The Short Ten - How many shooting one?

[J.B. Books]

Originally Posted by Grantham Forester

Just saw a auction bid for a Parker 10- number 3 frame, serial number 58903- 30" Damascus barrels, double triggers, regular buttplate. What is strange, to me anyway, is the letter grade. I have learned that H stands for hammerless, and an E means automatic ejectors, as on my VHE 12. But this older Parker 10 is described as EH grade. How does that compare to the VH, PH, GH, DH etc. line-up? Would this be safe to shoot with the shorter RST low pressure loads?

EH is a 10ga Grade 2 (GH)

NH is a 10ga Grade 1 (PH)

In the late 1800's and early 1900's those grades in 10ga were $5 more than same grade in any other gauge so Parker gave them a separate designation, EH and NH. Sometime in the early 1900's those designations were dropped. Generally safe to shoot but each gun must be evaluated on it's own merits, barrel wall thickness is the critical factor.