope you find the poll informative.

Thanks for your participation.

John Dunkle

[Vic Venters]

A sincere thank you to Mr. Dunkle and to all the PGCA board and members for permitting this poll. I really appreciate it, and all the input. Information from it will appear in Nov/Dec SSM "Gun Craft" column. Again, thank you.