Hammer screws?

[Michael Figore]

I recently bought a Parker Double barrel .10 Gauge, Hammer Gun with the extractor. The Barrel is Damascus, Barrel Length is 29 ½,. The barrels look pretty good with no pitting. Frame Size is 6, Weight on Barrel Flats are J D 5 10 Not sure what the JD stands for? There is another number on the barrel flats of 19481 which is different from the serial number on the water table of 34537 and the forearm stock of 34537. Does this mean the barrels are not a match to the gun? The grade on the water table above the serial number is 2. Both screws on the hammers need to be replaced. On one the top half of the screw head is broken off and the right side is not matching to the gun. I was hoping for some advice on if this gun is worth restoring or any other info you might have on this gun. I’ve looked around and I cannot find any screws for it. If anyone can help me find a couple of original or reproduction hammer screws I would be very appreciative.

Thanks
Mike

[Mark Landskov]

Greetings, Mike! The number, 19481, is an order number. This was not uncommon at one time. Wow, a '6' frame! That is a stout gun. My 1879 Lifter 10 gauge is built on a '3' frame and I thought it was heavy! Is the number '6' stamped in the bottom of the rear barrel lug? Others will join in here with sources of screws and more detailed information. I am having Brad Bachelder make some hammer screws for me using originals for duplication. Cheers!

[Harry Collins]

Mike,

34537 is not in the "Book". I have several Parkers that for lack of information did not make the book. Please show us some pictures. I find it odd that a heavy 6 frame Parker only has 29 1/2" barrels. Parkers for the most part had even numbered barrels like 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36 and I think there may have been some 40". I would have guessed 32"+ barrels on a 6 frame. Of course with Parker, they would make what you wanted.

Brad Bachelder has done some wonderful Parker work for me and his turn around time is reasonable.

Kindest, Harry

[Austin W Hogan]

An unstruck weight of 5 lb 10 sounds very light for a 6 frame. Two frame tens are often more than 5 pounds, and 3 frames in the 5lb 9 range or greater. I have a 4 frame 10 ga, 30 inch barrel stamped 6lb 8.

Best, Austin

[Mark Landskov]

My '3' frame 10 gauge has barrels marked 6 pounds, 3 ounces.

[Harry Collins]

Mike,

There are many reasons to use this forum and Austin and others are number one. I wasn't even thinking barrel weight in my responce just frame size. There are always those here who will "check your oil" if you are running a little slow like I do most of the time.

Now how about some pictures?

Kindest, Harry

[Michael Figore]

I was wrong the barrels are 30 in. I'll see if I can post some pictures later today.

Thanks
Mike

http://www.michaelfigore.net/Parker_Pics/GunPics001a.jpg
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Do you think I should have it restored, or just leave it as it is?

Thanks
Mike

[Michael Figore]

I appreciate all of the comments you’ve given me, I’ve never owned a Parker before and welcome all the knowledge I can get on this fine shotgun. Any thoughts on removing the broken left hammer screw? I was thinking on drilling it out and re-threading the hole.

Thanks
Mike

[Austin W Hogan]

It might be possible to grip that remaining piece of screw head with " needle nose " vise grips which are probably available at a good hardware store. Soak the visible piece of the threads with oil overnight before trying it. Penetrating oil may remove old color if it gets on the surface.
E Z Out makes reverse direction drills; if you have a reversible drill this may work; the small E Z outs are also available at good hardware stores. I have removed hammer screws and a frame screw from lifters this way. The frame screw had lost all hardness and crumbled both when I tried a screw driver, and when I tried to turn the E Z out; I was able to pick the pieces from the hole and the threads remained intact. You may have to clamp the hammer as well as the lock when you drill, to keep the lock axle in place.

Best, Austin

[Kurt Densmore]

May also be replacement hammers. Grade 2 hammers should have some nice engraving on them. The 5 frame 10 with 32" bbls has a pre-struck bbl weight of 7 ... something...

Good luck getting the old girl out shooting again. They are a joy to shoot.

Kurt

[Steve Huffman]

Is this not a #3 frame in the picture of the barrel lug it looks like a #3 I do see a small #6 just wondering.

[Dean Romig]

Looks like a 3 from here too. The exact distance between firing pin centers will tell us the frame size for certain.

[Jeff Kuss]

The barrels on my 6 frame hammerless 10 weigh 6 13.

[George Lander]

I am also in need of a screw. A hammer screw, that is. I jus bought a D Grade 3 Parker hammergun #3 frame with 30 inch barrels. SN 1089XX. Left side screw is original & engraved, right side is a poor replacement. The gun is in very fine condition but has light rust overall.

Any suggestions on the screw and cleaning would be greatly appreciated. The gun has scalloped breeches and fishtail top lever. The pistolgrip stock has the name "F.H. Beach" stamped on the left side near the skeleton buttplate.

Best Regards, George

[Dean Romig]

George, have you checked with Robert Beach to see if this gun was owned by a relative?

[George Lander]

Dean: F.H. Beach Beach is no longer among the living. The person that I bought the gun from said that it belonged to her deceased husband's grandfather. It came along with a VH 12 gauge which is in serious need of repair. The PGCA site says that no info is available on either gun but I am going to order one from Mark Conrad & hope for the best.

Best Regards, George

[Steve Huffman]

George with all your Parkers it would be a smart investment to Join the PGCA.

[Dean Romig]

George, Bob would be surprised to hear that.

He can be reached Griffin & Howe, Inc.

He is the head of the Firearms Research Department.

[George Lander]

Steve: Would it surprise you to know that I am a member of PGCA and have been for a number of years.

Dean: My error! I should have said: "F.H. Beach is no longer among the living, etc. " I will try to reach Mr. Robert Beach at G&H and enquire if F.H. might be his ancestor. I seem to remember that the author of "Run Silent Run Deep" also had the last name of Beach. thanks for the correction.

Best Regards, George

[Steve Huffman]

George Thats what I thought but that little thing under your name says forum member not PGCA member thats why you cant see the for sale section if you are a paid up member you need to get that fixed.

[George Lander]

Steve: Thanks for calling it to my attention. John Dunkle is trying to get it fixed for me as we speak. I never noticed that it said that I was a "Forum Member" and not a "PGCA Member". I have my packet, pin, decal, etc. and cancelled checks.

Best Regards, George

[Steve Huffman]

No Problem ,Ya you should of seen the AHE JOHN D picked up last week on here for $ 200.00 maybe thats why your still a "FORUM MEMBER" Oh well just in fun.:rotf:

[Jim Valiere]

Hi Michael, Did you ever find rplacement screws for your hammers? I'm looking for those too and haven't had any luck finding them.

[Michael Figore]

Hi Michael, Did you ever find rplacement screws for your hammers? I'm looking for those too and haven't had any luck finding them.
Nothing yet, If I can find some I'll let you know, if you do the same. :)

Thanks
Mike

[Harry Collins]

I just checked Numerich's and of the hammered Parker parts there is no listing for hammer screws.

[David Hamilton]

Am I imagining or is the barrel marked with a 2 frame size? Hard to see from that picture. Perhaps a light brushing and cleaning would give a better view. David

[Richard Flanders]

Wow. Can you just imagine what stories a gun like that could tell if it could talk??! Imagine the game it's taken.

Ahhh yes, the dreaded broken and replacement hammer screw issue raises it's evil head once again. If I were you I'd let the gunsmith who makes new screws remove the old screws. If Brad B is making screws these days, just let him deal with them. As for re threading the holes, I'm not sure they are a current standard thread pitch so beware of that issue. You'd need a bottoming tap also, or a ground off regular tap. It's unfortunate that the original screws are so small and break so easily; there seems enough steel in the shaft that they could be larger.

[George Lander]

I took my D Grade 10 bore hammergun to Jim Kelly today at Darlington Gun Works. He is going to make a new screw for it (he said that Parker hammer screws have peculiar threads). He also pointed out to me that the hammer on the right side doesn't match the original on the left side. So it looks like the right side hammer was lost with the screw & replaced with a functioning but non original hammer & screw. He said that he will look for a matching hammer but I am looking too. Any help here would be greatly appreciated. Otherwise it's a very high condition gun.

BTW: It was Jim's 75th Birthday today and Mrs. Kelly had a lot of his friends over for an old fashioned pig pickin'. It was great! My friend, Ross Beard, was there as well. Ross wrote the book on Carbine Williams and was a neighbor of Melvin Purvis.

Best Regards, George

[Robert Rambler]

Parkers use a 55 degree Whitworth thread.
Which is why you won't find a correct screw at the hardware store.

[Jack Cronkhite]

Robert: Does that apply to all screws of any diameter shank on any Parker gun or are you just referring to the hammer screw. Good information. Thanks,
Jack

[Robert Rambler]

Unless I was told wrong by a master gunsmith, all the machine screws are Whitworth.I have never found an exception unless it was a replacement screw. An early set from CSMC were close,would thread in, but were not correct, do not know if they ever changed that in later screw sets?

[Jack Cronkhite]

Robert: I surfed a little and found this site (http://www.tapdie.com/html/bsw__taps.html). They seem to have any size one might want. I have not measured any of the Parker screws to determine diameter and tpi. If you already know that info, could you look at the list and note which are the sizes a person would need to be able to clean rusted threads or repair slightly damaged threads.
Thanks,
Jack

[Robert Rambler]

Sorry Jack, I don't know without checking, but it sounds like a worthwhile endeaver.
I'll have to break out my thread pitch gage and get to work. :)