Kent Bismuth in 12 gauge Trojan

[Tom Flanigan]

Yes, the 12 bore 1 ¼ oz load at +1300 fps was “standard” for many years. That is why you see so many vintage guns that saw a lot of service with cracks behind the tang, some small and some large. Try finding an L.C. Smith that was used a lot without cracks behind the lock plates. Some is due to poor design but heavy loads exasperated the situation. I have repaired cracks in many Parkers around and behind the tang. We have more information now and know more than our predecessors who pounded those guns with heavy loads. Now years later, we are privy to the results of the effects of those loads. We can learn from history and not continue to make the mistakes of the past. Virtually every Parker I own that has seen a lot of service is cracked behind the tang. And over the years, I have repaired many others guns with the same issue. I don’t believe 1 ¼ oz loads at +1300 should ever be used in a vintage gun, some of which are over 100 years old. It makes no sense to do so.