hammer grades from lowest to highest pictorial?

[Joe Mason]

Ive learned alot looking at this forum, could you guys do a thread showing an example of each grade of hammer gun with pictures? I think it would be useful and I'm sure I'm not the only one who would be interested in learning more about the different hammer guns. Also I have come across quite a few different grade hammer guns over the years and would love to have a quick reference to be able to identify a grade, if for no other reason to know whether of not the asking price is in the right ball park!!
Thanks guys

[Bill Murphy]

A skilled member of our staff could pick pictures from recent threads. It is important to include serial number ranges with the pictures because of the changes in engraving patterns and frame profiles.

[Bruce Day]

Be great if a person volunteered to do that, as the employee staff ( all one of her) are on vacation now.

[Drew Hause]

Richard Hoover's Price Lists and a few Grade 2-6 Lifters are here http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/19406549

[Bill Murphy]

Bruce, I appreciate the gist of your sarcasm, but to get such a project done, someone with an "in" with the organization would be neccesary to make it happen. Our "staff" is a bit bigger than the one person who handles our membership. Our "staff", whether paid or not, includes our board of directors, our historian, our website moderators, plus all those who are occasionally called on by these people to assist them in various projects and are among the trusted few. If we took all of the hammer guns in original condition that are owned by these people, we would have a wonderful group of pictures to display on our website. If we added a website photo volunteer to our group of trusted assistants, members could bring their interesting guns to PGCA functions to be photographed and catalogued for use on the website. Since I'm not photo savvy, I can just send a check or bring my hammer guns.

[Bruce Day]

Needs somebody to put it together Bill, as you said. We always have difficulties getting somebody to raise their hand and then to follow through and complete. We don't really have a staff, we have volunteers, and who this time?

I can take photos as I run into guns, but we need somebody to gather them, organize them and create a web presentation. Got any ideas?

[Joe Mason]

The A H fox board is a good example of what I would love to see, I figured between the members on this board we probably collectivly own an example of most guns Parker has made, I have a 0 grade hammer gun I would be willing to photograph and donate the pics to the project, just a thought, I would be willing to help out any way I could to make it happen..

[Austin W Hogan]

Thank you Drew for posting your hard work for all to see. We can all get our comments in and can put together a reference display for the FAQ on the homepage, based on this.
Thanks also for promoting my light 10 trap gun to Dam 3. I have always considered it to be a $135 grade based on the 1872 and 1869 price lists in the Parker Story, ( page 86 and 92) and the photo of a near identical gun there. I have some similar guns in the 3000 - 30000 serial range and have considered them as part of a $135 - grade 2 - Grade G continuum based on;

1) The $135, grade 2 and G were always the lowest priced damascus barreled gun

2) The $135, grade 2 and G all had three diamonds on the fore end checking

The $135, grade 2 and G have a remarkable evolution in engraving pattern through early top action times, but always appear to retain those two features. I noted in a DGJ story that this evolution in engraving might make an interesting collecting nich.

Thanks again, and Happy New Year

Austin

[Dean Romig]

I agree with your No's 1 & 2 and I'll add that (almost always) the lockplates on the Grade-2 or G hammer guns as well as the fences of the hammerless Grade 2 (GH) were engraved with gamebirds, the GH with two birds per side whils the next grade up, the Grade 3 or D & DH guns had a bird dog on either side.

[Drew Hause]

Thank you for that correction Austin and Dean. Other Lifters may be mislabeled and I would be most happy to change the captions if someone would help. Did the sculpted breech balls start with the $150 grade 3?