Fitting Barrels

[Ed Blake]

Can a set of barrels without a wear plate be fitted to a gun with barrels having the 1910 wear plate? Thanks

[Bruce Day]

Ed yes but..... Look at the differences in the bolts and their mating lug recesses. You will need to change one or the other. Diagrams of the 1910 locking bolt and bolt plate interconnection are shown in the Parker catalogs such as the pine cone and the flying geese catalogs. You will quickly see the problem.

[Brian Dudley]

It is easier to fit a set of post 1910 barrels to a pre 1910 action than the other way around.

The issue being that the bolts in post 1910 guns are square on both sides and have the angle cut into them as a Channel. This was done as to make a tighter action and eliminate any chance of side to side play in the action.
Now... With that change in design to the bolt, the design of the top lever mechanism was changed also. So, it is not like you can take a pre 1910
Bolt and put it in a post 1910 action. They are both completely different from each other.

Still following me?

What you would have to do is modify your post 1910
Bolt by removing the square edges so that it is angled all the way across like the earlier bolts. You can either modify your existing one or modify a spare one and put it in.

The other option is to install a wear plate to your barrels you want to fit. This is not such an easy task.

[Ed Blake]

Thanks for the responses. I had an idea of a two barrel set but it may be more trouble than it is worth.

[Dave Suponski]

Ed, it sounds like a lot of work but it's not that bad, Especially if you can come up with a bolt to match the barrel.

[Dean Romig]

If you have the extra set of barrels in hand I would recommend fitting the 1910 pat'd wear plate to that set of barrels. That or get a set of barrels with the 1910 plate. The barrels don't have to be post 1910 manufacture - just need to have the 1910 plate. Many guns that were returned to Parker Bros. for just about any kind of service or repair would have the 1910 plate and bolt retrofitted to the gun, as a matter of course, at no charge to the customer.

[John Campbell]

Ed, it sounds like a lot of work but it's not that bad, Especially if you can come up with a bolt to match the barrel.

With all due respect, there is a LOT more to properly fitting up a set of barrels than the plate/bite issue. Actually, that's one of the more manageable aspects. If a hobbyist is not well trained in fitting barrels, and especially Parker barrels, the chances of making a muck of it in some way are about 80%.

If you must have a second set of barrels, there is no better investment than a professional fitting.

[Dean Romig]

Kensal is absolutely correct. A few barrel sets might snap right on as if they were made for the gun but most of the time they will need some fine fitting. Hopefully the new set will be too large and won't close or even come close to it. A lot of smoking and fine filing then re-smoking and more fine filing, and so on, and so on. It is tedious and very exacting but will hopefully be worth the effort in the long run. If the new barrels are too small (fit loosely) at the beginning... you'll probably need to find another set of barrels.

[Ed Blake]

Oh, if fitting was involved I would not attempt it on my own. I stay in the shallow end of the Parker pool.

[Dean Romig]

Sometimes I get in over my head and wind up "treading water" until a rescuer comes along...

I have an 1898 DH on a 2-frame that started out with a very nice set of original 30" Titanic Steel barrels. I have since fitted a 12 ga. set of Damascus 30" barrels and a set of 10 ga. 30" Damascus 2-frame barrels. It is an "all around" large bore Parker now.

[Destry L. Hoffard]

Back when he was still living, I saw Russ Bickel do some amazing things with Parker barrel fitting. There's a lot can be done, but some still just won't work. Unfortunately I had one of the ones that wouldn't, though he did try pretty hard. I think of Russ often, he was a good friend.

Destry

[Dave Suponski]

Kensal, I agree this is no job for the home hobby kind of guy. The first thing someone must realize is you need a set of barrels that have a chance to fit.And that includes all the little nuances such as the bolt and bolt plate combination.I have found that the barrels that have the greatest chance of being successfully fitted are ones that are close in serial number. As Dean suggests if they are too small to begin with there is nothing that can be done.


I am in a bit of a different situation than most as I have 30 years experience as a toolmaker and work for a company that is very pro-gun. In fact we rebuilt a hammergun last week that was a wall hanger for many years and brought it back to shooting condition just for the hell of it.

[Dean Romig]

Russ was an extremely talented gunsmith and could work wonders with metal. He put my Titanic barrels on face with incredible precision and re-rust blued them perfectly. He also fitted the 12 ga set of Damascus barrels to my DH for me with the very same precision and results. I fit the 10 ga. Damascus set with the guidance of David Trevallion.

[Dave Purnell]

I've home hobby fitted one set of barrels to make a two barrel set. The gun and barrel set were pre-1910 so wear plate was not an issue. I had to thin up the barrel lug by about 12 thousandths, and add a shim to the front lug to tighten the forearm. The cocking hook fit perfectly, but just as possibly may not have. I'll be the first to admit it was pure luck, rather than skill. In my case the barrels were 24" cut from ebay for $80 delivered. I made no changes to the original gun. So, no big loss, if it didn't work. In hindsight, I'd suggest to get a pro involved. There are alot of variables involved to do the job right.

[Dean Romig]

Yes Dave, it is imperative that NOTHING be done to the gun when fitting a second set of barrels, else the original barrels and forend WILL NOT FIT CORRECTLY.

[Bill Murphy]

Does Dave's last post mean that I can't come to him for new Formica countertops?

[Dean Romig]

Dave was never involved in Formica counters. His art was in the design, fabrication, and installation of beautiful granite kitchens, baths, offices, fireplace hearths and mantles, etc. ..... but you knew that.

[Bill Murphy]

:):)

[Dave Suponski]

Sorry Murphy...I ain't bittin...:rolleyes:

[edgarspencer]

Does Dave's last post mean that I can't come to him for new Formica countertops?

Murph, My wife says no more carrot cake for him, cuz he didn't give her the counter top he said he would, WHEN he was still doing them.

[Dean Romig]

I have a couple of 'Signature' Dave Suponski pieces in my home :cool:

[edgarspencer]

I have a couple of 'Signature' Dave Suponski pieces in my home :cool:

That's OK, now he's back in my kinda playground, I'll put in a good word for him when he completes MY wishlist.

So, Dave, how's that dent raiser coming along?

[Dave Suponski]

I'm waiting on engineering drawings.......:whistle: