Hang Tag Information

[Bruce Day]

We frequently get questions here such as " my gun has short chambers. Where can I get shells shorter than 2 3/4"? "

George Purtil and I are doing some interesting research involving the information on Parker patterning hang tags. For the uninformed, every Parker came with a hang tag which carried patterning information and what cartridges and load Parker used for that gun. From that tag, we believe it a reasonable assumption that other Parker guns of reasonably close years, gauge and configuration would use the same loads.

Here is an example of two hang tags, for 1904 and 1906 V grade 12ga 30" guns, almost certainly number 2 frame guns. From seeing tag after tag, we know the customary 12ga patterning load was 1 1/8oz of chilled No. 7 shot at 3 drams. The hang tag for SN 125, 874 is typical in that respect. The tag for SN 136,986 uses 37 grains of Hazard's ? , but that is only 1.35 drams. Is 1.35 drams of that brand nitro equivalent to 3 drams black? Both are stamped as nitro loads, in red diagonal notation across the face of the tag. Somebody who can make some sense of the 37 grain issue would be appreciated.

You'll have to click on the hang tag file, as that is a PDF.


Also interesting is that the guns are intended for 2 3/4" shells. The chamber length is 2 5/8, one tag even states that, so here again is documentary proof of Parker's practice of making the chamber 1/8 " shorter than the intended expanded cartridge length. So these hang tags directly answer the short chamber question so often asked here, at least for these and similar guns.

We are looking particularly for hang tags for damascus barreled guns and even more particularly for guns made from 1890 to 1900, as it was then that Parker transitioned to patterning with nitro powder instead of the old black powder. We would like to pin down a year date as close as possible.

[charlie cleveland]

yes BRUCE THAT 37 GRAINS OF HAZARD WAS EQUAL TO 3 DRAMS OF BLACK POWDER IN POWER.... i belive yall are on the rite road... charlie

[Researcher]

In all of my UMC ammunition catalogues from 1903 to 1910, Hazard is listed as a bulk smokeless powder and should be measured in drams?!? The dense smokeless powders listed were Infallible, Shotgun Rifleite, Walsrode and Ballistite.

[Bill Murphy]

Where did we in the past couple of days, read about the transition to dense powders? I think it was from Reverend Drew and others on the doublegun site. By the way, Bruce, all the 1/8" short chamber business has been discussed here for the past ten years. I didn't think you were listening. Dave was too polite to chastise you for not paying attention, but I am not that polite. It might be prudent to listen and read instead of preaching and ignoring. Life in the Parker world is not just about writing checks and throwing the guns into the safe. By the way, the guns you have tags for are very unlikely to be #2 frame guns since they weigh 7 pounds, 1 ounce and 7 pounds, 3 ounces. They are much more likely to be #1 frame guns with light barrels or early #1 1/2 frame guns. Further, pattern tests on 12 gauge guns were often shot with 1 1/4 ounces of shot. These are uncommonly light guns and were patterned with uncommonly light loads.

[Bruce Day]

Dave, that's what I thought also, but reading the light imprint on the tag, looks like Hazard to me. Anyway, thanks for your help. I was hoping that you might come on and comment about the grain notation for nitro powder.

We have this hang tag project in initial thoughts, probably a Parker Pages matter, and a couple more in the process for the Double Gun Journal.