SBT “B” grade?

[Rocky Russo]

Hello. New to the forum. Just joined PGCA. Was looking for some info on an SBT. Serial number 177639. Has a B above serial number on water table. Looks original. All numbers match. English stock. 32” barrels. I could add some pictures. Appreciate and questions or feedback. Thank you!

[Rocky Russo]

Not sure how to add pictures?

[William Machauer]

Welcome!
To add pictures look for the paper clip, it is above this window where you are typing, between the white smiley face and the left arrow. ( It's not on the 'quick reply ' window)

I have noticed on different forums that they don't make it easy to attach pictures. How difficult could it be to just make a big button that says ATTACH PICTURES!?

[Dan Steingraber]

Your gun is an early (1917) SBT. 32” barrels, Straight grip. Once you get the pictures figured out you’ll get all the information you need and more. Grades for the SBT’s aren’t listed in the serialization book. Congratulations on owning a great, purpose built Parker. Prepare to be amazed at the ease of crushing targets with your beautiful gun.

[Rocky Russo]

Picture

[Rocky Russo]

Thanks for the quick reply! Does the “B” above serial number indicate grade? It has titanic barrels.

[Dan Steingraber]

Thanks for the quick reply! Does the “B” above serial number indicate grade? It has titanic barrels.

There is a lot of glare in the photos and more pictures of the wood, checkering, receiver, barrel flats would help. Looks like a C grade to me. That was the most common SBT. Looks like it’s in great shape. Perhaps restored.

[Dean Romig]

Yes, the B above the serial number indicates the grade. Titanic barrels on a SB are uncommon but not unheard of.





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[Bill Murphy]

A good picture of the bottom of the action would help to identify. A PGCA letter should be requested.

[Rocky Russo]

The bottom is full scrolling. No bird. I’ll try to get a better picture.

[Rocky Russo]

143207

143208

[Dean Romig]

So, it’s the earlier iteration of the SB.





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[Bill Murphy]

Titanic barrels are a function of the date of manufacture, not the grade. Single trap guns of a grade that would later have Acme barrels would have Titanic barrels in earlier years.

[Rocky Russo]

Thank you all for the information! So this could be an early B grade since it has the B above the serial number, full scrolling on the bottom if the action (no bird) and titanic barrels. I’ll send in for the letter. How long do they usually take to generate?

[Bill Murphy]

SB Grades of all vintages have all scroll on the bottom of the frame unless special ordered otherwise. I hope I'm right about that since I haven't seen that many B Grade single traps. We still haven't seen the bottom of the original poster's gun.

[John Davis]

It is more likely an early SC without the pigeon.

[JAMES HALL]

In the blurry picture of water table l made out a B and the 5

[John Davis]

In the blurry picture of water table l made out a B and the 5

Then perhaps a very early B. Great gun no matter.

[Bill Murphy]

I have to admit that I have not seen an SB that early. Let's see a good picture of the bottom of the receiver, and maybe a clearer picture of the side of the receiver.

[David Safris]

wouldn't a 'B' grade have fleur de lis engraving on the wood ?

A
B
C

below

[David Safris]

And a bit tighter on
A
B
C Engraving..

[Bill Murphy]

Yes, and the original poster's SB seems to have been restocked to SC specifications. Great pictures, David.

[Rocky Russo]

Bottom of receiver as requested

[Rocky Russo]

Side pic

[John Davis]

Bottom of the receiver looks like early SC engraving. Curiouser and curiouser.

[J. Scott Hanes]

Here is a marked "C" grade from 1919, serial # 7000 guns later than the subject. Curious, indeed!

https://parkerguns.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=143302&stc=1&d=1783878321

[GunnerGrilli]

Early SC. 176795 picture below.


Early SC Style Engraving. The gun in question looks like an early SC to me from the pictures.

[GunnerGrilli]

And a bit tighter on
A
B
C Engraving..



David great pictures!! I need to do that!!



Bobby

[GunnerGrilli]

In the blurry picture of water table l made out a B and the 5


I do agree with Mr. Hall though. I see a "B" and a "5" as well. Interesting that the engraving sure looks like an SC.


But......it is a Parker!! And you never know..........................



Bobby

[Rocky Russo]

Letter confirmed it’s a B grade (as stated on water table) with titanic barrels. 1917. Straight grip, etc all match up.

[Bill Murphy]

Does the letter specify any special features? What is the price specified in the letter? Could you post a picture of the letter? Your gun is a very special Parker and we are interested in learning more about it.

[Mike Franzen]

With serial #177639 puts it in the first year production range. It could be the first SB made and perhaps the first SBT that wasn’t a C grade.

[Rocky Russo]

I posted some better photos of water table and the research letter.

[J. Scott Hanes]

That "ghost" letter S next to the 5 is quite interesting!

[John Davis]

Interesting letter and seems like a fairly heavy trigger pull request.

[Chuck Bishop]

Interesting gun. It's just a guess but I think the "B" and "5" were stamped over a "C" and "4". The stamps just don't look right. The stock is definitely a "C" grade stock.

Unfortunately both the Order Book and Stock Book don't define what grade or barrel steel this gun was. The Order Book just shows the price of $150 which was the standard price of SC SBT's in that time frame. The Stock Book just says "Trap". In later years it would have shown "Trap 4" in the ledger for an SC or Trap 5 for a SB. Also the barrel steel is not noted. Perhaps I should have said in the letter that the grade and barrel steel could not be determined by the records but since I knew that some real early SBT's had Titanic steel until Acme steel was introduced, I decided to write the letter as a SB grade gun.

[Bill Murphy]

This is an early gun and surely a Titanic barrel. It also looks like C grade, wood and metal. The stamps are a mystery.

[Rocky Russo]

The response regarding the research letter is disappointing. So part of the letter is inaccurate or based on assumption?

[John Davis]

It is my opinion that this is an early SC. I won’t speculate on the water table stamps. It’s still a very nice gun and I would encourage you to take it to a trap field and enjoy it.

[Larry Stauch]

It would be interesting to know if it still has a 6 pound trigger pull. Makes me think L.H. Bradley had a flinching problem. However, none of this discussion would discourage a person from taking that gun to the range and breaking trap targets.