Parker's Recommended Load for Different Guns

[Big Friend Ten (BFT)]

The topic of proper and safe loads for Parker and other American doubles is often discussed and not often agreed upon. The British do not have this problem for long ago they mandated that each and every gun be proofed for maximum service (normal use) pressure and load. This is stamped into the water table.

Parker being a good business found it prudent to advise users of their guns as to the proper loads. It would not have been good for business for their light guns to be shot lose by sportsmen using heavy loads. I did not find this in the Parker Story. It is an advertisement which I found on the Internet. It is hard to read due to its small format. If anyone can provide this or something similar in large format please add it to this thread.



Below is what I can best read in the add. The column of numbers was most hard and for the fractions I used 1/2"

“Suggestions to Persons Using the Parker Gun.

Parties using our guns are recommended to use Standard Wadding. Wads, larger that the shells are not necessary, always putting them down to place flat and square, otherwise the shooting qualities of the guns will be greatly impaired.

If Brass shells are used we suggest two size larger wads than gauge of gun. As a guide for charges of powder and shot to be used with the different gauge and weight guns, we submit the follow as a basis, which varies according to gauge, length of barrels and weight of gun, although “the distribution” can be increased either by decreasing the quantity of powder used, or increasing the quantity of shot. And to produce better “penetration” increase the quantity of powder used, or decrease the amount of shot.

It is on advantage to place a large charge of shot in a small bore, as it only increases the column of shot in depth, but not in width. The result of this is the shot get jammed and great friction is caused in passing out the barrel. If large quantities of shot are to be used, the proper way is to use a larger caliber of gun.

The exact amount of ammunition required to be used with each gun, to give the satisfactory results to parties owning the gun, can only be ascertained by repeated trials at the target.

Below we give a general formula for loading:

Gauge Weight Lbs Barrel Length Shot Oz Black Powder Drams"

----

I developed an Excel table but lack the knowledge of how to add it and not lose the formatting.

My opinion of this is to "Use enough gun"! If you want hunt Rough Grouse with a light gun then do so. If however you also desire to hunt tough, late season Pheasant you better get a bigger gun!

Mark

[Harry Collins]

I saved this to my "pictures" and was able to read it at almost 500%. I'll try to add it here at that size.

[Drew Hause]

Smith recomendations until at least 1913

[J.B. Books]

Thanks for sharing this Mark, I blew up to 200%. Heavier guns for heavy loads, and bigger gauge for heavier shot charge, shocking

[StubTwist]

Mark,

I'm pretty proficient with Microsoft Excel. Email me a copy of the page with the tables and I can do it for you.

Frank

Originally Posted by Mark Ouellette

I developed an Excel table but lack the knowledge of how to add it and not lose the formatting.

My opinion of this is to "Use enough gun"! If you want hunt Rough Grouse with a light gun then do so. If however you also desire to hunt tough, late season Pheasant you better get a bigger gun!

Mark

[Bruce Day]

Yes, and the table says you can use a 7 1/2lb 12 with a 1 1/4 oz 4 dram load. More recoil than I want but the gun was made for it and my point remains that these are all Parker facts worth knowing and letting others know about when they ask what they can shoot..

Factory loads like that and less are commonly available at sporting goods stores. And Rem, Win, Rio and Fed all make light recoil loads, too with under 1 oz of shot and low speeds., as does RST.

[J.B. Books]

Originally Posted by Bruce Day

Yes, and the table says you can use a 7 1/2lb 12 with a 1 1/4 oz 4 dram load.

It is hard to read but the printing is different from the 1 1/4 for both 10ga loads. I believe that both loads listed for 12ga are 1 1/8 ounce not 1 1/4. If so there would be a significant difference in recoil.

[Bindlestiff]

I changed it, thanks. I sure hope the powder is OK?

[John D.]

Originally Posted by Robin Lewis

... I sure hope the powder is OK?

So will the guy who reads the chart, runs out to buy heavy modern field loads - and ends up missing a few fingers '..when we let them know about when they ask what they can shoot..'. I'd never recommend anyone shooting anything. Period. Why??

I haven't seen the gun, measured wall thickness, seen the condition of the bore, size, dia, wood condition, whatever - all of it... And even if I had - would defer that to a QUALIFIED gunsmith... And I can assure you - no qualified gunsmith will make a prognosis based on pictures, descriptions, whatever - certainly an Internet description.. They'll require seeing it in person...

And oh - BTW - 4dr of FFF (about 108/109gr) behind a 1 1/8 load (12 GA) is about 6900~7000 PSI (primer depending). Modern field loads are "how much higher" (see below - I never ask a question that I'm not pretty certain of the answer.. That's just me, tho') ..??

In short - I'd never suggest shooting heavy modern loads until the Parker is checked out by someone qualified. - And I'd never tell them what they can shoot, as I'm NOT a qualified gunsmith..

And oh #2.... Just to see the pressure differences..???

3dr of BP is about 4900 PSI... (7.5 shot - 1 1/8 OZ) ~1,205 FPS
3dr Equivalent (21gr WW 450AA (great powder!!) of SMOKELESS is about 9600 PSI - ~1,205 FPS

So, here is the next question....

Since the Parker Reference load table is all Black Powder... Anyone know the PROOF load for BP?? Want to guess if it was lower than even the 9,600 PSI smokeless load listed above..??

Best to all,

John

[Big Friend Ten (BFT)]

Gentlemen,

What we need is our reading glasses and an old time magnifying glass looking at the actual (not blown up) scanned document. Anyone got a magnifying glass?

The fractions are very hard to read.

Mark