Mill marks

[John Bastiani]

I was reading somewhere that a Parker that was in new condition or hadn't been shot much still has the mill marks present in a certain part of the gun. I can't remember or find the article that was talking about this but it has to be either the water table or the face of the action. Can anybody point me in the right direction?

[Dean Romig]

On the breech faces of the barrels.





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[John Bastiani]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

On the breech faces of the barrels.





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Thanks! Do you know if anybody has posted pictures? Also: Can you see the marks with the naked eye well enough or do you need magnification?

[Dean Romig]

A few times in the past but I wouldn't know where to find them. I just went through my folder "Other Peoples' Parkers" and didn't find any that I could post here as an example.

It has been attempted in some restorations but never looked like original milling marks.




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[Randy Roberts]

Originally Posted by John Bastiani

Thanks! Do you know if anybody has posted pictures? Also: Can you see the marks with the naked eye well enough or do you need magnification?

John you can see them clearly with the naked eye. I have some pictures I can post when I get back in my office in a bit.

[Randy Roberts]

John the first one is a high condition original 1920 GHE while the second is on a restored VH.

[Woodcock survey]

Bought a 1 frame 12 4 years ago that was so little used it still had those marks and after about 400 rounds they still show but not as much. The gun was carried with the hand under the frame and that was the only case color wear. I think it was carried more than it was shot.

[James L. Martin]

From a 20ga VHE

[Cold Spring]

“Mill marks” is a misnomer. The fancy lines have nothing to do with milling or a mill machine tool. Essentially they’re a decorative embellishment created by rubbing a thin steel bar against the breech faces in a specific radial pattern. Sometimes extremely fine abrasive was used on the steel bar.

[B. Dudley]

Those marks On the breech are decorative and were done on every parker V and up. I have never observed evidence of them on Trojans. Usually guns that are true 80% and better will have them still visible on the gun.
Similar treatments can be seen on the water table of eariler grade 3 and higher guns under the case color. And on the hammers inside the frame. Or the cocking slides. Very high grade guns can have them on the barrel lugs.

I believe that the restored VH example that Randy posted above is one that I recently completed for him. I put the stripes on any Parker barrel set that I blue. As to stay true with factory finishes. I take the breech to about 1200 grit polish and then I use 1200 grit paper wrapped around a credit card to apply the stripes.