New Member

[Jeff Springer]

Hello,
I just received a 16 ga Parker Trojan from a friend who never shot it...serial# 160865. I believe it was made in 1912. I have some other old Damascus side x sides and some muzzleloader Damascus side x sides that I shoot low pressure RST shells or black powder.

Question...

Is the Trojan safe to shoot modern 16 ga shells or do I need to use low pressure RST shells?
Thanks...Jeff

[Jeff Springer]

Forgot to say I'm from the Aiken, SC area.

[Dean Romig]

As long as the barrels are in good condition you can shoot modern ammo in it.... within reason of course. It would be advisable however to shoot lower pressure ammo though, as the gun was likely not intended for 2 3/4" shells and your shoulder and cheekbone would thank you for shooting low pressure stuff. If you load your own you can find some great loads for it on the Internet such as the 16 Gauge Society at www.16ga.com





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[Mills Morrison]

Welcome Jeff! The answer is probably yes for RST shells or other lower pressure shells, so long as the barrels are in original and unaltered condition. The only way to be sure is to have a gunsmith familiar with vintage guns examine the gun.

[Jeff Springer]

The gun has hardly been shot. Barrels are almost mint factory.

Dean,
I see you are a setter man. I used to train setters when I was in vet school at Ohio State back in the late 60's. Now because I'm in SC...Boykins.

https://i.imgur.com/g6Fk96W.jpg?1

Mills,
What other brands besides RST are low pressure commercial shells?

[Mills Morrison]

Polywad is another manufacturer. I think there are others as well

[Daniel G Rainey]

I shoot 16's most of time afield. Love how they carry and handle and am also a Boykin man

[Jeff Springer]

Couple pictures of my new to me Parker Trojan 16 ga. The stock has some nice figure for a Parker entry level gun...

https://i.imgur.com/SSbmiOy.jpg?2

https://i.imgur.com/Ht37tn7.jpg?2

https://i.imgur.com/i2sE2bL.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/xlBBigB.jpg?2

[Brian Dudley]

For the sake of information on your gun. The buttstock is a replacement. The forend looks to still be original.

[Jeff Springer]

B. Dudley,
Are you basing that on the color (Photo of butt stock was taken in doors)? How can you tell that? Tte butt & fore stock match up perfectly as to figure, color, and finish in the Walnut?

[Dean Romig]

Jeff, the checkering is not period correct and the 'nose of the comb' is not as Parker would have shaped and contoured it. Further, Parker Bros would not have used such a high grade piece of walnut on a Trojan.


This is not to say it isn't a very attractively figured piece of walnut.





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[allan.mclane]

Take a look at the page here that shows all the grades,

http://parkerguns.org/pages/grades.html

and down at the end is a link to photos of some Trojans in very original condition.

[Jeff Springer]

Dean,
What do you supposed happened to the gun for someone to replace the stock? This gun was giving to me by a friend as a thank you for a knife that I forged for him. I had no idea he was going do that...but I certainly like it :)

https://i.imgur.com/DKwoMYF.jpg?1

[Dean Romig]

Any number of reasons exist for the stock to require replacing - sometimes it's just because the owner wants to upgrade the wood to something prettier... and then there's the 'broken stock syndrome' we've seen so often.

But there's never anything wrong with a gifted Parker.

There's nothing wrong with your Parker - I kinda like it.





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[Mike Franzen]

Hell yeah! I like it too. And the knife and sheath. You’re a heck of a craftsman.

[Garry L Gordon]

If that 16 Trojan fits and suits you, and was a gift -- it's priceless. Enjoy it and shoot it with pride. It's a Parker, has some unique history (and you may discover even more about it).