New member with an old Parker

[Steve McCarty]

About the Parker coach gun. I'll bet the hammer broke off when the wrist was broken. Was it thrown from the coach? I'll also bet the owner took it to a local blacksmith.

"Can you fix my busted gun?"

"Lemme see it".

The guard hands the smith the two pieces of the gun. He sits his heavy hammer on the anvil and turns his attention to the two pieces of shotgun. He fiddles with the bits and sees that they fit back together.

"Yeah I can fix this, but I'm not a wood worker. She won't look as good as she did before you tossed her into the dirt. I'll wrap her up tight with some wire and make another hammer. She should shoot good as new. It'll cost ya a buck half though."

When the guard test fired the gun it broke in two again. He didn't take it back to the blacksmith, but wired it up himself and then for safeties sake removed the firing pins figuring his boys would get hold of it and try to shoot it. Eventually it ended up in the closet. It sat untouched for generations.

Then you came along.

[I hope you folks don't mind my flight of fancy here. I'm new to the site and know that you are serious Parker collectors. But the story of a gun is important too, even if make-believe.]

[Jeff Mayhew]

Thanks Steve; I'm happy to report that this gun lives again! Now I just need to finish the right hammer and match the aged finish on the metal.

[Steve McCarty]

What a nifty picture! Great old Parker. Of course your gun was a coach gun and sure the guard who carried used it to protect the strong box packed with bullion. Hopefully the old boy survived the robbery that caused him to toss the gun over the side, clattering on the dusty road below.

Bud Philpot, who was the guard killed on the Benson stage was shot and dropping his shotgun. He let go the reins which fell down behind the horses. He fell forward and onto the road below. The coach over ran him and left him to die in the middle of the road.

Later that day, or early the next morning, the Earps rode out there and found his body. It was taken back to Tombstone. A passenger in the coach was also killed, he died a day later. Philpot was sent back home and buried in Calistoga, CA. I've spend many hours searching for his grave. No luck yet.

Doc Holliday was accused of being one of the robbers, but he wasn't. His old roommate from his days in Las Vegas, NM was. Tomas Leonard, his old friend, who was also a "lunger" was one of the robbers. None of the four men who participated in the robbery lived very long.

The shotgun that Philpot used and dropped may have been your gun. Unlikely of course...but you know what? We will never know.

[B. Dudley]

Nice old gun! And in fine shape for what seems like a worked and sorted past. I wonder if the wrist is actually broken under that wire, or if maybe it was put on just for grip or something. Or maybe to keep it from breaking in the future.