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Unread 03-11-2015, 07:59 PM   #7
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Dean Romig
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Stanley - So as to avoid any confusion as to "BH Grade-5" guns - such a term of identification is redundant. The Grade-5 Parkers were first made in the late 1870's and they were lifter-action hammer guns. These progressed eventually to the top-action hammer guns and finally to the top-action hammerless guns such as yours.

First the Parker guns were entered into the ledger books as "dollar quality" guns and priced according to the level of engraving, quality of the wood used in the stocks, barrel steel, and checkering intricacy. This was a confusing way to record the quality of a particular gun because so many varying discounts were given by Parker bros. and this was entered in the books often as the price at which the gun was sold.... so how does one determine the level of quality by a sale price after $XX was subtracted from the retail price? Hence the number grade was adopted.... and then the letter grade became the way a Parker was identified.

But the Grade-5 gun would also carry the letter grade of B. In referencing the hammer guns it was simply a B but in referencing a hammerless gun it would be BH - the "H" identifies it as a hammerless gun.

So, you see, a "BH Grade-5" is a redundancy in terms. All Grade-5 hammerless guns, excluding SBT guns, regardless of gauge, barrel steel, number of triggers, stock configuration, etc., etc. are BH guns.... unless it is equipped with ejectors, whereupon it will carry a BHE designation - the "E" of course identifies it as an ejector gun.
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