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calvin humburg
12-06-2009, 09:00 AM
I am brand new at this. What do you think of brass hulls? Will recoil cause left shell to come apart and blow left barrel when fired? I like black, what is best, ff? ch

Harry Collins
12-06-2009, 10:58 AM
Calvin,

Welcome to the forum. Shooting black powder from brass shells in old guns is great fun. I am not sure of your experience so I may be going over things you already know. Rather than take up alot of space here I invite you to read about BP Cartridges at www.circlefly.com Your question about a shell coming apart from recoil is very valid. My overshotcards are a size or two larger than the other wads and I have carried them in my pocket all day and not had them lose their shot. If I fire the right barrel and not the left I will reload the left barrel crtridge in the right barrel and put a fresh cartridge in the left barrel. I do seal my cartridges now because I have pressed the envelope to long. I have sealed the overshot card with waterglass, but if you do not use those cartridges soon the waterglasss will become brittle. I use a hot glue gun now to seal the overshot card because 1. it is fast and easy 2. it sets up right away.

What gun are you going to shoot them from and at what?

Kindest, Harry

calvin humburg
12-06-2009, 03:14 PM
Harry,

An old parker lifter I just aquired, hammer gun. The old guns are really neet. Bought it from small picture think i finally got lucky. I am going to shoot phesants and ducks........ every thing, bored with 870, 101. The boy is getting old enough wants to hunt all the time so this is making it fun again for me. I load blk powder cartridges 45 70. Shoot silhoets. Need recipe for shot shells. Use fff for 45 70 whats best for shot gun. Nears I can tell it's got 2 5/8 chamber. Thanks much, ch

Harry Collins
12-06-2009, 06:03 PM
You can use FFF however pressure will be much lower with FF. Is your Parker a 10 gauge or a 12? Does it have Twist or Damascus barrels? What is the serial number and barrel length? Sorry to be so nosy, it is just that this info will help answer your questions.

Harry

Robert Rambler
12-06-2009, 06:39 PM
This site might have answers to some of your question.:)

http://www.tbullock.com/bpsg.html

Dave Suponski
12-06-2009, 07:26 PM
Calvin, Chances are your Parker's barrels have some pitting in them from the use of black powder and corrosive primers used "back in the day".A word of caution here..I would have the barrel wall thickness checked by a competant gunsmith before I shot the gun with any type of load.

calvin humburg
12-06-2009, 08:19 PM
Harry,

Thanks for the help. 30 inch twist barrels 12 gauge. The pitting doesn't look real deep the boar is pretty shiny. I'll have my friend check it. Serial number is 22266. I'll use ff powder. Number two frame. 2 1/2 shells all right? ch

Harry Collins
12-07-2009, 08:31 AM
Calvin,

I have two 1881 lifter Parkers with Twist barrels as well. One is a 10 gauge and the other is a 12 with straight grip and 30" barrels like yours. I shoot mine with smokeless loads most of the time. Sherman Bell compiled a lot of data on black powder vs smokeless and found that in some cases the pressures are at the same level in the same locations. You could shoot shells from www.rstshells.com as they are made for old guns like ours. If you want to reload smokeless loads I can give you some data.

Harry

Harry Collins
12-07-2009, 08:38 AM
I forgot to answer your question. Yes, 2 1/2" shells and I think that 3 dram of FF with an overpowder card, a cushion wad, 1 1/8 oz of shot and a large over shot card. I do shoot 2 3/4" low pressure smokeless loads in the 12 gauge.

Harry

calvin humburg
12-07-2009, 08:44 AM
Harry,

thanks much! Godspeed.... later ch

calvin humburg
12-08-2009, 08:21 AM
Harry

Got some shells coming. The ol girl has left firing spring issue, feels almost like its gone. Going 2 soak with pb can't believe it will come out easy. But the firing pin floats real easy, if it is in win I close it and just use it 4 emergancies (bet i spelled that wrong) probably b all right? How did u know my gun had a stright grip?

THANKS AGAIN 4 THE HELP MAKING THIS A LOT EASIER...ch

Harry Collins
12-08-2009, 08:55 AM
Calvin,

The "Parker Gun Serialization and Identification" book had your Parker listed and told the grade, guage, stock and barrel length.

Now do you mean that the left firing pin has an issue? I have encountered several that were broken! The thing is "dog leg" looking and my blacksmith said it looked like a small crank shaft. I just posted a picture of it on another post and will post the picture of it again. It is easy to replace, but be sure to grind your screw driver to exact fit.

Harry

calvin humburg
12-08-2009, 01:57 PM
Harry,

If the chambers are not 2 3/4 are they always 2 5/8 on old parkers. Want 2 get a good fit if possable win I get some brass hulls. (sorry about my spelling jest an ol flatlander who dosen't have that gift). The barrells on circle fly are mighty pretty.
Can I ask the grade of it. were they ever left in the white?
Got the firing pin out spring was used up. Got 1 at parts store I think I can make work 4 now. ch

Harry Collins
12-09-2009, 10:57 AM
Calvin,

I'm not sure about the chamber length's through the years. I believe 12 gauge Parkers ranged from 2 1/2" to 2 3/4". I think many of the old girls were 2 9/16". I'm really trying to bait the knowledgable ones into responding on this. Sherman Bell did a lot of research reguarding pressures caused by black powder, smokeless powder and shells longer than chamber. He stated that a 2 3/4" shell in a 2 1/2" chamber would only jump pressure about 300 psi. I shoot appropriate pressure and velocity 2 3/4" smokeless loads through my 1881 Lifter 12 gauge Parker with Twist barrels on a very regular basis. I'm talking about 100+ rounds at sporting clays weekly. There are many here that do the same and many here that would not shoot a Twist or Damascus gun for all the tea in China.

Harry

Here is a picture of mine at work.....

calvin humburg
12-10-2009, 08:09 AM
Harry,
Mine shows her age more than yours. Hate 2 b a pain but what did they call the grade of that gun. Was the metal ever left in the white.

Harry Collins
12-10-2009, 08:43 AM
The locks and frame and forend iron were case colored, the triggerguard was a niter blue and I'm not sure about the butt plate, but my 10 gauge has been case colored. I think a hundred thirty years ago these guns were worked daily and that is why the barrels and locks and trigger guard and forend iron are in the white. It was all worn off as was the checkering.

The Twist steel Parkers were 0 or grade 1, Grade 2 Parkers were by and large Damascus guns.

Harry

Dave Suponski
12-10-2009, 10:45 AM
The steel buttplate was blued.

Harry Collins
12-10-2009, 11:32 AM
Dave,

Thanks, I have been wondering about that. My Uncle Taylor had Del Grego re do the old 10 gauge years ago. The barrels and trigger guard bow were blued and the rest was cyanide case colored. I've sence sent the barrels to Dale and had them redone.

Harry

Dave Suponski
12-10-2009, 11:49 AM
Thanks Harry, But I must digress a little. My belief is that they were rust blued. But I have also heard that they were nitre blued. Problem is I don,t remember where I heard that.

calvin humburg
12-12-2009, 08:27 AM
Hello,
Not that I want 2 try this, but can anyone tell me about cyanide case coloring. so many old ways of doing things are gone. Just would like 2 know, 2 just know. Dad gum shotgun shells didn't come am i ever going 2 shoot this ol gun. Better take the boy deer hunting got a b on test. have a good day. ch