10ga. #18247...

[Mike Krall]

Well, I've got to start somewhere. I'm helping a friend who has the above gun... no left-side hammer... no stock... no butt plate. I haven't seen the gun (will have end of coming Friday).

Got some numbers off the water table and barrel lug and would like to know what a few of them mean. Oh, and did a SN search for "0" hits.

There is a DH (H smaller and raised). If I've looked correctly, that is Grade #3. There is a 5 with a 12 (12 smaller and raised) and I've not found reference for that.

The barrel lug stamp makes no sense. The owner cleaned a little and looked hard under strong light and magnification... it looks like a "J.S" ???

The point of the exercise is to get the gun shooting... not pretty, just shooting. The owner is a black powder guy, has built a number of flintlocks, fixed up a bunch of them and BP shotguns. Shoots BP trap pretty well.

Are there places to look for parts you-all would recommend, please.

Mike

[Dennis V. Nix]

Mike,

According to the Parker Gun Identification and Serialization book your friend's gun, 18247 is listed as a D2, Underlifter action, no extra options, 10 gauge with 32 inch barrels. The 5 and 12 refer to the unstruck barrel weight. There are hammers out there for the finding but sometimes it can take some luck. I see you are a Forum Associate. I don't know what that means but if it means you are not a full member of the PGCA then you can not purchase or sell items on the forum. If you aren't a member I would suggest you and your friend become members. After that send for a research letter on the gun it will hopefully give him some very interesting information about the gun. If you can take some detailed photographs and submit them some of our experts will be able to give you much more information than I can. We would need photographs of the end of the barrels, water table of the receiver, barrel flats, barrel lug, forearm, buttstock, butt plate and of course each lock. Shooting the gun is no problem DEPENDING upon condition. Some of these older guns are in great condition and are shot all the time. Others are in relic condition and are unsafe to shoot without spending lots of money relining the bores etc. Pictures will give some idea to our experts of the condition the gun and whether it is shootable or not. Even with them looking I would suggest you have the gun evaluated in person by somebody who is familiar with Damascus type barrels to be absolutely safe. Shells are sold by a company called rstshells.com. They will have 10 gauge shells appropriate for your friend's gun if it is safe to shoot. I hope this has been some help.

Dennis

[wayne goerres]

Mike the js on your barrel lug is the barrel makers mark. The frame size should be stamped right next to it, probable a 3.

[Mike Krall]

Thank you for responding and for the information, Dennis. I'll research here and see if I can find the D2 you mentioned... maybe I can learn something I obviously don't know now.

I don't know that my friend Frank is going to be able to join the PGCA, but I'll mention the idea to him. I do understand a person needs to be a member to buy and sell here.

I'll try to get some pictures taken and posted, though it may take a week or so.

I did see the gun a week ago Friday. It's in good used condition, for an 1880 birthday. Some pitting in barrels but not problematic to shooting. Very little pitting on the exterior. Finish largely missing. What Frank calls "finger print" damascus pattern and ribs are in good condition. Still very tight lock up, though I've not been around many Parker's.

Besides the missing hammer and screw, butt stock and butt plate, I forgot to mention the firing pins are missing. The tang, (not long) has a kink in it. Our assumption is the butt stock was a pistol grip (half grip?) type... any thoughts?

So you know, Frank is 67 and has been around black powder rifles and shotguns (both muzzle loading and breech loading) since he was 14... Out of Southern Ohio and the big black powder range there since about the time it started up. He is very well qualified to assess all the aspects of this firearm.

Seems like in some of the reading I've done here, there really is no such thing as a common stock to fit up to all same-frames. Is that a correct understanding?

We've both thought maybe Brad (last name ???) might have a near-right pattern and could duplicate and fit a butt stock. I'm going to holler at him.

Besides the buy/sell available here for members, are there places a person might look for some of the other missing parts? Or makers of those parts?

Again, thank you for your help Dennis... and thank all viewers for your consideration.

M.Krall

[Mike Krall]

Mike the js on your barrel lug is the barrel makers mark. The frame size should be stamped right next to it, probable a 3.

Thanks for clearing that up, Wayne. I don't have the gun to look at, or a picture of the barrel lug, but I'm sure there is no stamping on the bottom of the barrel lug besides the "J.S". Is there another place the frame size stamping might be?

M.Krall

[Rick Losey]

Dave Pernell (a member here) was making firing pins, you may want to check with him.

for stock work - you may be thinking of Brad Bachelder you also may want to talk to Brian Dudley (also a member here) his work has gotten praise from other members

Hammers, good luck - you may look for a set as easily as finding one to match, neither is going to be an easy search.


Tom Carter (also a member here - notice a pattern developing :) ) is making hammer screws when you get to that point.

becoming a member will allow you to post want to buy ads the will be seen by the most knowledgeable Parker folks you can find.

the project will not be inexpensive, but if the barrel are safe, bringing one back from the dead can be very satisfying

[charlie cleveland]

you can buy rough forged hammers that are cheap.will take some work to fit to gun if you just want to make a shooter..you can be shooting while you find a parker hammer... charlie

[Dennis V. Nix]

Mike, I apologize as I meant to tell you that according to the Serialization Book the gun has a pistol grip stock. It was in my mind to tell you and then as sometimes happens my brain doesn't keep up with my typing speed.

Good luck with the project. I agree with the others that bringing one of these guns back from wall hanger and relic status can be very satisfying and they make great shooters. Is it worth it financially? I haven't had one done yet but have at least 2 to have done now. Both are already great shooters but I do want to bring them back cosmetically but without destroying collector value. Be careful who you choose to do the work. There are many out there who will gladly volunteer to take your money but only a very few such as Brad Bachelder, Keith Kearcher, the DelGregos, Kirk Merrington and a couple of others who are artists and who will bring the gun back to where it belongs.

Thanks for the kind words,

Dennis

[Bill Murphy]

You probably won't find a D or a 2 on the gun. D2 in the serialization book means that the gun has Damascus barrels and is a Grade 2. Your gun is not a DH, the DH being a later hammerless gun. There may be a D on the barrel flats which also means Damascus.

[Dean Romig]

"J.S." is the mark of John Stokes.

5 with a smaller raised 12 is the pre-struck weight of the barrels... 5 lbs., 12 oz.

D with a smaller H makes no sense as a grade marking as this is not a DH (H indicates 'Hammerless'). If on the barrel flat under the right barrel at the forward end of the flat a "D" indicates Damascus and toward the rear of that same flat a 3 would indicate a grade 3 or D. If there is no number stamped there it would be a grade 2 or lower.
On the water table look for a 2 or 3 also indicating the grade.

[wayne goerres]

Mike Look on the back of the lug right where the locking lug engages. If there are no markings there than you may have to measure the distance between fireing pins to come up with the frame size.

[Mike Krall]

Well, I need to apologize to all of you. I'm sorry... you all jumped right on my responses to the initial responses and I didn't find them in a timely manner.

I'm hoping to catch the owner on his lunch time today. I'll be back as soon as I can.

Mike