What year did Parker stop making Damascus Barrels?

[John Nagel]

Just curious when Parker phased out producing Damascus barrels.

[greg conomos]

I don't think they ever really produced them....though I seem to recall some sort of testimony before Congress which indicated they did so for a short time.

[Larry Frey]

John,
I assume your asking when Parker Brothers stopped "selling" Damascus barreled guns. I'm not sure of the answer to that but do know one of my Damascus guns was ordered in 1924 which seems quite late to me. I'm sure someone will give you a more informed answer.

[Paul Ehlers]

I had a 16ga Gr-2 with Damascus barrels produced in 1926. It had to have been toward the last offerings.

[Bruce Day]

1927 is the last known Parker with factory composite barrels.

[Dean Romig]

John,
I assume your asking when Parker Brothers stopped "selling" Damascus barreled guns. I'm not sure of the answer to that but do know one of my Damascus guns was ordered in 1924 which seems quite late to me. I'm sure someone will give you a more informed answer.


Very nice Larry - I don't believe I've seen that one before. A new acquisition?





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[Paul Ehlers]

I need to correct my earlier post. I looked at my records & the gun I was thinking of was made in 1920 not 1926

[charlie cleveland]

wonder if thelast known composite barrel gun is owned by some of the parker clan and i also wonder what grade and the spec s were....charlie

[Dave Noreen]

Larry,

Does your gun have the Parker Bros. Overload Proved stamping on the barrel flats? I know I've seen composite barrel guns with that stamp.

Dave

[Bill Zachow]

I own an unfired (per Larry Delgrego), serial 220657 GH 12 gauge. It carries the Parker Bros. overload proof stamp. It has to be one of the last damascus guns because PB had to hand engrave the barrel logo, rather then roll stamp it as usual. I always assumed that the roll die was lost or broken and it was cheaper to hand engrave the gun rather then build a new die. The gun also carries swivels. There are no records available on the gun, but per the serial, made in 1927 or 1928.

[Larry Frey]

Dave,
No Overload stamp on these barrels.

Bill,
My barrel legend has the Parker Bros Makers etc. roll stamped which is preceded by the Made In USA which was hand engraved. I assumed they made so few Damascus guns after 1919 when the USA stamp became required that rather than make a new roll die they just hand cut the Made In USA and rolled the rest.

[Bill Zachow]

My GH has the whole logo--Parker Bros. Makers Meriden Ct. USA Damascus steel-- all hand engraved. Note that there is no "made in" prior to the USA notation. I have always thought that it was a very interesting gun, particularly because of its all original very high condition.

[Bill Zachow]

Charlie, some additional info on my gun. It has the old style, spurred buttplate with the old style (flat, engraved) screws. It has the new style safety button. Capped pistol grip stock. Built on a 1 1/2 frame with 30 " barrels. As mentioned earlier, the gun has swivels (parker style). I would dearly love to see records on this gun but unfortunetly, none exist within the PGCA or Remington.

[charlie cleveland]

bill it sounds like somebody ordered them a light weight duck gun and never used it..you probably have the last composite gun or close to it...wish you could have goten a letter on this gun...charlie

[Bill Bates]

Here is a pic of my mid 1920s GH barrels. MADE IN U.S.A. is lightly engraved ahead of the regular logo. It also has a Spur butt plate with flat engraved screws.

http://m4.i.pbase.com/o2/10/209910/1/124853264.QOnQmZ0a.GHbarrelstamp.jpg

http://m7.i.pbase.com/o9/10/209910/1/161418137.rQoImbyt.Parker3.jpg

[Bill Zachow]

Bill, what grade damascus are your barrels? When I was looking at my gun for these posts, I noted for the first time that they are D4s. Unusual for a G.

[Drew Hause]

I believe this information came from The Parker Pages, but may need to be revised

The latest damascus barrels:
SN 220,657 GH D3 1927
SN 222,845 DHE D4 1927
SN 227,020 VHE D3 1928.


Regarding Parker Bros. fabricated pattern welded barrels
The Sportsman's Gazetteer 1878
http://books.google.com/books?id=bowCAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA680&dq
PARKER GUNS.—From the day when the Parker gun won the First Premium at the Centennial Exhibition until now, it has held its pre-eminence among American guns. The arm is simple, durable, and effective. All have Rebounding Locks and Interchangeable Parts. Twist barrels $50 to $75. Damascus $75 to $300.
This is the only firm which manufactures their own barrels.

The ‘PB’ proof mark has been found on Decarbonized, Laminated Steel, and Twist barrels in the SN 950-4650 range; much earlier than the 1877-1880 time period in which Parker offered “figured barrels”.

More information at the bottom here
https://docs.google.com/document/d/12y9006Ur7mMCqdeeye89c7L4DQrc2iXR8p4S6OIN1bA/edit

[Dean Romig]

Thanks Drew.

I see a reference in your hyperlink that is somewhat curious... "Losey & Lull of Mott's Corners, NY", as gunmakers, and wonder if our own Rick Losey of New York is descended of the referenced Losey.






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[Michael Moffa]

The 1918 20ga GH I gave my daughter has "D4" on the barrel flats. I suppose they were using up stock. Great Damascus pattern though.

[Bill Bates]

Bill, what grade damascus are your barrels? When I was looking at my gun for these posts, I noted for the first time that they are D4s. Unusual for a G.

My barrels are D3

http://m4.i.pbase.com/o4/10/209910/1/122677354.7FPRWhBq.ParkerGHflats03_11_10.jpg

[Harold Lee Pickens]

An update to this old thread. I have ser# 230234, a DH 12 1frame with 30" damascus, that some saw this weekend at Rock Mtn, and many feel it may be unfired. Holding it for my wife's cousin, found in the house of her deceased parents. Not in books and no letter available(rats!)
see pics I posted a week ago under last damascus Parker.

[John Allen]

Most of the damascus barrels for the US makers came out of Belgium. When WWI broke out in 1914, the supply chain for these barrels was broken. At the same time fluid steel barrels were more available and much cheaper. This lead to the push to scare people away from damascus. The old time shooters still wanted damascus barrels and some were built into the late 1920s or later. I have seen a DHE built in 1930 that had damascus, but do not know if they were original since it was not my gun.

[Drew Hause]

Thanks for posting that Harold.
I have recorded that the latest Parker damascus barrels are SN 220,657 GH D3 1927, SN 222,845 DHE D4 1927, SN 227,020 VHE D3 1928, and now SN 230234 DH c. 1928 or 1929 (no record available).

Dean might have a correction.

[Dean Romig]

I had a CHE double trap gun 230760 made in 1928 and no information was available due to missing books.

Unfortunately it happens, as others can testify.

I believe “Harold’s” gun is a very high condition all original DH.





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[Harold Lee Pickens]

Dean, several people saw it at Rock Mtn this weekend and felt that it may even be unfired.

[Drew Hause]

Harold: would it be possible to take a full size high resolution image of an about 10" section of barrel, where the contrast is most apparent. Outside with partial sunlight works well, with the barrel raised a few inches above a dark grey solid surface.
It would be very valuable to have evidence of what close to original Parker (likely D4) colors look like.
Or send the image to me as an attachment (not embedded in the email) to drewhausemd@yahoo.com and thanks!

This is about the best Parker DAM4 I have. I failed to document who sent the image however :(

https://photos.smugmug.com/Damascus/Parker/i-XzBBzdr/0/9f7bfa46/L/DAM%204%20DH-L.jpg (https://drewhause.smugmug.com/Damascus/Parker/i-XzBBzdr/A)

[Harold Lee Pickens]

Will do it tomorrow Drew.

[Bruce P Bruner]

Another Parker Damascus DAM4 example.

[Harold Lee Pickens]

Drew, here are some additional pictures.

[Drew Hause]

Thank you Harold. The barrels are 3 Iron DAM3.
Interesting that they have darkened slightly forward of the forend

https://photos.smugmug.com/Damascus/Parker/i-JL4v3HT/0/3f28d520/M/230234%20DH%202-M.jpg (https://drewhause.smugmug.com/Damascus/Parker/i-JL4v3HT/A)

2 'zipper' rod to rod welds between 2 straight ribband end welds. The ribband end weld scrolls are slightly smaller, with "jumping" the ribband edges

https://photos.smugmug.com/Damascus/Parker/i-37WkmXh/0/c400f468/S/230234%20DH%202%20-%20Marked-S.jpg (https://drewhause.smugmug.com/Damascus/Parker/i-37WkmXh/A)

OVERLOAD PROVED?!? :shock: What were they thinking?? :rolleyes:

https://photos.smugmug.com/Damascus/Parker/i-2Tnrmb7/0/456445b0/M/230234%20DH%203-M.jpg (https://drewhause.smugmug.com/Damascus/Parker/i-2Tnrmb7/A)

[scott kittredge]

Drew, here are some additional pictures.

wow, that is nice !

[Ian Civco]

Thanks for posting that Harold.
I have recorded that the latest Parker damascus barrels are SN 220,657 GH D3 1927, SN 222,845 DHE D4 1927, SN 227,020 VHE D3 1928, and now SN 230234 DH c. 1928 or 1929 (no record available).

Dean might have a correction.

I own serial number 221278, a 1927 manufacture GHE, with Damascus barrels.