Pardus LAX12-MF Issues, what to do

Double barrel, side by side, over-under, semi-automatic, straight-pull and lever action shotguns.

Pardus LAX12-MF Issues, what to do

Post by thesoundman000 » 01 Apr 2020, 7:40 pm

Hi all,

As per the title I recently brought a Pardus lever action, its the external box fed variety with a 20in barrel on it. Stock standard and its had less than 30 rounds through it even now. A beautiful (looking) gun and from new cycled dry like a dream, nice and light, easy to whack around the bush and the recoil doesn't bother me. Unfortunately first impressions and visuals are all I've got to be pleased about...

First time loading up the magazine I had all manner of issues, nothing would feed, it would jam up, sideways or in some cases the feed lug would even tear a slice through the next round in the mag. Really slamming it as per the standard advice certainly helped but at best you could only hope to feed 2 consecutive rounds. I managed 20 rounds or so and a few missed opportunities before deciding that wasn't good enough. Back to the factory it went and back it came (promptly and with no questions asked I would note, no issues with customer service thus far) with a new barrel, apparently the barrel had been machined off center and thus wasn't aligning with the round on a feed.

Certainly that seemed to improve the issue, I cycled rounds through it a few hundred times to test it out and could usually manage roughly 1 hangup every 2 mags, not spectacular but not the end of the world. Took it out yesterday for a run and got a hangup immediately which was quickly resolved in the heat of everything, 4 rounds total were fired. Got it out today and the lever mechanism was catching on the full open stroke, turned out it was out of alignment for some reason and the screw at that first joint was digging into the stock. Thinking I could cycle it out I ran a mag through it (not firing just cycling) and the whole thing fell apart on me. The internal hinge on the lever mechanism had come apart, it's stripped most of the threading from the slide. Having put the screw back in the entire thing is rough as guts, it takes a fair whack of force to even move the mechanism, you can hear and feel the innards scraping against each other.

Given the young age of this gun what am I best to do? I'm not ready to give up on Pardus yet (although I'll admit that I'm getting closer) but nor am I too keen on another shoddy half solution, it'll be years before I iron the bugs out of it at this rate. Additionally I'd like to do the least damage to my local bloke, he's been super helpful with everything and it hardly seems fair on him. Do I send it back for a warranty job, ask for a replacement or flat out ask for my money back? Perhaps get the local to make some improvements to the mechanism (there's certainly some easily identifiable improvements to be made)?

I appreciate any thoughts or suggestions, hoping for a few different opinions to bounce around the options. Especially with the current COVID-19 related restrictions in place, I'd rather not be out of action for an extended duration.

Thanks.
thesoundman000
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Re: Pardus LAX12-MF Issues, what to do

Post by Peter988 » 01 Apr 2020, 9:00 pm

Keep sending it back till they get it right. That’s their responsibility.
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Re: Pardus LAX12-MF Issues, what to do

Post by CAVEMAN » 02 Apr 2020, 7:25 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzq41YbHn8w

This helps the internals allot, plus some loctite. My tube fed was atrocious until i spent some time filing, polishing and loctite the whole lot. Now its actually pretty smooth and with the right ammo and correct method of use it runs like a dream. But if the threads are buggered it probably needs to go back. But when you do get it back definitely follow the video.

I also placed lithium grease in the slides in the receiver to try and slick out the action.
"Well if it ain't an 8 inch, i'm not paying"

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Re: Pardus LAX12-MF Issues, what to do

Post by Bridgy » 03 Apr 2020, 6:23 pm

If it's fallen apart completely I'd take it back and swap it over (if you want to stick with Pardus that is). It matches up with a lot of the reviews for them out there though. I understand we make concessions buying budget firearms but there are still issues that consumers shouldn't have to deal with - like the gun falling apart altogether!
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Re: Pardus LAX12-MF Issues, what to do

Post by CAVEMAN » 03 Apr 2020, 7:12 pm

They could be a decent setup. But the machining is very unfinished. From factory the machine screws down lock, and the lever bar literally just falls apart. Looking at the design adjectivally, it could be done well. But that lever bar just lets it down.

I really would love to see one of the actual lever gun makers put something out, some proper knowledge of levers could produce a brilliant gun. They are after all similar to a pump in the action just a bar drags and pushes instead of the pump pushing and pulling.
"Well if it ain't an 8 inch, i'm not paying"

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Re: Pardus LAX12-MF Issues, what to do

Post by Patriot » 04 Apr 2020, 11:40 am

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AFF18F4C-7BA3-45CE-828B-3BBFD2FB1D61.jpeg (1.45 MiB) Viewed 3048 times
Geez the pardus is really hit and miss. I bought one and apart from some early issues like failing to fire which seemed to work itself out, I have had zero problems, I do have the tube mag version though.
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Re: Pardus LAX12-MF Issues, what to do

Post by Ziege » 04 Apr 2020, 12:44 pm

I had heard of them being a poor man's Adler... Odd as didn't they retail higher in price ?

But yeah beware box mag shotguns, the plastic rounds don't like being squished up, and feeding issues have long been an issue even for the aa12 and saiga
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