Newbie Question about a Parker Grade

[Paul Dulaney]

This is a recent acquisition and I am interested in knowing the grade and opinions on originality. The 12 gauge barrels are 28". Thanks for your expertise and education!! There is a "1" on the barrel lug.

[Jim DiSpagno]

T stands for twist steel barrels and it could be an “0” Grade or a grade1.

[Paul Dulaney]

Ok, Flayderman's book suggested the "T" grade denoted a pistol grip. That must be incorrect. Thanks for the information and I will post pics.

[Robin Lewis]

Paul, go to the main page www.parkerguns.org and on the left side are a list of links that will help you ID your Parker. Look at the ones in the second half under "Collector Information". I think it will help you get started.

[Dave Noreen]

A letter T (usually with crescents above and below) stamped near the front on the right barrel flat would indicate Twist barrels. A letter T stamped on the watertable above the serial number would indicate grade. In the lower Quality Parker Bros. hammer guns the price varied by grip style and gauge, hence there were U-, T-, S- and R-grades in the Quality 0 guns.
R-Grade was a 10-gauge with Twist barrels and a pistol grip for $60.
S-Grade was the same thing with a straight grip for $55.
T-Grade was a 12-, 14-, 16- or 20-gauge with a pistol grip for $55.
U-Grade was the same with a straight grip for $50.

Info from the "blue ink" pocket catalog, circa 1900.

[Steve Huffman]

Very Nice ! Matches the serialization book.

[Dave Noreen]

We need to set some terminology "standards" for the use of numbers and letters for describing the same gun that Parker Bros. used. It is confusing enough for those of us that have been at it for half a century, it must really confuse newbies. Then to add to the confusion, over time, the amount of engraving (or lack thereof) on these entry level Parker Bros. hammer guns varied.

I try to use the word Quality with the numbers and the word Grade with the letters.

I would say the gun pictured is a very nice T-Grade.

[Dean Romig]

It appears to be a Quality 0 (zero) and in very high original condition - almost what would be considered a benchmark gun. Very nice indeed.






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[Bill Murphy]

Wow. What a great gun. One of the best I've seen. By the way, the "T" in the serialization book refers to the Twist steel barrels, not a letter grade.

[Paul Dulaney]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise. It seems Parkers can be confusing to ID and I am grateful for the assistance. I primarily focus on Winchesters and Colts, but couldn't pass this one up.

[Chuck Bishop]

Dave, Parker used the word Quality with letters in their price lists and numbers along with barrel steel in the stock books. That's the criteria I use in research letters.

[edgarspencer]

Your gun is of the highest conditions 0 grades seen in a long time. It's no 'rule of thumb' but the lower grades were often working guns who earned their keep.
I have one of the same configuration though not nearly so nice. It's a joy to shoot. However, I can't remember when I last shot a Parker that wasn't.

[Dave Noreen]

Dave, Parker used the word Quality with letters in their price lists and numbers along with barrel steel in the stock books. That's the criteria I use in research letters.

I just thumbed through my collection of Parker catalogs and see that they used the word Quality with the letter designations into the early 1920s. In the April 21, 1923, catalog the SBTs and the A1 Special and AAHE are preceded by the word Quality while the others are not. The page for restocking prices uses Quality for all of them. By the January 1, 1927, catalog the only use of the word Quality is on the SBT page where it states "Offered in five grades, corresponding in quality to our high grade double guns as shown below."

In the Jan. 1, 1929 & 1930 , catalogs it states "P.H. and P.H.E. Grades Discontinued." By the big Remington era catalog they are all Grades. So, as with many things, Grade and Quality just don't fit into a neat and tidy order.