New member old parker

[phil douglas]

Hello,
I have been reading this forum looking for information on my parker serial # 68,275. I had this handed down to me from my father, who got it from his father, who was a doctor in north dakota. I don't know if he was the orighina owner though. I looked at many posts with the question, is it safe to shoot a damascus barrel, and the only answer seems to be, have it checked by a qualifed person. I would therefore assume that if the action is tight and there is no corrosion in the damacus barrel, it should be ok with light loads.
Do you recomend RST or something other?
What length shell? 2 1/2?
What is the approximate value the way it is now, and also if a barrel ruptures from shooting?
I am attaching some pix I took, the frame size is "1", my pix missed the rear lug. I also verified this by measuring 1 1/16 center to center.
thank you in advance, this a very nice forum.
phil

[Harry Collins]

Phil,

Welcome to the forum. I have two GH's on #1 frames and shoot them often. They are lite and handy. Yes, RST shells in 2 1/2" would be a great choice. I like 7/8 or 1 oz loads for the #1 frame because they are easy on the old Parker and me. Yor gun looks like it has received good care and use over the generations. I would do nothing to this Parker as the wear it shows comes from the hands of your father and grandfather. As to value, I do not have my ear tomthe ground as many others do, but would guess in the $1,500 range.

Good shooting,
Harry

[phil douglas]

Harry,
thanx for the info, is the rst ammo non-corrosive or do you have to clean every time you fire???
My butt pad is disintegrating, what would you recomend?

[Harry Collins]

Phil,

RST shells are loaded with smokeless powder and non corrosive primers. You do not have to clean the gun after each shot. They are pressure and velocity correct for old Parkers and approximate the same pressure curve as blackpowder shells. I clean my Parkers after each day of shooting simply because these guns do not have chrome lined barrels and will rust particularly in the chambers. Galazan's has Silvers pads that would be a period correct replacement. Buy the one without the "spur" and mount it to the base of the one you are replacing. The new Silvers pads with spur will not fill the gap the old pad will leave.

Harry

[Harry Collins]

Looks like your current Silvers pad does not have the spur. That will make things easier.

Harry

[phil douglas]

Harry,
thanx again, i don't know what a "spur" is but i'll check out galazans as you suggest.
phil

[Rick Losey]

Harry,
thanx again, i don't know what a "spur" is but i'll check out galazans as you suggest.
phil

the spur is a small pointed tab on the top of the pad that mates to a matching inlet in the stock's heel

[David Hamilton]

You have a #2 frame which means a stout gun with robust barrels. I would measure the chamber length which may be 2 5/8". Many of us shoot 2 3/4" target loads made by Remington, etc. Do not shoot the hardware store promo loads as they are often hot. But Remington gun club 1 oz loads are fine in my short chambered guns, and cheap. I was able to order a Silvers pad direct from the maker by telephone. They have a web site as I remember. Saved money and was quick service. David

[phil douglas]

David,
I think it is a #1 frame, my picture missed the rear lug, that has a 1 on it. I also measured between center to center and came up with 1 1/16".
On the silvers pad, i've kindof decided to leave the old one one. I'm not going to shoot it very much, and with light loads recoil is no problem.

[David Hamilton]

The 12 ga #1 frame guns are light but many here shoot them regularly. TheSilvers pardon my 1 1/2 frame 12 was in terrible condition so I replaced it after determining that I shot the gun better than most of my doubles. Perhaps as I age the lighter barrels are a boon! David

[phil douglas]

David,
any idea where i can get just a box or two of rst ammo, it looks like rst only sells a case of 10 at a time
phil

[Bruce Day]

just call them and ask

[phil douglas]

ok, sounds like a plan
thanx

[Harry Collins]

RST's web page has a list of their distributors. You may find one near.

[phil douglas]

i looked, there are a couple in nh, i'll give them a call.
thanx harry