1883 Hammergun Question

[Eric Estes]

I have #32888 a top level hammer gun with 30" barrels (Twist) that my father picked up somewhere in New Mexico about 40 years ago. I think it is a 10 GA since the chamber is .875 x 2 7/8 and a 12 GA snap cap just falls in past the extractors. It was to be a restore project that he never quite got around to. I am not sure if he intended to clean it up for a wall hanger or a shooter. Now all these years later I would like to see if it can be resurected, hopefully as a shooter, if not a wall hanger since it has been in the family for quite a while.

I doubt it has much if any collector value other than parts. I believe it is a grade #0. The only case colors left are a bit on the underside of the foregrip latch. It is very well worn and the outline engraving is almost gone. The big negative is that the stock is snapped off and I do not have all the wood pieces to repair it. There are only traces of the checking left on the stock and foregrip. On the plus side the insides look great, all the serial numbers match and there is no rust on the locks or other internal mechanisims. It locks up ok, but with a little rattle that I imagine could be tightened up by a smith. The bores look fairly good to my untrained eye.

Now finally my question. I live in the Columbia, Maryland area and I am looking for a gunsmith that can evaluate the barrels and tell me if it is safe to shoot. If so it is worth me cleaning it up and putting a replacement stock on it. Thanks in advance for any thoughts or reccomendations.

I have been trolling through this forum for a week now and I must say it is a treasure trove of information and knowledgable people. Thanks to everyone here for what you do!

[Jack Cronkhite]

Eric: Welcome to the forum. 32888 is in the book as a Grade 0 with 30" plain twist barrels and a capped pistol grip stock. It is listed as a 10 gauge. So, other than a broken stock, you have the gun as it was configured when it left Meriden CT. Can't assist for a gunsmith. Would enjoy seeing pics, including all the stock pieces you have.
Cheers,
Jack

[Eric Estes]

Thanks for the reply and the information, I appreciate it. I will work on getting some pictures to share in the next couple of days. It should be a good example of a very worn, heavily used, and somewhat abused gun.

If anyone does have a suggestion for a gunsmith that can reliably measure barrel wall thickness on an old double I would appreciate it. Pennsylvania and Northern Virginia are not too far from my Maryland location.

Thanks again.

[David Hamilton]

You need Dewey McNair in PA. He is backed up with work but would be the best person to help you. David

[Greg Baehman]

You need Dewey McNair in PA. He is backed up with work but would be the best person to help you. David

Did you mean to say Dewey Vicknair? If so here's a link to his website:

http://www.vicknairrestorations.com/Vicknair_Restorations___Home.html

[Eric Estes]

Here are some pictures of it. I do wish I had all of the pieces of the stock. It is interesting to see the bright case colors on the underside of the foregrip iron in the last picture. It is nice to imagine what it would have been like a 127 years ago.

Assuming the barrels check out and I can actually shoot it what do you guys recommend as the best way to protect the receiver? I will probably rust blue the barrels, but the bare metal receiver will rust real easily without something.

Thanks again.

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[Eric Eis]

Assuming the barrels check out and I can actually shoot it what do you guys recommend as the best way to protect the receiver? I will probably rust blue the barrels, but the bare metal receiver will rust real easily without something.

No to the rust blue:nono:, those barrels had a black and white finish on them. The stock maybe be able to be saved. Try contacting the (I think) Stock Fixxers or the Stock Dr. Don't have the numbers but I am sure someone will come up the numbers or website. Eric

[Dave Suponski]

The Stock Doctor...thestockdr@riflemag.com

Stock Fixers....thestockfixrs@hotmail.com

[Eric Eis]

Thanks Dave I knew either you or Dean would come through... Eric

[Harry Collins]

Eric,

Please do not rust blue the barrels. It would be wrong for the Parker and an eye sore to Parkerfiles. The best bet would be to keep all metal parts wiped down with an oily rag. I have more than a few Parkers in the same shape as yours and keeping them wiped down is all that is required. I do see your barrels are off the face. There is a space between the barrels and the breach. You can spend a lot of money having it repaired or you can go to the hardware store and purchase a bag of copper shim sheets for about $5.00. cut a piece of copper the width of the hinge pin about an inch long, wrap it around a pencil to make it into a clip and clip it on the hinge pin. This will put your Parker back on face.

Kindest, Harry

[Eric Estes]

Harry,

Thanks so much for that tidbit. I had thought for sure there must be a fairly simple way short of spending too much money to tighten up the breech/barrel fit. That alone probably saved me a bunch!

Ok, no to the rust blue. I had mistakenly thought that was what was original to this double. So a Twist's barrels get a black and white finish like Damascus barrels? Would the process be similar to what Tom Flanigan describes here?
https://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dfg2hmx7_194gwgwmqdh&pli=1
Does anyone have any pictures they can share of (plain?) Twist barrels finished in black and white? Also, do any parts originally get blued like the triggers and guard? I suspect someone blued several parts including the barrels, side plates, and hammers at some point. I was able to easily rub it off with a scotch brite metal finishing pad to bring it to the point shown in the pictures.

I will look into stock repair vs. replacement. With so much of the inletting portion missing I was concerned that would be real expensive. If possible this old wood, even though plain, has a lot more character (read wear and age) that would undoubtedly be more appropriate for a gun of this age and condition that a new replacement stock.

Thanks again to everyone.

-Eric

[Eric Estes]

Harry,

A followup question to your suggestion for a shim. Is copper preffered or would brass or bronze be harder and so last longer? Just a thought and I could be wrong about my assumption of which is more durable. Thanks.

-Eric

[Robin Lewis]

Scan this link for pictures of twist barrels
https://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dfg2hmx7_40dxk2scc7

[E Robert Fabian]

Harry,

A followup question to your suggestion for a shim. Is copper preferred or would brass or bronze be harder and so last longer? Just a thought and I could be wrong about my assumption of which is more durable. Thanks.

-Eric
Some members have posted using blue masking tape ?
I haven't tried this yet!

[Dave Suponski]

Bob, Can't imagine masking tape lasting very long. Harry's way of using brass shim seams to be a great short term solution....maybe even a long term solution as long as having the shim in there doesn't bother the owner.

[E Robert Fabian]

I agree doesn't seem like it would last, but the poster remarked that he got over a year out of it hunting.
Glad to hear the mother load was dropped south of here.:)

[Dave Suponski]

Gee, Thanks buddy.....:whistle:

[Eric Eis]

I agree doesn't seem like it would last, but the poster remarked that he got over a year out of it hunting.
Glad to hear the mother load was dropped south of here.:)

See Dave I am not the only one.....:rolleyes:

[Eric Estes]

I tried a small strip of duct tape just to see how a shim would do. it was a little too thick and locked it up too tight, also making the foregrip not want to snap in place. Looks like a brass shim a bit thinner than duct tape should do the job perfectly. About the thickness of blue painters tape. :)

[Harry Collins]

Eric,

I ment brass shim. You can cut a beer can open and do the same as brass shim. I can live with brass better than a beer can. Here is a picture of my 10 gauge lifter with Twist barrels. It sports a brass shim on the hing pin.

Harry

[Eric Estes]

Wow, that is a gorgeous gun! I had no idea my barrels might look like that with proper refinishing. After much cleaning and polishing I still see very little pattern of any type in the metal. Should I expect to see a similar pattern on my grade 0 after a refinish or do the higher grades like yours have nicer barrels?

I will keep reading and researching till I am ready and then will give it a try. I still need to wait on the barrel wall thickness measurement first before I invest the time required for a black and white refinish.

I think I will choose brass over beer can too. Thanks for sharing the pic!

[David Holes]

The blue painters tape will last over 400 rounds and is a lot thinner then duct tape. All the grease must be removed for tape to stick but then you can grease over the tape and it stays in place.

[charlie cleveland]

dont kick those old beer cans use a dr pepper or coke... charlie

[Bill Murphy]

Eric, your zero grade twist barrels would look very similar to Harry's zero grade barrels upon a proper black and white refinish.

[Tony Quinn]

Eric, Harry's copper shim idea is great advice. I use Steel Shim bought from a mining supply shop. You can buy it in different thicknesses. I have used .002 on my 1882 hammer gun for years. I think the shim would last forever if not for removing and replacing the barrels. Good luck.

Tony

[Jim Boudreaux]

Can anyone tell me about serial #32066, I think is it a 12 gauge. It has the Damascus Barrells along with the auto ejectors. Thanks in advance, Jim

[Robin Lewis]

Grade zero, 12 ga with 32 inch Twist barrels (no ejectors)

[Jim Boudreaux]

actually it is 28 inch barrel with ejectors and all the serial #'s match ????

[Jim Boudreaux]

I'll take some better pictures tonight

[Robin Lewis]

OK, you have the gun and all I have is a book that may or may not accurately describe it.

I suggest you go to the www.parkerguns.org main page and click on the FAQ link at the lower left side of the page. On the FAQ page, check out FAQ's numbers 4, 18 & 19, it may answer some questions.

[Jim Boudreaux]

I was wrong it has a 32 inch barrel with ejectors, I don't know where I got 28 from. Is it worth my time to bring this bugger back to life ? Thanks again Jim B

[Jim Boudreaux]

Is it a top lever or a lifter ? Thanks Jim B

[Jim Boudreaux]

Bindlestiff, you are right, now I know the difference between extractors and ejectors, these are extractors. Thanks again Jim B

[Bill Murphy]

Jim, your gun #32066 seems to be a "Trap Gun" that came from Folsom Arms Company if I remember correctly. The pigeon on the buttplate is the clue.

[Jim Boudreaux]

Is it worth restoring Bill ?

[Robin Lewis]

Jim, go back to the FAQ section and check out number 29.