doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Parker Problem with barel fit

Limapapa and Silvers
I am now a beliver in not recasing actions. It looks good and up until the last two guns I have done there was not a problem. Evidently that "Chicken has come Home to Roost" as my mother used to say and that won't be done again.

My retierd gun smith is going to help me next weekend so I do feel relieved. Ron Coleman has fitted many barrels in the past. Maybe my pride got in the way but Professional help is whats needed here.

I thank you gentlemen one and all.

Regards, Gordon

Gordon, you mention that your case color guy said "Yup, it happens." Did he offer to assist you in having your gun put back into action?

Many on this bbs need professional help of one type or another.

Oscar always said the only way to prevent distortion was by annealing first. However the turn of the century gun companies had something they called "hard fitting" departments. I believe some distortion is expected.
bill

Gordon: Thanks for sharing your dilemma with us. I have shied away from recasing in the past anyway but am even more reluctant to consider it now. You have dealt with some of the best in the business and still end up with a mess. I think you'll get the mess straightened out but send it off to a good 'smith who does this all the time.

Eightbore.
The case color people did not offer to help, but in their defense I sent an empty action,forend iron etc. I can't (in my mind) feel that they have any responsibility. John Gillette told me to go slow in any refitting that needs to be done. I respect his advice and think he offers good service for what he does. John told me he has fitted barrels on guns that he has restored before. John told me about one gun that was off face and when it was recased it was back on face. Maybe the only guns that should be recased should be loose.

KY Jon
I think I need some real professional help just in doing what I love to do. Good point.

Regards, Gordon

Gordon, a followup on your gunsmith's methods and degree of success would be illuminating.

jack

The best advice so far, is from the author of this very topic, "not going to have another Parker case colored."

rabbit
I will post the results next weekend if all goes well.

Lowell
Good advice. With this Parker I left the hinge pin and screw in place thinking that this might not warp anything. On my first one I had the hinge pin screw etc. removed. This caused (I feel) some of the warpage and the tough barrel fit. This one I left the pin in and used a different case color company.
So all in all I am cured from case coloring any Parker or any other maker for that matter.

Regards, Gordon

Glad to hear you're cured of that disease. I was lucky, years ago I was strongly discouraged by my gunsmith (whose opinion I hold in high regard) to ever recolor an action for vanity's sake. He told me that more often than not it will warp and be a problem.

I don't recall ever hearing a well respected gunsmith advising someone to recolor an action, the only people that recommend it is the folks that do it. I have the highest regard for Dr. Gaddy and his work in the area but he knew the process had it's problems. It's one thing to recase color a slab sided Winchester lever action or single shot, entirely a new ballgame with a double gun.

At Purdey's, after a gun was engraved and stocked the finisher's first job was to correct any warping that had occured in the hardening process. It was delicate procedure and MM & DT have a great little anecdote about what can happen when the finisher got a bit ambitious with the hammer. Last paragraph on pg.132 SHOTGUN TECHNICANA.