SBT “B” grade?
 

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!

Not sure how to add pictures?

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!?

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.

SBT picture
 

Picture

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.

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

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

Attachment 143207

Attachment 143208

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





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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.

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?

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.

It is more likely an early SC without the pigeon.

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.

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.

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

A
B
C

below

And a bit tighter on
A
B
C Engraving..

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

Bottom of receiver as requested

Side pic

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

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

https://parkerguns.org/forums/attach...1&d=1783878321

Early SC. 176795 picture below.


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

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



Bobby

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.