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W Parker sxs a Parker or not?
Unread 11-22-2018, 02:23 PM   #1
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Default W Parker sxs a Parker or not?

Been told this is a Wilbur Parker percussion cap gun by some and not by others.. Any help would be appreciated. Sorry for posting here, no access to forum pages.
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Last edited by Brian Palys; 11-22-2018 at 02:34 PM..
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Unread 11-22-2018, 08:11 PM   #2
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not a Parker Brothers shotgun

please post a picture of the proof marks on the underside of the barrels

i'll bet they are from Birmingham (or possibly London) England although Leige Belgium would not surprise me too much
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Unread 11-23-2018, 09:24 AM   #3
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I will hunt the proof marks down and get a picture. They are not easily spotted on this gun. Do I need to remove the foregrip?
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Unread 11-23-2018, 09:45 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian Palys View Post
Do I need to remove the foregrip?
but that is a percussion gun - correct?

there should be a sliding key on the forend - take the ram rod out and once that key is pulled back all the way (don't pull too hard at the end - many have a small brad in there to keep it from coming all the way off and getting lost), lift the barrels away from the front- there should be hooks at the back of them that go into the standing breech (the perpendicular face of the action in front of the hammers) so the barrels will pivot on those hooks.


you can see the barrel key in the oval brass inlay in this - the other side of it has a head to pull on
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Unread 11-24-2018, 09:39 AM   #5
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Rick, I can get the lock key out about a half inch, then it stops. The barrel has slight movement, but will not remove. Both hammers are at half cock to be off the cap heads. One issue may be, if I am seeing this correctly, is there might be a ball in each barrel. Would that stop the barrels from being removed? If so, I have a bigger issue at hand!
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Unread 11-24-2018, 10:28 AM   #6
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a load in the barrels will not prevent removing them - but here is how to verify

take the ramrod - or a long dowel or your modern cleaning rod (with no attachments) if its missing - insert it in the barrel and mark the rod at the muzzle of the gun with something like a piece of masking tape- now lay the rod along the top of the barrel with the tape aligned in the same spot on the muzzle- if the barrel is empty the end of the rod should be very close to where the nipples enter the breech - you can determine the angle by looking at them -there can be a very small difference depending on the size of the rod and how or if the breech is coned

but if the gap is more than a small fraction of an inch - put the key back and find a gun shop or local black powder club and ask for assistance in pulling the load


black powder does not decay - if g-g-g-g-g-grandpa left a load in the musket he had at Lexington it can still go off with a spark - and pulling a load takes care because very rarely the act of pulling can set it off - i don't understand the science but seems to be some affect of a vacuum

now if this measuring shows the barrel to be empty, then try the key again and gently wiggle it out a little more at the place it is stuck while slightly compressing the forend over that spot - the wood could have swollen over the past hundred and what ever years and the key is hanging up at the edge of the barrel loop it fits into- i have one like that - a slight squeeze to get it out and to slide it back in
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Got it
Unread 11-25-2018, 10:45 AM   #7
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Default Got it

I was able to safely remove the barrels from the stock to reveil the maker marks.
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Unread 11-25-2018, 11:04 AM   #8
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as i expected - standard set of Birmingham England black powder proofs - right to left in the picture goes from provisional to definitive - the 15 is bore

not sure what the 11 is for unless its a serial number - the initials may be the barrel maker's

So- English made - late 1850's to early 1860's most likely, could be a little later as some marks were changed in 1868 but the old ones hung on for a short time

and contrary to misconception - English Parker guns are not an attempt to trade off the Parker Brothers name - there ere generations of English Parker gun makers - and William seemed to be a name carried in the family - the first recorded one have seen was 1701 - just a little before our Parkers started
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Unread 11-25-2018, 11:36 AM   #9
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Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge. I'm guessing this gun is a nice wall hanger, not worth a lot of money. First, I need to confirm it is not loaded.
Thanks again!
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Unread 11-25-2018, 12:33 PM   #10
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true its not a valuable gun- that one seems to be a basic no frills piece

some are still shootable- but they need to evaluated by someone who knows what they are doing- it will look nice on a wall
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