Grade 0, Grade 1 and Grade 2
 

I know there are differences between them, but looking at the pictures of the Parker grades I notice a few Grade 1s look very similar to the Grade 0s, were there some cross over between the two? Were the Grade 2s all the same as far as engravings and more standardized?

Are you referencing hammer guns or hammerless? I think your observations apply more to hammer guns.






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yes Hammer guns!

Generally speaking, top-action Grade-0 guns had Plain Twist or Twist Steel barrels while Grade-1 guns had either Damascus or Laminated Steel barrels. Grade-2 top action-guns almost always had Damascus Steel barrels.

Re: engraving - Grade-0 might have had a simple single-line engraving around perimeters of the lock platess and frame while the Grade-1 guns had a 'graver-walk' around the perimeters of the lock plates and often a minimal amount of scroll on lock plates and a bit on the frame.... but there were a significant number of Grade-1 guns that did not have any scroll on the lock plates at all. Grade-2 guns almost always had, in addition to the scroll engraving, game birds engraved on the lock plates and sometimes a single game bird engraved on the bottom of the frame as well as more embellished scroll on the bolsters and top tang.

The above will vary depending on the particular era of manufacture and often depending on the whims of the chief engraver at the time.





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Dean thank you!

The extra cost of Laminated barrels pushed a twist barreled grade 0 up one notch. One of my 16ga Hammer guns is identical in every respect to a friends grade 1, but his has Laminated barrels; mine, twist. Both are lettered accordingly.

So laminated barrels are the better of the two? I always thought it was Damascus, Twist and then Laminated. The later and Twist being the two to stay away from, but I do know differently now!

Generally speaking Rick, any of the Twist, Laminated, Damascus (of various grades), Bernard, etc. are equally safe to shoot, all things being equal like wall thickness, the lack of dents, bulges, cracks, occlusions, etc. along with appropriate loads and commom sense. I and many, many others here shoot our Laminated, Twist, Damascus, Bernard barreled Parkers all the time with appropriate low-pressure loads, either store-bought or hand-loaded.





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Yes Dean absolutely agree! I was curious about dents in either, would dents be a no go? Or could they be removed from the barrels so they can be used safely? Only reason I ask is there are a fair amount of Damascus and Twist barreled guns out there with pits and dents at relatively curious prices.

Parker hammer guns vary in engraving patterns throughout production. Some early higher grade guns had much sparcer engraving than later guns. Some later guns have more elaborate engraving than earlier guns of the same grade. You can't tell what you have until you get the letter or examine the gun for grade markings. Catalog descriptions only give you a hint by mentioning steel types. Good luck with your search.