Late Lifter 12ga. 3-Frame

[Jay Oliver]

Hello Everyone,

This is my first lifter of the year. A later production 12 gauge lifter with 32” twist barrels on a 3 frame, serial #77463. According to the PGCA letter the weight of the gun is 10lbs. and it is choked 200 pellets in a 24” circle at 45 yards in both barrels.

The gun could use some TLC, all the screws are nice though, the barrels have some pitting, but I have seen worse, and they should clean up some with honing/polishing.

I knew this gun was late for a lifter, but not the latest and spent some time looking through the serialization book. I know there are a few later lifters recorded as hammerless so it is hard to know what is out there. I do think this gun might have the distinction of being the last lifter with a straight stock.

After going through the Serialization book I also found this post about late Lifters: http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=19618&highlight=77463

I was excited about this one and it added a new type of lifter to my collection.

Thanks,
Jay

[Angel Cruz]

Nice find Jay.

[Mills Morrison]

Looks awful nice!

[Jay Oliver]

Thanks Mills! I will have a chance to shoot it this weekend. It is a beast of a 12 gauge at 10 pounds. I do think I will have the barrels and stock re-finished at some point.

This is one of a few grade 0 Parkers I just could't resist over the last month or so...

[Garry L Gordon]

I love those straight stocked hammer guns (and hammerless for that matter!).

[Jay Oliver]

I had a chance to shoot this beast of a 12 this morning. It shot very well. with a mix of RSTs, my reloads and some black powder shells. It shot very well with blackpowder shells and made several doubles, which always makes me smile.

I finally got set up to reload in the past few weeks. My 3/4oz. 14.8gr RedDot reloads had hardly any recoil in this gun. I let a few targets really get out there and still got them. A fun morning...

[Mike Franzen]

The hammer guns seem to really like the black powder loads. What a great find.

[Ed Blake]

I would not hesitate to shoot modern 1 oz loads or lite trap loads in that gun. I bet the barrel walls are extremely thick.

[John Truitt]

Mr Oliver,

Great gun!!!!!
Enjoy her and shoot her up.

Please join us for the Spring Southern held at Deep River near Sanford, NC in April.

You and that hammergun would be a great addition to our team. Team Parker could us both your and your guns help.

All my best,

John

[Jay Oliver]

John, I would love to go and I have been twice when I lived in North Carolina. I was just getting into Parkers and went to the SxS in 2014 and 2015. Then I moved from North Carolina to Rhode Island. I just can't pull it off anymore between kids and work.

It is a great time and I am hoping I will be able to make that trip again before too long. I enjoyed meeting people from the PGCA and seeing more SxS's than I ever thought possible! I had fun shooting as well of course...

Have fun and I wish I could be there!

Jay

[Mills Morrison]

I have found that a lot of Parker hammer guns have really thick barrels. Of course, you should always measure to make sure, but that has been my experience

[Jay Oliver]

This one has a fair amount of pitting but given the barrel thickness and the loads I am shooting I was not worried. After I get to know a bit more, I will have the barrels honed and refinished. This is my only 3-frame 12 gauge gun and it is heaver than all but 1 of my other 10 gauges(and that one is only 2 ounces heavier).

I do have one early lifter where the barrels are relatively thin. It is a 1874 lifter I got last year. I had not every seen barrels that thin at the chambers, but this one quickly turned into one of my favorite guns. I take it easy on it with 3/4 oz loads...

[Mills Morrison]

I would be careful with honing. I have seen guns ruined by honing.