Newby

[Shawn Wayment]

I'm a newby when it comes to Parkers, and I'm sure this has been discussed ad nausea here on the form. I'm looking at purchasing my first Parker and I found a dandy from a great reliable source.

Here's the specs:

Parker Bros. GH
16 bore on O frame size (typically 20 bore size)
2 3/4" chambers
28" Damascus barrels
choked .008 IC and .014 Mod
6 lbs. even
original 14 1/4" LOP to original dog's head butt plate
1 5/8" drop at comb
2 5/8" drop at heel
neutral cast
circa 1902

I guess I'm a little scared of shooting the Damascus barrels...

I've used RST loads for a few years in my AYA 20 bore for quail.

Do many of you shoot Parkers with Damascus barrels?

Thanks and I look forward to learning from this forum

[Bill Murphy]

Sounds like the gun offered by my friend in Minnesota. I just read his ad yesterday and it looked like a neat gun to me. Yes, we shoot light loads in Damascus 16s. Reloading is easy by RST shells are easier.

[Rick Losey]

welcome Shawn
as long as the barrels are sound and the loads appropriate there is no reason not to shoot damascus.

I realized a little while ago that I did not shoot a fluid steel barreled shotgun last year.

[CraigThompson]

At the moment I probably shoot more damascus guns then I do fluid steel guns !

[Drew Hause]

Shawn: it is likely that the chambers were extended from the original slightly less than 2 9/16", so it is critical (as with ANY vintage gun) that someone with the interest, expertise, and equipment carefully measure the wall thickness of the barrels; from breech to muzzle, with careful attention to the end of the chamber and forcing cone
http://parkerguns.org/pages/faq/BarrelThickness.htm
If you make the purchase, let us know where you are and someone may be nearby. O frame 16s are a delight!

[Tom Hawkins]

I really like the way the 0 frame 28" barrel 16's swing to target.