3 frame 12 gauges

[Bill Holcombe]

So I almost bought myself a 10ga Dam parker today but sadly my finances got in the way, so I will have to wait and save longer. During my research, I have become interested in the heft of the 3 frame 12ga. Hopefully I haven't set myself up for some crazy expensive rare bird of the parker world. A 12ga 3 frame with Damascus barrels sounds like it would be a lot of fun to shoot.

[Destry L. Hoffard]

I've got a 12 gauge DHE on a #3 frame, fluid steel barrels though. It's the finest duck gun I've ever owned and shoots as far as I'm capable of holding true. I highly recommend one, if you can find one, they are kinda scarce. I got lucky......

Destry

[Brian Dudley]

I am building a 3 frame 12g hammer gun now myself. Well, it is being build using sleeved 10g barrels.
For waterfowl, a 3 frame 12g is great. And they are wonderful to shoot due to the reduced recoil.
Yes, they are far less common than 10g guns or 2 frame 12s. But they are out there.

[Bill Murphy]

I (think) I have found #3 frame 12 gauge hammer guns even harder to find than #3 frame 12 gauge hammerless guns. What is the experience of other posters?

[Destry L. Hoffard]

How's the project coming Brian? Will you have her ready for the ducks in a couple months?

DLH

[Bill Holcombe]

How many projects are you building Brian? Between the CH you won't sell me :) and the 20ga and this one, how do you have time to actually earn any money with all the projects :)

[Ed Blake]

I've never seen a #3 frame 12 gauge hammergun other than pictures of one on this board. However, I have two hammerless #3 frame 12s.

[Mills Morrison]

I have a hammerless 3 frame 12 which I like very much. The wall thickness on these barrels tells the story

[Bill Murphy]

Anyone have a #3 frame hammer gun? Ed Blake alludes to one pictured on this forum, but I don't know how to find it. Austin Hogan's favorite shooting hammer gun is a #3 frame 12, made way out of sequence for lifters at serial number 104,043.

[todd allen]

A 3 Frame 12 ga. is what we call a sporting clays gun.

[Bill Murphy]

I may have a "sporting clays" gun in the mail in the next couple of weeks. It is a gunbroker purchase. I will post my reaction to this gun when I receive it.

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

Bill, Go to hammer guns and the tenth thread down are photos of my 3 frame Hammer gun, Gary

[charlie cleveland]

i think the 3 frame 12 is a mighty neat gun..and the 3 frame hammer gun must be a blast will certainly keep a eye out on this one...did they ever make anything larger in a 12 ga than a 3 frame.i ve never heard of a 4 frame 12 ga....charlie

[Dave Noreen]

...did they ever make anything larger in a 12 ga than a 3 frame.

Oh yeah!! There is the 6-frame 12-gauge --

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/Ansleyone/Parker/6frame12-ga6.jpg

[Bill Murphy]

I wonder who owns the ex-Jack Puglisi #6 frame 12 gauge now?

[Richard Flanders]

I'm pretty sure I have shot and slewn ducks with Destrys 3-frame DHE and it is a beast and a wonderful to shoot. No trouble swinging through with that baby. Am I remembering wrong Destry? Didn't I shoot that goose-sized drake canvasback in Ontario with that gun??

[charlie cleveland]

wow a six frame 12 ga..glad i got to see this beast...what grade of gun was this 6 frame 12 ga anybody have any info on this gun..this is a mighty interesting piece to me...thanks for the picture of this gun..now one more question are there any 4 frame 12 ga and are there any 5 frame 12 ga s....charlie

[Bill Holcombe]

So is a 3 frame 12 or 10 as massive as other 10 game doubles? I saw a couple of Spanish 10 gauges this week. Thought they were Ayas but I think they started with Azz anyway, they were massive guns, I was surprised at the size difference on them.

[will evans]

I have a 2 frame 16ga. At first I found myself thinking the gun was too heavy for anything more than sitting on a dove stool, but then I actually shot a few pen raised birds with her and now Im not sure I have a better gun for sitting on a dove stool. It has definitely raised my interest in larger frame guns. Id now also like to find a 3 frame or larger gun.

[Destry L. Hoffard]

The #3 frame guns aren't that massive really, they're just pleasantly heavy and feel good in the hand. The Spanish 10 gauge guns are huge, more like a #6 frame 8 gauge.

Richard, that's the gun I loaned you to shoot for sure. It's a canvasback killer!

I believe the Puglisi gun was a VH grade, he wanted some lunatic price for it like $40k. I never heard of anybody buying it, maybe they've still got it floating around.


Destry

[Richard Flanders]

I thought so Destry. I'm sure I wouldn't have made that screaming passing shot on that Can with a lighter gun. Sure got Nathan to duck on that one! Wonderful duck gun that one. Made me look like I could actually shoot....

[charlie cleveland]

i know these 3 frame 12 ga are really neat the old 3 frame i have is a fine crow gun even with low brass shells...i just hope me and a big gobbler meet up on the trail some where and have the 3 frame with me... charlie

[Destry L. Hoffard]

Richard,

It's the furthest killing 12 gauge I've ever owned, even with just 2 3/4 shells. I've never put it on paper, I'm afraid to actually. It works, that's all I need to know.

DLH

[charlie cleveland]

destrey will your 3 frame shoot 3 inch...charlie

[Destry L. Hoffard]

Yes but the recoil is so strong it will literally black your vision for a second when you pull the trigger. That kind of kick is too hard on the gun, and too hard on me. I stick with heavy 2 3/4 loads, it shoots them just fine.

DLH

[Richard Flanders]

I agree Destry. I had a light Merkel S/S with 3" chambers. I put one 3" shell through it as an experiment while duck hunting. The recoil was absurd and painful. Never again.

[charlie cleveland]

destrey your lucky to have oine of those 3 inch chambered no 3 frames..i shoot a 3 inch chambered lc smith long range with a 3 inch shell it too kicks like a mule but i bought one of them slip on limb saver pads makes the recoil managble but still tough...but i m like ya ll i mostly shoot 2 3/4 through it i shoot the 3 inch loads at turkey... charlie

[Bill Murphy]

Charlie, Destry's "real" waterfowl gun is a #3 frame gun rebarrelled at Remington with ten gauge magnum 3 1/2" chambered barrels. I had watched that gun for a long time, but foolishly did not buy it because it was not "original enough". Destry was smarter than I was and pounced on it. Maybe some day he will sell it to me.

[Destry L. Hoffard]

Not original enough? The only thing that wasn't original on that gun was the recoil pad. Even the finish is Remington work, along with the barrel of course. I've been offered twice what I paid for it on two occasions, but I like it too much to sell.


The big DHE is my favorite though, it's my go to gun even for geese when there might be ducks involved as a bonus. With the 1 3/8 load of Kent #3 it will do the work when others fail.


DLH

[Bill Murphy]

Take a look at gunbroker.com item number 435163728.