Chamber length question

[James Palmer]

I recently received the following research letter which states different chamber lengths....any thoughts on this? Seems a bit strange.

James


Parker shotgun, serial number 13xxxx, was ordered by C.H. Pixley Sr. of Toledo, OH to be sent to Geo. Laskey of Milton Center, Wood County, Ohio on August 5, 1911 and shipped on August 26, 1911. According to Parker Bros. Order Book No. 82, it was a DHE hammerless, 20-gauge. It featured Titanic steel barrels with a length of 30 inches. The stock configuration was a 1/2 pistol grip. The requested specifications were: Length of Pull: 14”, Drop at Comb: 1 ½”, Drop at Heel: 2 ½”, weight 6 ¼ to 6 ½ pounds. Special requests were: RH 160 pellets, LH full, safety non automatic, chamber 2 ¾”, 2 /7/8”, full comb, nice stock.

[Dean Romig]

Interesting.....

The man who ordered the gun with those specifications obviously intended to shoot 3" shells but had some notion about using a particular load in one barrel and a different particular load in the other barrel expecting the chambers and chokes to maximize the performance of each. Strange none the less. :whistle:





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[Chuck Bishop]

I stated the chamber info just as it was written in the order book. It didn't say RH 2 3/4, LH 2 7/8. My assumption is what Dean stated although I've never seen this before in any order book. Any one ever heard of a shotgun configured this way?

[Gary Laudermilch]

I am wondering if the 2-7/8 is not related to the stock since it seems paired with other stock data.

[Dean Romig]

That is a reasonable possibility too... Chuck?






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[Bill Murphy]

Deleted

[Rick Losey]

have you measured the chambers to see how they compare to the letter?

[Chuck Bishop]

Here is what the order book shows. Unfortunately the stock book is missing for this gun. Stock books sometimes list chamber lengths.

[Dean Romig]

Tough tellin'....

I don't know how you do it Chuck. I would sure like to know the chamber lengths today and also see a picture of the comb. You've certainly seen a lot more of those entries than I ever have so you would know if that says "full comb" or "fine comb". Was there ever a 'fine comb' entry in all your research Chuck?






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[Chuck Bishop]

Never seen a "fine" comb. In the word "full" they just didn't make the "ll" tall, look at how they wrote LH full, almost exactly the same. Also look at the word "chamber", the "m" sure could be mistaken for a "w". The common words are fairly easy to decipher, it's the people and company names that drive me crazy sometimes.

[Dean Romig]

Good eye Chuck!






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[Edward Stroble]

It looks to me like it was added later in a different hand and with a different pen as an edit along with the requests for the stock, safety and desired by date. It would be interesting to see if both chambers are not 2 7/8...

[Erick Dorr]

By all means check the chambers length as they are today.
Why has no one made a connection that the chambers were ordered cut at 2 3/4" for 2 7/8" shells?

[Dave Noreen]

It could also be interpreted that the customer wanted 2 3/4 inch chambers and he intended to use 2 7/8 inch shells --

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