TPS - Serialization Question

[Robert Dillon]

Sirs, I became the current owner of 2 Parkers last week. I subsequently re-newed my Parker membership, ordered 2 letters, subscribed to the DGJ, and ordered 'The Parker Story.' When the DGJ and the 2 vol. set arrived today, I found one of my Parkers on p.1012 of vol.2. But the other is a grade 2 gun. What other publication do I need to be able to view the stats on grade 0-3 Parkers?

Thank you.

[Dean Romig]

Go to the home page and in the column of tabs on the left click on "Research Letters" and on a subsequent page you can key in the serial number to find out if there are surviving records that would support a letter.

[Robert Dillon]

There are surviving records for both shotguns. I have ordered them both. I was just curious if there was a book in publication that listed the specifics of grades 0-3 also to include the Trojan.

Would it be the 'Identification & Serialization' book ?

[Dean Romig]

You will find just about all the information you are looking for in The Parker Story.

[Greg Baehman]

I believe that only Grade 4 and above are listed in TPS. You need The Parker Identification and Serialization book, but beware--not every gun is listed and there are a few mistakes within its listings.

[George M. Purtill]

Show some pictures of the gun that is in the TPS. It has to be a great gun.

[Dean Romig]

Is your Grade 4 Parker a Bernard barreled gun?

[Bill Murphy]

The Serialization Book is interesting reading as well as giving basic specifications for thousands of guns of all grades.

[Brian Dudley]

Yes, the Parker gun serialization and identification book is what you need for the basic information on all serial numbers that are in the surviving Parker stock books.

[Robert Dillon]

Dean, to answer your question, yes. I just ordered the Serialization book by Price from Amazon. I am looking forward to reading all of "The Parker Story", I just flipped to the back of vol. II when I got it to ease my mind. I believe my CH came from the factory as a 2 barreled set. I only have barrel set 2 now. There is a 2 on the forearm lug, and a 2 on the forearm itself above the serial number. The 2nd set is Bernard. Could it have been a 2 barrel Bernard set? Only the letter will tell. I anxiously await the letter. :whistle:

Also, the CH is as it is listed in "The Parker Story."

[Dean Romig]

I sincerely hope you find the second set someday. I also hope set #1 is a set of Bernard barrels..... there were scant few two-barrel sets of Bernard - fewer than a half-dozen if I am correct.

[Robert Dillon]

I thought about my last post, after I had posted and logged out. "If" The Parker Story lists each shotguns configuration with the primary set of barrels, and "if" the letter comes back as a 2 bbl set, then the primary and 2nd set are the same length. 87131 lists in The Parker Story as 30" and the 2nd set is also 30". Why 2 30" setes of bbls? Unless they are different chokes? The set I have is Imp. Mod - RT bbl and Full Left. Maybe the letter will tell.

[Dean Romig]

According to the ID & Ser Book barrel set #1 is Bernard Steel and you have barrel set #2 which is Benard Steel. It would appear that you have one of the very few Parkers made with two sets of Bernard barrels. I repeat - I hope you find that other set someday.

[Bill Murphy]

Redoftx, my two barrel Bernard set was separated for decades, was finally reunited last year. Post your serial number on the Restoration subforum for missing parts and wait.

[Robert Dillon]

Dean I hope I find the primary set too, if it is indeed a 2 bbl set.

Mr. Murphy, I followed the thread about your missing set, now reunited. Congratulations.

If 87131 does turn out to be a 2 bbl set, all I know to do is possibly work backwards from the gentleman from whom I bought the gun. How did he acquire it? If he is willing to give my name/ number to that person, how did that person come across the Parker?

There may be answers to some qustions in the letter. 2 bbl set or no. Name of original purchaser in 1897, etc.

Did I read here or somewhere, that the PGCA will have a booth at the NRA convention in Houston? There are men here who have been collecting and shooting Parkers for longer than I have been on this earth. I was hoping to meet a few in Houston, and I am bringing the CH, to get some input and direction.

Thanks, Robert Dillon

[Robert Dillon]

Letter received today.

http://i.imgur.com/leOdKcD.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/TscDfeL.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/TszKkJ2.jpg

By reading this letter, does it appear that this shotgun has two sets of barrels or three? To me it looks like three, unless I have misread it. I have the Bernard set choked mod. and full, with a "2" on the forend lug and "2" stamped on the forend itself ahead of the serial number.

I googled SD&G and got nothing as far as any surviving record from them. I googled "J.E. Lawson Columbia SC census 1900" and got the runaround as far as links. Nothing definitive on Mr. Lawson yet, unless someone can suggest a better website.

This is the fun part about these guns, researching past owners, their histories, occupations, etc. Thanks to all who have helped so far.

[Dean Romig]

Mr. Lawson may have had three sets in his possession for his CH or Parker Bros. may have kept or scrapped the barrels that "do not work right". I am at a loss as to which set of barrels "do not work right" and were returned to "solder on extension rib".

With all those stock and butt modifications Mr. Lawson MUST have been a trap shooter :rolleyes: