Ted, that gun is one sad story, because I liked it a lot and shot it very well. The gunsmith who opened the chokes tried solder at the end. Lasted maybe 100 rounds. At that point, I turned it over to another gunsmith I trusted--and at this point, I made a big mistake. I forgot to tell him the ribs were brazed. He tried to relay them using heat to remove them. Finally got them solidly in place, but in the process I ended up with what looked like a warped bottom rib.
Assuming they popped loose when the chokes were open, I still wonder how that could have happened. My initial thoughts were either heat or vibration. But I think the gunsmith who finally got them lifted and back on--albeit with a damaged bottom rib--came up with the most logical answer: the reamer caught and torqued them loose. But then I suppose it's always possible they were somehow flawed from the factory. Although I don't think I've ever heard of that with another Parker Repro.
