Loads for my Damascus Parker

[allen newell]

I am seeking advice and counsel on this post. My friends and I have booked a 1,000 bird tower shoot thiscoming December. All of us shoot SXS's but I'm the only one with Parkers.

I plan to take 2 guns, one a 1889 or so 12 ga Damascus w/32 inch barrels. The barrels are .044 in each barrel at least 6 inches from both chambers. This Parker is build like a tank, tight on face, no issues what so ever.

These birds will be flying high (250 pheasants and 750 pigeons). This fine double is in excellent condition, I've had Brad B. go all over it and believe I've posted pictures of it. Not sure how heavy a load I should shoot. Any thoughts?

[Mills Morrison]

If Brad B. says it is ok, then I would have no problems shooting it.

[Rick Losey]

As to loads

Give RST a call for advice

They have a variety of loads that would reach out including a copper plate one

[Dean Romig]

Morris ships pallets of flats of highly coveted 'pigeon loads' to the southwast. These loads are hard-hitting (they need to be cause some serious stakes are involved) and I'm sure a call to Morris will get you what you need.






.

[allen newell]

Thank you Rick and Dean

[Daryl Corona]

Allen;
I don't know if you reload or not but if it were me, with .044 choke in each barrel, I'd opt for a 1oz. load of 7.5's. I might even use 7/8oz in the first barrel. Easy on you and the gun. A 1.25oz. pigeon load will take it's toll over that much shooting as you are going to be shooting alot of overhead/vertical birds. JMHO. Have fun.

[allen newell]

Thanks Daryl
I do reload and only 7/8 and 1 oz loads for all my guns.

[Brian Dudley]

Take a look at some load data and recipes from the powder manufacturer that you like to use. Any load that is under 8,000 psi should be just fine for your gun. I use this number because i believe that RST makes no loads that are higher than that.

I load 1oz shells that are around 7,200 psi in both 2-3/4" and 2.5" and they perform well and i put them through any of my guns, damascus or fluid steel.

[Harry Collins]

I was at a pigeon shoot recently and was surprised to see how many were using RST Pigeon Loads. Flat upon flats of them in the backs of their cars and SUV's. They have a modest Pigeon load that is easy on you. I do prefer #6 shot for pheasant and pigeon. B&P (Baschieri & Pellagra) High Pheasant 12 gauge 2 1/2" 1 1/16 oz of 6's is death itself. I shoot a Damascus Parker with this load out of 30" barrels with .030 & .041 constriction.

[Richard Flanders]

I shoot any load I please in my stout 32" 1883 2-frame twist bbld hammer gun. Mostly I shoot old paper shells with the 3-3/4dram, 1-1/4oz loads of gawd knows what pressure, but they are stout and seem to shake your teeth loose, and I don't worry one bit ever. I love old red paper Super X's, Mark V's and green, ribbed Remington Express loads for it. I think they hurt me more with the recoil than they do the gun. I shoot the same shells in a stout 2-frame 30" VH12.

[Bruce Day]

Asking this question is like the fellow with the vintage car who asks at the local cafe how fast he can drive between Fargo and Billings. One fellow says 110, another 80 and another says 55. All are correct.

When this question is asked about Parker shot shell loads, a person seldom sees responses that recite what Parker said, despite we being fortunate to have Parker documents.

Below is what Parker said and can be used as a starting point. To the poster's question, a good answer is to shoot various loads and see what works best. We get the same question about pheasant guns and loads. The best answer always is that it varies within a range.

[Drew Hause]

I've added quite a bit of information to this document regarding turn-of-the-century (and a bit later) loads
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1F2sQuPm05IE4VWYYnCkvuXmYEzQoWd_SQgaAfUOZEFU/preview

And this pressure data might be helpful in choosing a load ballistically similar to that for which your gun was intended

12g
1 1/8 oz. 3 Drams (83 gr) Curtis & Harvey’s No. 4, T.S. Black Powder (similar to FFg) was about 6500 psi.
For comparison, 1 1/8 oz. 3 Drams (1200 fps) of DuPont FFFg Black Powder (82 grains) is about 5000 psi.
1 1/8 oz. 3 Dram Equivalent of BULK Smokeless was 6500 - 7500 psi.
1 1/8 oz. 3 Dr. Eq. of DENSE Smokeless was 9000 - 10,000 psi.
1 1/8 oz. 3 1/4 Dr. Eq. BULK Smokeless was about 8500 psi.
1 1/8 oz. 3 1/4 Dr. Eq. DENSE Smokeless was 9500 - 10,500 psi.
16g 1 oz. 2 3/4 Dr. Eq. BULK Smokeless was about 7000 psi.
20g 7/8 oz. 2 1/2 Dr. Eq. BULK Smokeless was 8000-9000 psi.
7/8 oz. 2 1/2 Dr. Eq. DENSE Smokeless was about 11,000 psi.

Note that the pressures for Dense powder are very similar to today's loads, which is not to say that pressure is safe in YOUR gun (sorry for the disclaimer).

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/19974446/402530012.jpg

[ThomasHorst]

I am looking to shoot my newly acquired 10 gauge damascus.
It's a D grade, 30 inch barrels with 2 7/8 chambers.
Size 3 action.
Pattern looks excellent.

I am looking to shoot dove/skeet. There appears to be very few manufacturers of shells for this purpose. RST of course. Are there any others?

Any recommendations? Options?

[Rick Losey]

I am looking to shoot my newly acquired 10 gauge damascus.
It's a D grade, 30 inch barrels with 2 7/8 chambers.
Size 3 action.
Pattern looks excellent.

I am looking to shoot dove/skeet. There appears to be very few manufacturers of shells for this purpose. RST of course. Are there any others?

Any recommendations? Options?

Read through this. http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=11403

[William Davis]

My standard 7/8 oz # 7 1/2 12 G Clays load is the lightest published by Alliant 16.5 Red dot. They claim 1200 fps. Have shot thousands in several Parkers Steel and Damascus. I think # 6 is more appropriate for large birds, however 7/8 oz # 6 is pretty thin when you put it on paper. Alliant has a 1 oz load at 1150 F same powder charge 16.5 Red dot. Both have pressures published, 7300 lbs 7/8 oz 8000 1 oz

Have 5 of each loaded up to pattern and chronograph. If 1 oz # 6 prints well and is 1150 it ought to be about perfect for Phesants.

You could probably shoot 1 1/8 oz safe, but pattern the gun first. If 1 oz suits it's going to be a lot easier to shoot long runs due less recoil. Of course a lot depends on your guns weight. My 7 lb Damascus GH is more pleasant with light shot loads than my nearly 8 lb VH both choked and pattern about the same very full. Open choked gun may need 1 1/8 oz

Boats

[ThomasHorst]

Thanks.

I also have a 12 gauge Damascus 30" full/full.
These sound like the right shells for it. Any suggestions on where to find these shells?
Thanks,
Tom

[Fred Verry]

Thomas, if you are asking about RST shells: http://www.rstshells.com

Hope that helps.

[Paul Harm]

With a lot of shooting, my first concern would be recoil. The old guns with lots of drop [ which I like ] will make the barrels kick up more into your face. I use all mine for SC's, and sometimes shoot a couple of hundred a day. With the 12 I shoot 3/4oz and the 10ga it's 1 1/16oz. At 1200fps there's hardly any recoil, but then I'm just shooting clay birds. You'll probably want more shot for hunting. Someone once left some RST shells at the club after a shoot. Their 1oz loads were every bit as soft as my 3/4oz loads. If it were me and it was a one time thing, I wouldn't hesitate to call RST and talk to someone and get whatever they recommended.