$250 12 ga

[David Dwyer]

I have the good fortune to now own a $250 grade 12ga underlever. A beautiful all original girl, straight stock, 30" Dam, I hve only seen one $250 grade before and am wondering if anyone has an idea how common they were??
David

[Travis Newman]

I have seen a couple. Do you have any pictures? What is the serial number?

[Robin Lewis]

How about some pictures? It would be great to see.

[Bruce Day]

David, here's one owned by a mutual friend.

[David Dwyer]

I will take some pictures this afternoon. S/n is 2313 and she shoots great!
David

[David Dwyer]

Some pictures

[David Dwyer]

Well,that didn't work. How do I post some picture? I used the manaage attachments and uploaded four pics and ......nothing?
David

[Larry Frey]

David,
Try again and after you hit upload give it a few seconds to load and then hit preview post to see if the upload was completed.

[Dean Romig]

I find that, even though John Dunkle has said we shouldn't need to, I need to resize the pics - even to the largest format my Microsoft Picture Manager will allow - then they go through perfectly.

[Austin W Hogan]

I have 3215 which is pictured in The Parker Story, and Charlie's ... Serialization. We have generally considered this to be a "$250 grade" or "the highest grade made at the time". I can count 6 lamina in the barrels with a magnifier; good argument for highest grade. However, the breech sculpting, filing, and engraving are a bit sparse when compared to some other $250 grade guns in the 3000 s/n range. There were many changes in the Parker organization and in the Parker price lists in the 2000 - 3000 s/n range. There appear to be more "high grade" guns than one would expect in this range, but many remained unsold or were returned to Parker in the 1870's. I can account for two rebarrellings, rebounding lock change, and a fore end latch change on 3215. These inconsistencies are part of the reason why guns in the sub 5000 serial range are lumped as "dollar grade guns" in TPS.
The $135 grade which appears to have become the $80 G grade is easiest to track, with its three point bow tie fore end checking. The $200 - 250 grades have checking patterns more like later C - D grades, and often sparse engraving covering less than one half the lock or frame. This engraving was farmed out to Gough and others and although sparse, is some of the best Parker engraving; especially the dogs on the trigger gaurd, and the wood cock on the locks.
Best, Austin

[David Dwyer]

One more try.:bowdown:

[David Dwyer]

Austin
Thank you. I have sent for letter and am anxious to here any detail our outstanding fisherman & historian finds.
David

[Dean Romig]

What a beauty!! Nice one David.
Does anyone know the ratio of 10 ga. vs. 12 ga. guns in that grade?

[Dave Suponski]

Wow! Stunning...Thanks for posting the pictures. Congratulations

[Larry Frey]

David,
Very nice gun, thanks for sharing the pictures. My old lifter 12 gage is within 50 numbers of Austin's and when I requested a letter I was told there was not enough info on guns in that (1874) age group. Did you ask Mark if he could do a letter? I am guessing your gun is in the 3,000 serial range so if you can get a letter then perhaps there is still hope for my gun. Please let me know how you make out. Larry

[Bruce Day]

Nice gun, David, and congratulations. Maybe I'll get to see it soon.

[todd allen]

I have a 250.00 gun SN: 3130. I was told a long time ago, maybe by Oscar G. that you could identify the 250.00 grade by the little tear-drop inside the larger tear-drop, on the breech balls. The engraving is a little sparse, for a gun of this quality, but is quite good!
My gun is in pretty decent shape, with the bonus of having very modern dimensions.
I have used this gun on box birds, (with special loads, of course) skeet, SC's, and light hunting duties.
I'm guessing that the original owner purchased this gun for pigeons, judging by the dimensions.

[todd allen]

Some pic's. BTW this is a 12 gauge gun, with 30" 6 blade BBL's
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a19/luckydogx2/P1070171.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a19/luckydogx2/P1070175.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a19/luckydogx2/P1070176.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a19/luckydogx2/P1070178.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a19/luckydogx2/P1070179.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a19/luckydogx2/P1070182.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a19/luckydogx2/P1070183.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a19/luckydogx2/P1070173.jpg

[Robin Lewis]

Nice looking gun. Man, I like those checkered ball grips!

[David Dwyer]

Todd
Very nice gun. I shot mine in the Fall Southern SXS this afternood and it did well. I am told there is a nice 10 ga $250 for sale by Dave Parnel.
David

[Drew Hause]

c. 1874 $250 Grade SN 3328 with 3 Iron 'Oxford'

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/19406549/311892727.jpg

c. 1874 11g $250 Grade SN 3561 courtesy of Richard Hoover with 4 Iron 'Turkish'

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/19406549/329230230.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/19228742/352291573.jpg

Could someone please post ultra close up pics of the barrels of another lifter thought to have 6 Iron Crolle?

Tom Carter's 1881 10g Special Order Lifter with 6 Iron 'Turkish'

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/19406549/290449482.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/19406549/334147247.jpg

[todd allen]

Not a great picture, but here is an enlargement of one of my previous bbl shots:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a19/luckydogx2/P1070183-1.jpg

[Drew Hause]

Thank you Todd. The smaller scrolls in the middle of the pic are at the ribband weld line where the edges were 'jumped' (overlapped) then helically welded. It's either 3- or 4- Iron 'Oxford', but I need to see 2 ribband weld lines in order to count the 'scrolls' in between.

[Drew Hause]

Lest anyone think that I'm making this stuff up :rolleyes: ;from a more credible source
Dr Gaddy: "It's very difficult to count the layers of metal if you cannot distinguish the welds between the individual ropes and the welds at the edge of the ribband. Each rope (or iron) produces the left side of one whorl (or scroll) and the right side of another. You cannot count the number of ropes in the ribband, if you cannot see and identify with certainty the boundry of the ribband (ribband weld lines), which is by definition the number of irons in the pattern."

[Drew Hause]

The $250 grade posted by Robin Lewis has the same 3 Iron 'Oxford'

[Drew Hause]

"Could someone please post ultra close up pics of the barrels of another lifter thought to have 6 Iron Crolle?"

Thought I'd let this sit for a bit. In the absence of (or unwillingness to share) evidence to the contrary (excepting Tom's very late and special order gun) I'll remain under the confusion that no lifter has 6 Iron barrels.