New to the Parker Forum

[Cliff Brown]

Hello Everybody,
Just thought an introduction is in order. I hail from Brick, NJ, recently retired and new to the forum and Parker guns, but not to Double barrell guns in general. I own one 1917 Trojan, two LC's, and an Ithaca. Unfortunately, the Trojan has cut barrells, but it did manage to take a few pheasants last year. None of the guns are closet queens and all are used in the field. Doubles just seem to add a new dimension to the hunt. I am a member of the CJRPC in Jackson, NJ and would like to shoot some trap with these guns with someone of the same mindset. Anyway there is quite a bit of good info here and have learned much from the forums and your tech page. Hope to run into some of you some time.

[Dave Suponski]

Cliff, Let me welcome you to the PGCA website. Many of us here shoot our Parkers in fact I just shot my first straight at trap with an Parker SC a couple of weeks ago. There is much to be learned here and some fun to be had as well. Please consider joining the PGCA we offer a for sale section only visible to members as well as quarterly issues of our fine journal "Parker Pages". That alone is worth the price of a $40.00 annual membership.

[LarryAngus]

Cliff,

I joined and got a letter on my Trojan 16 guage. I am working on fixing a botched butt pad that was added by my grandfather. I almost screwed up and made further modifications, but thanks to the advice of these fine folks I retrieved my frame from the gunsmith and left it alone.

My research letter was really interesting and worth the modest expense.

Welcome!

[Frank Cronin]

Many of us here shoot our Parkers in fact I just shot my first straight at trap with an Parker SC a couple of weeks ago.

Congratulations Dave!

[Dave Suponski]

Thanks Frank! And it only took 587,631 shells to do it.........:rotf:

[Dean Romig]

I just shot my first straight at trap with an Parker SC a couple of weeks ago.


Can we have the names and contact info of the witnesses? :corn:

Seriously Dave, Congratulations!! I've never shot a straight at any kind of clays game. I shoot fairly well through a screen of Autumn foliage but continue to try for that elusive 25 straight.

[Cliff Brown]

Thanks for the welcome and will consider joining.

[Cliff Brown]

Cliff,

I joined and got a letter on my Trojan 16 guage. I am working on fixing a botched butt pad that was added by my grandfather. I almost screwed up and made further modifications, but thanks to the advice of these fine folks I retrieved my frame from the gunsmith and left it alone.

My research letter was really interesting and worth the modest expense.

Welcome!
Larry,
i dont know what could be done with my cut barrells unless I had some briley chokes installed. The other option is to work up a good load (I'm new to shotgun reloading) with my mec if that is possible.

[LarryAngus]

Cliff,

How long are the barrells? If you go to the "restoration" thread and post any questions you won't have any trouble getting advice.

Most of these guys even know what they are talking about!:)

Larry

[Cliff Brown]

Cliff,

How long are the barrells? If you go to the "restoration" thread and post any questions you won't have any trouble getting advice.

Most of these guys even know what they are talking about!:)

Larry

Larry,
the barrells are 28". I was not aware of a "restoration" thread but will definately check it out. First order of business will be to see if the question on cut barrells was allready answered in an earlier post. Besides if i'm not carefull I might even learn something. thanks
:)

[Eric Eis]

Cliff, if your gun had 30" barrels you may still have quite a bit of choke, have you measured them? Most Parker chokes were 3 to 4 inches in length. So get them measure and you maybe surprised.
Eric

[LarryAngus]

From what I am reading the cutting of barrells is unfortunately quite common. I am guesing that they were 30" probably Full/Full. Have you patterned the gun. Again I was suprized to find out from my research letter that my barrells were full/full. All the times I hunted quail/pheasants/grouse and rabbits I never noticed. I always throught the right barrell was somthing less than full.

It's your gun, but I would pattern it and if it is reasonalble I would just enjoy it and not modify it any further (assuming who ever cut the barrells did a good job).

Good luck with you Trojan. I sure enjoy mine and am looking forward to gettign it back together again.

Larry

[Cliff Brown]

Erik and Larry,
Thanks for your input. Using my micrometer, my bores measure out to skeet and improved cylinder. I did pattern the gun at 30 yds and the pattern was terrible.
However, I patterned using shothshells with the fiber wads and not a plastic wad. The reason I did so was because I was given some old shells that were in very good shape and wanted to see how these old guns patterned using the shells loaded in that fashion. At 30 yds I was surprised to see how good the pattern was. That was using, gasp (lol) an elsie that was unaltered. When I patterned the Parker, with the cut barrells, there was no comparison. Guess I should pattern it at 15 yds and see the results. It may be a good quail/grouse gun at that range. However loading with the more modern (to these guns anyway) plastic wads I am sure a good load could be worked up.
As a side note, I began playing with the brush wads and the light brush wads from ballistic products. So far the patterns are very close to how the original shells preformed. In my minds eye, it just adds more to these fine old guns, to harvest game using their original chokes.
yes i will enjoy this gun regardless of the cut barrells and finding a good load for it will be part of the fun.

[Eric Eis]

Cliff try some good factory loads not the promo loads and see how they pattern, you maybe surprised.

[Cliff Brown]

Cliff try some good factory loads not the promo loads and see how they pattern, you maybe surprised.

That will be done and I am sure it will be better than the shells I tried.

I have run across an 1887 hammer gun. Thinking about purchasing it. It is going for $800. It is mechanicaly sound, locks up tight, mirror bores and a good stock. 30" twist barrells that ring like a bell, 12 guage, #1 frame, 4lbs, #1 grade. However someone blued the barrells and receiver and I have a gut feeling I am missing something about this gun. Maybe tomorrow I will take some pictures and post here or in the hammer gun thread.

[ned moussa]

hi , does any one have info about a 20 gauge parker reproduction serial number start with P instead of 20

[Eric Eis]

hi , does any one have info about a 20 gauge parker reproduction serial number start with P instead of 20

Ned, I would recommend you start a new thread and you may get some good information.

[Stanley Grabia]

Hi!

I just found out about this site while looking for information on my latest acquisition.

I am a member of the MD Shooters website in Maryland And someone suggesyed I check your site for help. So far it was a great suggestion. I found out a ton about my find nut still have some questions.

Here is my story. Yesterday I was hanging out at my local gun store when a guy came in with two shotguns that were in his grandfather's closet. The store was not interested in old guns and told him to talk to me. The first was an old single which was worthless. The second was a Parker Brothers SXS 12 gauge hammer gun. Patent DATEATE 1875 dTE doublmarh

[Stanley Grabia]

Sorry, somehow my message may have been sent before I finished. I'll try again.

I just found out about this site while looking for information on my latest acquisition. I am a member of the MD Shooters website in Maryland and someone suggested I check your site for help. So far it was a great suggestion. I found out a ton about my find but still have some questions.

Here is my story. Yesterday I was hanging out at my local gun store when a guy came in with two shotguns that were in his grandfather's closet. The store was not interested in old guns and told him to talk to me. The first was an old single which was worthless. The second was a Parker Brothers SXS 12 gauge hammer gun. Patent date 1875. It has some minor problems. Someone stuck the wrong hammer screw in the right hammer and tried to pry off the left hammer plate. Because of the goober gunsmithing I guessed it was worth anywhere from $25 to $100. I told him it would have been worth a bit more if it had not been played with. He offered it to me for $25 which was a no brainer.

The gun functions fine but needs to be checked out before firing. It is all matching S/N 65162 which dates it to 1891. It has 28" twist steel barrels and appears to be a type 0 Gun. I don't think it is a type 1. I know little about twist steel. It is overall in good shape and very pretty, Does anyone know its approx value, or any additional information?, history??

Thanks

Stan

PS the site is great.

[Dean Romig]

Welcome to the PGCA Forum.

We will need pictures in order to assist you.

[Chuck Bishop]

Stan,

Your gun according to the Serialization Book should be a top lever hammergun with 30" barrels and a capped pistol grip stock.

Close up in focus pictures would be needed to show any damage. There is a member who makes new hammer screws so that should not be a problem. Any damage to the side plate would need to be fixed. Post some pictures for us.

Since you are in MD, I would suggest Dewey Vicknair at Vicknair Restorations in Lititz Pa for an overall evaluation of your gun.http://www.vicknairrestorations.com/Vicknair_Restorations___Home.html