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<  16ga. Guns  ~  Lever Position indicative of past rejoining?
16'er
PostPosted: Tue Jan 17, 2023 6:00 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 08 Oct 2006
Posts: 1393
Location: Tappahannock, Virginia

Several sellers I follow import guns from Continental Europe and Britain. Some guns have levers at 4:30 to 5 o’clock position, would this indicate the action has been reworked?

I’ve always assumed that cross bolt guns with a proud bolt were rejoined. And often on these guns the lever parks earlier than 5:30, so was extrapolating to double under bite guns.
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3drahthaars
PostPosted: Thu Jan 19, 2023 8:13 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 21 May 2015
Posts: 127

Usually, the cross bolt is redundant.

Best to have a competent GS look at it.

I'd check the hinge pin and underbite for wear, maybe put some Dykem on it.

But, in general if you take off the forearm and wiggle the gun, you can tell if it is off-face.

Some repairs are pretty simple... I had a Merkel hinge pin replaced for less than $100 by the factory service center... locks up like a bank vault now.

3ds
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FlyChamps
PostPosted: Thu Jan 19, 2023 9:36 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 28 May 2007
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Location: Columbia, SC

None of the items you list are signs of rejointing. The lever on all of the new SxS and O/U guins I have were right of center at about 4:30 to 5:30; they are usually in this position from the factory or if properly rejointed.

The only one of our 9 SxS and O/U guns with the lever at center is my old Damascus Parker from 1891 and I'm sure it has moved left since it was new or rejointed. It still is on face and locks up tight so I will keep shooting it.

If properly done rejointing is just as good as original. What matters is that the gun is on face and locks up tight.
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16'er
PostPosted: Thu Jan 19, 2023 1:26 pm  Reply with quote
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I've seemed to have confused the title use of rejoining (work done on the hinge pin/hook) with work done to the lock interfaces to ensure the gun is in full lock up. Sorry for that mistake on my part.

Sometimes I see a top lever that looks "earlier" than what I'd expect to see on any gun leaving a factory, so I had made the assumption that something had be fiddled with at some point.

I'd never think a decent maker would leave the cross bolt proud 1/8" in lock up position. Is it possible that gunk in the action could prevent it from returning and this is a sign of neglect, not prior tinkering?
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3drahthaars
PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2023 7:05 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 21 May 2015
Posts: 127

16'er,

The action might be stiff... I've a couple Soule guns from the 50s and they are all stiff.

My Merkel O/U though in very good shape had been shot enough to wear the hinge pin. I got such a good deal on it that I couldn't return it.

I shimmed the pin with a .002" brass shimstock for 2 seasons, then I sent it to the Merkel USA gunsmith, and he replaced the pin and brought it back on face and factory snug.

As I mentioned, you can put Dykem on the mating faces and check for contact as well as remove the forearm and shake.

I wouldn't just rely on the lever position when evaluating an imported weapon...

3ds
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