Hi guys,
Just picked up a Parker from a gentleman here in Colorado. It's a 12ga top-action hammer gun, 30" barrels, grade 1, serial number 33977. Per the serial number lookup, it was made in mid 1883, which makes it 99 years older than me.
Condition is overall not bad. Yes, the wood is very oil soaked, and yes, the metal has quite a brown patina. However, the wood is all present, there are only a few small spots of surface rust, and there is just minimal pitting on the outsides of the barrels. The hammers lock back, and the triggers feel nice. Unfortunately, the insides of the barrels are rather pitted, though I haven't seen enough 131-year-old guns to decide if its more or less than normal for the age.
The serial numbers match everywhere. It appears that the barrel might be laminated steel (based on the "L"), which surprised me because I thought that process wasn't introduced until later.
And since everybody likes pictures...
I'm an engineer, and I find old mechanical things fascinating. What I'd really like to do is get this old girl back in firing condition, but I'm not even going to attempt that until I de-oil the stock and have somebody experienced take a look at the barrels.
In the meantime, I have a nice place for her on the wall and will leave the shooting to my more modern scatterguns.
Good to meet you all!
Jeff