I have a field grade Sterlingworth 12ga. with 30" barrels and double triggers. the serial number is from 1928, and all the serial numbers match throughout the gun.
This gun is not a fancy grade gun. I have had the gun for over 3 years. When I purchased the gun I sent it to a gunsmith and it was inspected and deemed safe to use. Some time before I purchased the gun it was refinished. The barrels show clear signs of re-bluing and the case hardened finish on the receiver looks good. When the action is closed the lever is almost exactly straight down the center.
Recently when I open the action the lever no longer stays to the right, it returns to straight down. To close the action I need to move the lever back to the right and hold it there before trying to close the action.
I am not a gunsmith, and unfortunately finding a gunsmith locally that is able to work on my 90 year old gun is a bit of a problem. My analysis seems to indicate that the trip is worn. Pumpkin Mountain Gunshop was my source for parts, but unfortunately it seems that the shop closed up a few months ago. Numrich shows the part on their website, but the have been out of stock since I started looking in mid April.
I have three questions...
1) Does my feeling that the trip is worn and the cause of my problem seem to make sense?
2) Does anyone have a known source for a replacement trip?
3) Are any of the gunsmiths that read this forum willing to manufacture a replacement trip.
The gun otherwise works well and I don't want to abandon it because of what seems to be a relatively minor problem. I readily admit that the gun has very little actual financial value, but since it works and I already have it I am willing to spend some money on it, just not a fortune.
