Guns Made for HD Folsom

[Hammer Gun]

Going back to a previous thread 4-5 months ago there was discussion on this forum about the guns Parker made for HD Folsom with the special "trap buttplate" The info I have says the mold for this buttplate was sent to Parker by Folsom to be used on special "trap" guns that they ordered. As discussed earlier a few of these guns have come to light, I have a 12ga 30" laminated steel barrel gun, and have talked to others with 10ga guns, most guns that have surfaced are long barrel guns 32" and more. Some of our members have researched and found several "runs" of these guns in 12ga 36", 38" 40" barrels. This winter I had time on my hands and scanned by eye the Parker Serialization book and verified these results, which brings me to my point. I found 4 - 38" 16ga guns ordered, I could not find these in The Parker Story under "grades" I could have missed some but checked twice in all grades. But these guns were usually lower grade guns, I have been lucky enough to find one of these 16ga guns with 38" barrels complete with Parker letter authenticating the gun as correct.It has the Pigeon buttplate, Interestingly on a 0 frame with milled out water table, why I do not know, since the barrels weigh almost as much as the rest of the gun, serial range 46000 I had the gun at the Southern. Does any one else have a 16ga Folsom gun, If so please send me info on it Thanks Gary

[Mark Conrad]

Gary, the Serialization book was basically taken from the stock books. Grade 3 or high guns from the order books were added where a stock book was missing. So, where you have a stock book missing and we have an order book covering that same time period, the grade 3 and higher guns were added to the Serialization database. There is a list of stock books in the front of the Serialization book showing the books that are missing. In other words, where a stock book is missing, the only guns you see in that serial number range are grade 3 or higher.

Mark

[Bill Murphy]

One order for 38" and 40" Folsom guns with trap buttplates is order #49457, May 11, 1892. There were eight hammer guns with twist barrels, four hammer guns with laminated barrels, and three hammerless guns with twist barrels. Seven were 38" and eight were 40". All had trap butts.

[Hammer Gun]

Where were this long barrel guns going, Do you think they were made as ordered or put in stock at a hardware store, I have seen one advertisement sort of saying that these guns were made to order for Folsom, I guess they new how to market like Parker, Well the plot thickens will have to dig deeper there is more to this! has to be!

[Bill Murphy]

Folsom published awesome catalogs. I only have one, missed a great buy on a bunch of others recently at a local auction. I would guess that the "Trap Guns" were offered in the catalogs rather than jobbed out to individual retailers. Where are they today?

[Hammer Gun]

Bill, good question! Can you get to any archives of magazines that possibly had Folsom advertisments, If so PM me to tell me how or just post here I am sure there is a good bit of interest in this. Gary

[Brush Buster]

Just curious ,what is the highest grade of " The Trap Gun " that was sold by Folsom that anyone has seen ?

[Hammer Gun]

Russ, Ihave a grade 1 12ga, 0 grade 16 I have never seen any over grade one they might be out there just never seen them

[Brush Buster]

Still ,have yet to receive a letter on mine ,look for it any day ! Mine appears to be a # 1 Grade also , in 10 Ga. . This has turned into an interesting ,discussion ,it may be something to follow up on and may make a nice and informative article in the Parker Pages ! I wonder just how many of the guys in the PGCA own one of these and just how many were sold ?Also it would be interesting to find the earliest serial # for these guns ! Once I receive my letter ,should my gun actually be one of these guns sold by H & D Folsom ,my guns serial is 27425 , would you other owners care to list your serials and possibly we can come up with a Data Base for these Trap Guns ,if it hasn't already been done ! Russ

[Bill Murphy]

In the 1892 order, there were only $55 hammer guns and $65 hammerless guns. The hammerless would have been PH, Grade 1 and the hammer were also Twist Steel guns, probably 0 or 1 Grade guns. I have never seen a Trap Gun any higher grade.